Courage and Leadership: Focusing on their Relevance in the Workplace
Abstract
Courage and Leadership: Focusing on their Relevance in the Workplace Drs. Michael J. Provitera, Sandra L. Roberts, Robert E. Scully and Marilyn Marousek Barry University, Miami, Florida, USA Abstract: Organizations... [ view full abstract ]
Courage and Leadership:
Focusing on their Relevance in the Workplace
Drs. Michael J. Provitera, Sandra L. Roberts, Robert E. Scully and Marilyn Marousek
Barry University, Miami, Florida, USA
Abstract:
Organizations constitute morally-complex environments, requiring organization members to possess levels of moral courage sufficient to promote their ethical action, while refraining from unethical actions when faced with temptations or pressures. Courageous leadership requires a sophisticated understanding of structural and systematic pressures, as well as the skill to navigate them to create an alternative path that others can follow (Canales and Dawson, 2011, p. 7). This study will examine the moderating and mediating variables of courage, leadership and ethics on leadership in contemporary organizations. The importance of this study is that preconceived notions of whether a leader is perceived trustworthy may be as important as the outcomes that can be observed. Key contributions from this study will be that organizations can recognize the courageous leadership traits that inspire trust when searching for new leadership.
Keywords: Global Leadership, Courage, Fear, Followership
Rationale:
This proposed study will focus on courage as a product of willingness to take action and the fear experienced while taking the action. Few research studies have tried to empirically derive types or categorizations of courage, but scholars have shown renewed interest in the construct of courage (Sekerka, Bagozzi, and Charnigo, 2009, p. 565). This study seeks to examine the moderating and mediating variable of courage, leadership and ethics in contemporary organizations. Recognizing the courageous leadership traits that inspire trust may assist organization searching for new leadership.
In the 21st century there are many excellent examples of ethical and motivational leadership in organizations. Unfortunately there are just as there are many if not more examples of unethical and unscrupulous leadership. Leaders continually communicate their personal values and ethics verbally and in writing; but they must demonstrate and apply these attributes to be believable. Perceptions of leaders and personal stories by and about the leaders often form the beliefs of followers. VandSandt & Neck (2003) find that leaders may behave unethically if they are “shielded” by the corporation and are pressured to behavior in an unethical manner.
Leadership entails challenging the status quo, often at significant personal and professional risk. A critical element of developing leaders is courage. Courage springs from a sense of responsibility; the belief that leadership should occur at all levels when it is needed, not when it is granted; and a firm commitment to a well-defined set of core values. It becomes especially relevant when individuals have the ability to generate change, are aware of the structural constraints to change, and recognize the pressures exerted by those constraints. Our research will attempt to expand the construct to include differing culture and age groupings and may enhance an organization’s ability to better select and/or improve the skills of an effective leader.
This research project is important because we can attempt to identify people who are willing to act despite a threat to a worthy outcome. Thus, this research may augment the selection procedures or identify members of an organization that might be well suited for certain leadership assignments or tasks.
Theoretical Base: The study may be viewed theoretically as to whether we can augment selection procedures or identify members of an organization that might be well suited to certain assignments or tasks.
Research Questions & Methodology: Research questions that will guide this study are: Is there is an advantage to being able to identify people who are willing to act despite a threat for a worthy outcome? Can we augment selection procedures or identify members of an organization that might be well suited to certain assignments or tasks where courage may be factor?
Woodard and Pury (2007), created a four-factor structure and based their research upon-work/employment, patriotic/religion-based belief system, specific social-moral, and independent courage or family based. Courage coupled with fear will be measured using the 2007 Woodard and Pury Courage Scale (i.e., WPCS-23). This is a 23 item scale measuring two dimensions---courage as the ability to act and the fear factor involved with the action. Relevance of the professions of the participants studied will also be considered. The sample will consist of graduate students working in global corporations located in the South and Central Florida region of the country.
Contribution: The value of identifying courage is apparent and has clear application to many managerial areas. Our research will attempt to foster a better understanding of courageous leadership and may enhance an organization’s ability to better select and/or improve the skills of an effective leader. Courageous leadership requires a sophisticated understanding of structural and systematic pressures, as well as the skill to navigate them to create an alternative path that others can follow (Canales and Dawson, 2011, p. 7).
References:
Canales, R., and Dawson, E. (2011). "From Buddha to the Boardroom: Leadership Education and the Four Pillars of Courageous Leadership," Academy of Management Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, August 9, 2012.
Woodard, C. R. and Pury, C. L. (2007). "The Construct of Courage Categorization and Measurement," Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, Vol. 59, 135-147.
Sekerka, L. E., Bagozzi, R. P., and Charnigo, R. (2009). "Facing Ethical Challenges in the Workplace: Conceptualizing and Measuring Professional Moral Courage," Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 89, 565-579.
VanSandt, C. V., & Neck, C. P. (2003). Bridging ethics and self leadership: Overcoming ethical discrepancies between employee and organizational standards. Journal of Business Ethics, 43(4), 363-387.
Authors
- Sandra Roberts (Barry University)
- Marilyn Marousek (Barry University)
- Michael Provitera (Barry University)
- Robert Scully (Barry University)
Topic Area
Topics: Leadership & Organisational Behaviour
Session
LOB - 3 » Leadership & Organisational Behaviour - Session 3 (15:15 - Tuesday, 4th September, G13)
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