RLF Reflection: Ethical Leadership

On February 24, Kevin Chen gave a presentation on Ethical Leadership. Chen's central argument was that Ethical Leadership is not only a moral standard that has its intrinsic benefits, but it also has tangible benefits that cascades throughout a team. The example of Gravity Payments CEO, Dan Price, helped elucidate this point. During the pandemic, Price had undergone a pay cut in order to guarantee stable salaries for his employees. Not only did his employees stay with the company during the tumultuous time, the company quickly grew afterward. Additionally, Chen emphasizes that ethical leadership is not only about the leader's decisions regarding the objectives of the team but also about their relationship to each individual.  Qualities such as being attentive to the needs of others and clear communication are the essential bedrock of promoting an environment that is centered on the principles of Ethical Leadership. 

I personally found the presentation to be useful for our current environment. Distrust of public and private institutions is high. The 2008 financial crisis showed that many of the world's largest banks were more concerned with chasing bonuses than providing stable products. In recent years, partisanship has left politicians looking to seek cheap wins rather than work to improve the lives of their constituents. The principles Chen layed out are desperately needed in today's public and private spheres. And there's already action being taken such as corporate leaders becoming more concerned with the social impact of their companies. In my personal life, I will seek to apply the interpersonal aspects of Ethical Leadership in my daily life. An Ethical Leader does not march to the beat of their own drum but takes into consideration the voices and opinions of those they lead. Moving forward, I aim to be more attentive to those around me so that I can best orient myself to serve them and achieve our common objectives.

-Written by Chris Jun, Class of 2022 Rockefeller Leadership Fellow 

As Rockefeller Leadership Fellows, seniors gain a better understanding of the qualities and responsibilities expected of leaders. As Fellows take part in the workshops, discussions, and team-building exercises, they examine their skills, qualities, and attributes as leaders and analyze how these influence teamwork and achieving goals.