Culture-Shaping Leadership Among the best ways to shape organizational culture and still be sure that the employees and their socially diverse cultures are being represented and honored is through ethical leadership models. Three of these models are: P4, Complexity, and 4-V. Each of these models will be discussed here. The P4 model stands for Purpose, People, Planet, Probity (or Purity or Principles) (Ethical, 2014). These four things are the cornerstones of sustaining success when it comes to any organization or business in the modern day, and require those who are in leadership positions to really think about what they are offering to their company, their employees, and their customers and stakeholders (Ethical, 2014). The goal is to show that the organizational purpose is strong, and that it is reconciled with proper care of others in order to keep the company moving forward without causing any harm to the people who work with and for that company. The general public (as customers and potential customers) are also considered by adhering to the P4 model.

The second model, Complexity, is focused on six different aspects of leadership. Identity, internal reality, contextual reality, tensions, ambiguity, and complexity are all included in this model (Macaluso, n.d.). The goal is to show how these relate to the organization or a whole, through the use of how they relate to teams and relationships (Macaluso, n.d.). That can be an excellent way to show that there are many different facets to a model of ethical leadership, and that a number of different issues must be considered that are related to more than just what the company plans to do or how it intends to move forward (Macaluso, n.d.). Because there are many different cultures and ideas seen in every company, acknowledging these differences through the ranks and ensuring they are understood by the leaders of the company can become a vital way to improve company performance and cultural relevance.

The third model of ethical leadership discussed here is the 4-V model. The four "Vs" are Values, Voice, Vision, and Virtue (Theme, 2014). It was developed by Dr. Bill Grace, and incorporates all the internal and external factors that have to be aligned in order to make a corporation (and its leadership) successful (Theme, 2014). This can match beliefs and values with actions and services, with the goal of addressing the common good (Theme, 2014). Leaders who are focused on using this model should consider doing the right things outwardly, but also want to be aware that they must focus on an inner journey if they are truly going to do the right thing most often (Theme, 2014). Staying carefully connected to their values, and the values of the organization, means that these leaders will be grounded in what is real for them and their corporation, helping them be better leaders and propel the corporation forward in the right way for employees and customers.

There are many different things that can dictate the perception of what is ethical in a leader's use of power, influence, and authority behaviors. Among these is cultural style. In short, leaders who are insensitive to culture are generally going to find that they are not getting the results they are looking for from their followers and from their company as a whole (Reilly, 2006). That can translate into disappointing numbers of customers and a bottom line that is not what was hoped for by anyone at the company. A clash of cultures is bound to be seen sometimes, in some companies, because there are so many different types of people who work there. However, that does not mean that a leader should simply force other people to follow a particular company path because that leader's culture appears to demand it. There should be more cultural freedom than that in the company, in an effort to ensure that everyone is treated with respect, dignity, and fairness (McQueeny, 2006). Leaders who are very attuned to only their culture, though, may not see the issue in that way.

The perception of culture, and how it influences a leader, can most often be seen in smaller companies, or in the teams in which many people are assigned to work. What is culturally relevant (and comfortable) for one person may be very different for others. A good leader who is interested in upholding high ethical standards will not attempt to impose his or her culture onto others who may not be comfortable with that culture (McQueeny, 2006). That does not mean the leader should give up important beliefs that he or she...

It can be hard to respect everyone's beliefs, especially if the leader strongly disagrees with something that is common in another culture or belief system. However, there are ways in which a leader can be more culturally sensitive so as not to offend followers who may not share the same culture or ideals as the leader. This may seem like a difficult task, but it is not really that complicated once some knowledge is gained.
Leaders must become aware of other cultures, and focus on cultural sensitivity (Reilly, 2006). Some companies even provide training in this, because they understand that most people are comfortable with their own culture, and know very little about the cultures of others. There is also a concern that many misconceptions and stereotypes about cultures are available, and that leaders who adhere to any of these are bound to treat their followers differently, simply because they fail to understand that the way they perceive that follower's culture is not truly accurate (Stansbury, 2009). When leaders exercise cultural sensitivity and understanding, they use their power and authority differently, and they are able to be more honest with their followers (Reilly, 2006). In turn, that encourages honesty from their followers, which provides a better experience for everyone. That experience has a trickle-down effect, and can help other leaders, followers, and teams within the company, along with customers and stakeholders.

Across a wide array of social cultures, there are leadership models, styles, and traits that are commonly accept as being the most ethical. While not every single culture will agree, most cultures find leadership models that are transformational and servant-based to be the most ethical (Stansbury, 2009). These kinds of leadership models are far different from the transactional models that were popular years ago. As time has moved on, the transactional models of leadership are falling by the wayside and becoming much less popular. Some of the reason behind this is that these models were generally ineffective on a large scale. Another reason to avoid transactional models is that they are very "set" in how they do things, and they do not take culture or other personal issues into account. These models largely consisted of a leader who would essentially give orders, and followers who would be required to carry out those orders. There was no teamwork, and that made it difficult for employees to stay motivated (Reilly, 2006). Employees did not feel important and included.

Transformational models changed all of that. These models brought the idea of teamwork and transforming a company right to the doorstep of a number of organizations (McQueeny, 2006). Additionally, these models showcased the idea of servant leadership, in that a leader could be part of the team, not just the head of the team (Stansbury, 2009). When leaders and followers actually work together, there is much more to be gained from their interactions than what was seen in the transactional models of the past (Reilly, 2006). While not perfect, there are many valuable lessons to be learned from transformational leadership when it comes to ethics. That is important, because ethics can be difficult to actually define (Reilly, 2006). What is truly ethical often means different things to different people, which can result in clashes of ideas and opinions (Reilly, 2006). With transformation leadership styles, a team effort -- and team ethics -- are generally seen as more productive.

Agreeing on something as a team is far different from being told what to do by someone else (Stansbury, 2009). With proper ethical leadership models everyone has a say, and everyone is allowed to give input that could potentially be beneficial to the situation. That allows for different styles, different beliefs, and different sets of ethics, which means that people who work together are better able to come to a group decision on what is ethical. Even though there is a leader, this group decision making process keeps the leader from having power and authority beyond what he or she really should have when it comes to giving orders or making plans for what a team (or the entire company) must do (Stansbury, 2009). This kind of leadership does not mean that everyone will always agree, but it does help ensure that every person gets a voice, and that the people who really want to make a…