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UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA. The Role of Leadership in Promoting Integrity in the Public Service Professor S M Nkomo 16 March 2011 Roundtable on the Promotion of Professional Ethics in the Public Service . Ethics is the Heart of Effective Leadership.

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UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

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  1. UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA The Role of Leadership in Promoting Integrity in the Public Service Professor S M Nkomo 16 March 2011 Roundtable on the Promotion of Professional Ethics in the Public Service

  2. Ethics is the Heart of Effective Leadership “Ethics live at the heart of all human relationships and hence at the heart of the relationship between leaders and follower.” Ciulla (2004)

  3. Why is Ethics So Central to Leadership? • Leadership is essentially an influence process • Leaders have more power and control than followers and thus more responsibility for how they use power and influence. • The conduct and character of the leader have an impact on the organization’s integrity and ethics.

  4. The Shadow Side of Leadership Shadow of Power Shadow of Privilege Shadow of Deceit Shadow of the Ego Shadow of Irresponsibility Adapted from P. Palmer, 1996. Leading From Within

  5. Two Dimensions of Ethical Leadership What Leaders Do Who Leaders Are A leader’s character and values • Exhibiting Ethical Behaviour Organisational Ethical Climate

  6. Creating a Climate of Integrity • Send a clear message that integrity is a driving force of the organisation not an exception. • Establish sensible, clearly communicated values and commitments. • Use the values and factor them into routine decision-making and day-to-day organisational activities. • Make sure all systems and structures reflect and reinforce the values—consistent application. • Hold everyone accountable for integrity. • Demonstrate your commitment to integrity by your own behaviour!

  7. Principles of Ethical Leadership Behaviour Builds Community Serves Others Respects Others Manifests Honesty and Trustworthiness Shows Justice

  8. Definition of Trust “Willingness to ascribe good intentions to and have confidence in the words and actions of other people.” (Cook & Wall, 1980—classic definition) “

  9. Trust is in the Hands of the Follower • We choose whom we will trust in which respects and under what circumstances, and we base the choice on what we take to be “good reasons”, constituting evidence of trustworthiness. • Trustor believes trustee intends to do good, make sacrifices, and demonstrate concern for him or her.

  10. Trust Puts the Follower at Risk “The willingness of an employee (the trustor), based on an evaluative process, to expose her/himself to risk when relying on the trustee (a leader/supervisor) to act in her or his interests, even when unable to monitor the actions of the trustee (a leader/supervisor).” Source: Bews, N. & Uys, T. (2002). The Impact of Organisational Restructuring on Perceptions of Trustworthiness. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology: 28 (4), p. 22.

  11. Leader-Employee Trust A Fragile Commodity “One falsehood spoils a thousand truths!” Ashanti Proverb “All leaders require trust as a basis for their legitimacy and as the mortar that binds leader to follower.” (Nanus, 1989).

  12. Being honest and leading with integrity is not about what you say but what you do! • Do not promise what you can’t deliver; • Do not misrepresent; • Do not hide behind spin-doctored evasions; • Do not suppress obligations; • Do not evade accountability; • Do not accept the ‘survival of the fittest’ pressure or ‘everyone is doing it’ to release oneself from the responsibility of moral behaviour. (D. Costa, 1998)

  13. How Leaders Can Build Interpersonal Trust • Communication (keep everyone informed; give feedback) • Honesty: Tell the truth. • Support (be available and approachable). • Respect (accept difference, delegate; be an active listener). • Fairness (give credit where due; be objectively). • Predictability (be consistent; keep your promises). • Competence (demonstrate good sense and professionalism).

  14. Public Admonishment Addressed to a King in an Ancient African Kingdom “Tell him that: We do not wish for greediness; We do not wish that he should curse us; We do not wish that his ears should be hard of hearing; We do not wish that he should call people fools; We do not wish that he should act on his own initiative; We do not wish that it should ever be said, I have no time.” We do not wish for personal abuse; and We do not wish for personal violence.” (From B. Davidson (1965) A history of west Africa to the nineteenth century).

  15. My Challenge to You as Public Servants “We are not angels, but we may at times be better versions of ourselves. -Historian Erwin Hargrove “One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.” -Chinu Achebe, African Author “An elephant never gets tired of carrying its tusks.” -African proverb Batho Pele

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