Ethics and Leadership: Psychological and Social Processes

Catalog description

Ethical decisions must be made by leaders at all levels of an organization. Thus, students in this course will have the opportunity to learn about important issues in ethical leadership that will provide a foundation of the basic principles of operating as an ethical leader in organizations. The term "organizations" is intentionally broadly defined and will include reference to business, non-government organizations, government entities, and non-profit entities. Specifically, students will be exposed to topics such as the role of psychological development in ethical decision making, theoretical foundations of choosing ethical pathways from the field of psychology, the role of personality and cognition in ethicality, developing and sustaining an ethical climate, ethics during crises, ethics in a global environment, and the psychological underpinnings of leading groups toward ethical ends. The course will be grounded in psychological theory, with particular emphasis on social, cognitive, and affective frameworks. Through the presentation and investigation of the course material, students will be exposed to the core principles of ethical leadership as well as a series of real-world case examples and experiences. In addition, students will share their personal experiences and work through the often challenging and difficult decisions that surround ethical leadership. These practical discussions will be couched and framed in the discipline of psychology. Such practical applications are intentional and aimed at providing a bridge between psychological theory and application. Building on these insights, the learning outcomes of the course will be to teach students to effectively and accurately assess complex leadership situations, possessing the capacity to make ethical decisions and take ethical action. Moreover, students will develop an awareness of key psychological principles guiding ethical choices and be able to apply such awareness to identify key barriers to leading ethically, with the intent of encouraging students to remove such barriers in organizations. Finally, students will possess the ability to teach others how to operate in ethically-bound ways, further enhancing the performance and sustainability of the organization.