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ETH-2200: LEADING THE WAY: A PATH TOWARDS ETHICAL LEADERSHIP
Module 1—Foundations of Ethical Leadership
OVERVIEW
Welcome to Leading the Way: A Path Towards Ethical Leadership! In Module 1 we will explore the theoretical and classical philosophical foundations of leadership to provide a jumping off point for the rest of the course. This module introduces the concept of ethical leadership, and we will trace it back to antiquity through analysis of philosophical theories of Plato and Aristotle. You will have an opportunity to reflect upon and share your own experience with ethical and unethical leadership. TOPICS
Module 1 covers the following topics:
●
Introducing the theory of ethical leadership
●
Classical philosophical foundations: Plato and Aristotle
OBJECTIVES
After successfully completing Module 1, you should be able to:
MO 1.1
Reflect on how leaders have demonstrated ethical and unethical leadership. [CO 1, CO 6]
MO 1.2
Explain the classical philosophical teachings surrounding moral character and virtue. [CO 1, CO 2, CO 4]
STUDY MATERIALS
Textbook Readings
●
Section I: Module 1, Chapters 1.1 through 1.12
in Thomas Edison State University and Alverson, Leading the Way
ACTIVITIES
Copyright © 2022 by Thomas Edison State University. All rights reserved.
Module 1 has three activities. Please consult the Course Calendar for the due dates.
Introductions Forum
In the Introductions Forum, please address any of the following topics or anything about yourself that you would like to share with the class so that we can get to know you better:
●
Your background in general
●
Your experience with online learning
●
Your interest in ethical leadership and expectations from this course
●
Your response to one of the following icebreaker questions: ○
What are you passionate about in life and in work? Share a list and explain each item. ○
Who do you admire most? Why do you admire them? It can be someone from your “real life” or it can be someone you have never met or even someone from history who has passed on already. Feel free to include images or a link (e.g., to an inspiring video). You can list more than one person. Reply to at least
two classmates’ responses by the date indicated in the Course Calendar.
Note: The Introductions Forum is not graded but is required.
Discussion Forum 1
In Discussion Forum 1, post your response to the following discussion question. Reply to at least two classmates’ responses by the date indicated in the Course Calendar. [MO 1.1]
Watch the video in Chapter 1.5
and reflect on the best and worst leaders you have encountered. After reading Section I: Module 1 and watching the videos contained in the module, define ethical leadership in your own words. What makes a leader ethical? What makes a leader unethical? Discuss your experience with ethical or unethical leadership by providing an example from your own life. Feel free to omit particulars in order to protect anonymity. Alternatively, you can discuss an example from the news. In your post, be sure to reference the components of ethical leadership described in the resources. In your responses to your classmates, include a follow-up question about their experience that references
the resources on ethical leadership. Written Assignment 1
In Chapter 1.6
Byers and Stanberry stat
e, “Philosophers like Socrates, Plato
, and Aristotle tackled fundamental questions of human existence with such insight that their ideas have remained relevant and universal even at the dawn of artificial intelligence.” In Chapter 1.10
Zyglidopoulos n
otes, “Plato maintains that philosophers are those most suited to be good Copyright © 2022 by Thomas Edison State University. All rights reserved.
rulers (both effective and ethical leaders) because they possess the privilege of knowing what is good
and what is not, and what a just and virtuous city should look like
, something they have come to know
after a long and hard period of study” (emphasis added). In The Republic (
Chapter 1.11
), Plat
o defines “the good” as the moral virtues of wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice, which he argues are fundamental characteristics of a leader. This emphasis on moral virtue or willingness to “do the right thing” undergirds our modern conceptions of ethical leadership. In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (
Chapter 1.6
), h
e focuses on happiness and virtue, writing, “[i]f we consider what the function of man is, we find that happiness is a virtuous activity
of the soul.” Aristotle’s writings form the basis of virtue ethics
,
which remains a popular contemporary ethical framework. So, what can we learn from these ancient philosophies about what it means to be an ethical leader today?
In an essay of 500 to 750 words (2 to 3 pages), share your thoughts on the following prompts. Cite your sources using either MLA or APA Style. ●
Consider the role that knowledge of the good plays in ethical leadership. According to Plato, as illustrated in the Allegory of the Cave (
Chapter 1.12
), th
ose with knowledge of the good who have escaped the cave of ignorance and understand moral virtue should be chosen to lead. What do you think of Plato’s argument? How important is knowledge of the good or moral virtue in an ethical leader? What sort of resistance to leaving the cave does Plato describe and how might this apply in a contemporary leadership setting?
What issues may arise if a leader lacks knowledge of “the good”? ●
Describe virtue ethics in your own words. How important to you is virtue in an ethical leader? Why? According to Aristotle, how might a leader build a virtuous character? How might virtue ethics aid in decision-making when serving in a leadership role in today’s world?
[MO 1.2]
Copyright © 2022 by Thomas Edison State University. All rights reserved.
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