Dealing with Ethics and Climate

8-19. A leader is the ethical standard-bearer for the organization, responsible for building an ethical climate that demands and rewards behavior consistent with the Army Values. Other staff specialists—the chaplain, staff judge advocate, inspector general, and equal employment opportunity specialist—assist in shaping and assessing the organization’s ethical climate. Regardless of all the available expert help, the ultimate responsibility to create and maintain an ethical climate rests with the leader.


8-20. Setting a good ethical example does not necessarily mean subordinates will follow it. Some may feel that circumstance justifies unethical behavior. Therefore, the leader must constantly monitor the organization’s ethical climate and take prompt action to correct any discrepancies between the climate and the standard. To effectively monitor organizational climates, leaders can use a periodic Ethical Climate Assessment Survey combined with a focused leader plan of action as follows:

• Begin the plan of action by assessing the unit. Observe, interact, and gather feedback from others, or conduct formal assessments of the workplace.
• Analyze gathered information to identify what needs improvement. After identifying what needs improvement, begin developing courses of action to make the improvements.
• Develop a plan of action. First, develop and consider several possible courses of action to correct identified weaknesses. Gather important information, assess the limitations and risks associated with the various courses, identify available key personnel and resources, and verify facts and assumptions. Attempt to predict the outcome for each possible course of action. Based on predictions, select several leader actions to deal with target issues.
• Execute the plan of action by educating, training, or counseling subordinates; instituting new policies or procedures; and revising or enforcing proper systems of rewards and punishment.
• The organization moves towards excellence by improving substandard or weak areas and maintaining conditions that meet or exceed the standard. Finally, periodically reassess the unit to identify new matters of concern or to evaluate the effectiveness of the leader actions.

US Army Leader Defined

Army Leadership

1-1. An enduring expression for Army leadership has been BE-KNOW-DO. Army leadership begins with what the leader must BE—the values and attributes that shape character. It may be helpful to think of these as internal and defining qualities possessed all the time. As defining qualities, they make up the identity of the leader.

1-2. Who is an Army leader? An Army leader is anyone who by virtue of assumed role or assigned responsibility inspires and influences people to accomplish organizational goals. Army leaders motivate people both inside and outside the chain of command to pursue actions, focus thinking, and shape decisions for the greater good of the organization.

  1-3. Values and attributes are the same for all leaders, regardless of position, although refined through experience and assumption of positions of greater responsibility. For example, a sergeant major with combat experience may have a deeper understanding of selfless service and personal courage than a new Soldier.

 
1-4. The knowledge that leaders should use in leadership is what Soldiers and Army civilians KNOW. Leadership requires knowing about tactics, technical systems, organizations, management of resources, and the tendencies and needs of people. Knowledge shapes a leader’s identity and is reinforced by a leader’s actions.

 1-5. While character and knowledge are necessary, by themselves they are not enough. Leaders cannot be effective until they apply what they know. What leaders DO, or leader actions, is directly related to the influence they have on others and what is done. As with knowledge, leaders will learn more about leadership as they serve in different positions.

ACCOMPLISHES MISSIONS CONSISTENTLY AND ETHICALLY

12-94. To be able to put strategic vision, concepts, and plans into reality, strategic leaders must employ reliable feedback systems to monitor progress and adherence to values and ethics. They have to find ways to assess many environmental elements to determine the successfulness of policies, operations, or a transformational vision. Like leaders at other levels, they must assess themselves; their leadership style, strengths, and weaknesses; and their fields of excellence. Other assessment efforts involve understanding the will and opinions of the American people, expressed partly through law, policy, their leaders, and the media.

12-95. To gain a complete picture, strategic leaders cast a wide net to assess their own organizations. They develop performance indicators to signal how well they are communicating to all levels of command and how well established systems and processes are balancing the imperatives of doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities. Assessment starts early in each operation and continues through successful conclusion. They may include monitoring such diverse areas as resource use, development of subordinates, efficiency, effects of stress and fatigue, morale, ethical considerations, and mission accomplishment.