Leadership styles and their organizational impact

¶ … People Make Tough Choices by Rushworth M. Kidder. Specifically, it will discuss the concepts covered in this book as they apply to individual and organizational leadership. Kidder's concepts presented in the book apply to just about every aspect of life, but especially to individual and organizational leadership. The author encourages self-reflection when making tough choices, thereby developing their basic values and a core sense of right vs. right, which are sound tools for any leader.

Kidder's arguments in this book are bound with ethics and ethical choices. He believes the best choices, even the toughest ones, are based in ethics, rather than strict "right vs. wrong," or management principles. Kidder outlines four pairs of problems, and that for any given ethical dilemma; one of the pairs will be dominant. They are: truth vs. loyalty, the individual vs. community, short-term vs. long-term, and justice vs. mercy (Kidder, 1995, pg. 18). One must analyze all facets of the problem, and often, more than one, or even all, of the pairs must be considered in analysis and successful completion of the problem. The author notes, "merely to analyze a dilemma - even to fit it into the above paradigms - is not to resolve it. Resolution requires us to choose which side is the nearest right for the circumstances. And that requires some principles for decision-making" (Kidder, 1995, pg. 23). That is another important aspect of Kidder's basic premise, that decision-making must be based on principles. If it is not, it is not only not effective, but it can be damaging to the individual and/or the organization.

At the heart of Kidder's arguments for ethics is how to tell right from wrong, and how to deal with the much more perplexing problems of right vs. right, which require much more personal and potentially long-lasting decisions. Right vs. right problems are never simple, and both sides have obvious benefits. Kidder cites several examples in the book, and none of them have clear-cut answers. This is the biggest dilemma with the tough choices, they will always have issues on both sides that make sense and are difficult and demanding to choose. In addition, Kidder believes that a strong foundation in ethics and ethical behavior are the most important tools in making tough decisions. Those without that strong moral sense will not have as much difficulty, because they will see things in a more black and white, right vs. wrong sense, rather than a right vs. right sense, that includes more moral and ethical challenges.

Ethics is at the core of Kidder's arguments. He states ethics "is not a blind impartiality, doling out right and wrong according to some stone-cold canon of ancient and immutable law. It's a warm and supremely human activity that cares enough for others to want right to prevail" (Kidder, 1995, pg. 59). This is the problem with Kidder's reasoning, and why his pleas for ethical decision-making are so important. It seems that ethics have taken a back seat to personal satisfaction and selfish decision making in many individuals and organizations. Rather than taking into account the good of the many, they only take into account the good of themselves, and this influences their decisions in both personal and organizational settings. When the good of the manager comes before the good of the organization, ultimately, both the manager and the organization will fail.

Obviously, there are many sides to ethics, from legal to as the author notes, "good manners." This is why acting ethically is so difficult, and why so many people choose an easier route, such as quick and non-analytical decision-making. This type of thought process may initially take less time and effort, but in the end, it can be far more damaging and enduring. Not taking all aspects of a dilemma into consideration is both dangerous and foolish. If a leader does not weigh all the aspects of a problem, and break them down into more manageable factors, the problem may actually become too large and cumbersome to handle. Kidder's philosophy not only uses ethical standards to look at all sides of a dilemma, it urges leaders to break down the problem, manage each section effectively, make sure they understand it, and then move on to the next section. Ultimately, the decision must be based on the "closest right," because there may not be any black and white answer to a gray dilemma. The librarian's analogy in the beginning of the book is an excellent example. If she gives the detective the man's number, he may be going after an innocent man. If she does not disclose the information, she may be putting other women in the community in danger. Either way, her decision is difficult. Either way, she must be the one to live with her decision. This is perhaps one of the most important aspects of ethical decision-making. The decision must be one the decision maker can live with. If not, it is not the right decision for them. Clearly, what is right for one person may not be right for another.

Kidder also believes that shared values are paramount to a global understanding, and shared values can help global leaders make tough choices that are better for the whole, rather than the few. While many of Kidder's ideas seem lofty and out of reach, he does pepper the book with real-life examples that show his theories at work, and give a better sense of the values and methodologies he is discussing. His ideas are lofty, but the concrete examples help keep the book from getting too idealistic. The book's practical examples help illustrate the nine-step process that helps managers look more deeply into the decision-making process, and they also make the reader think about what they would do in the same situation. The author shows that decision-making is difficult, but it does not have to be the intimidating process that many people feel it is. For the modern corporation or individual, this book is another tool to successful management, and in understanding. Understanding others and their positions is a key goal of decision-making, and this book helps the reader think about both sides of ethical issues, so they can work out satisfactory solutions for everyone involved.

Ultimately, the author wants people to think for themselves, noting that the most difficult decisions are those where people look at every aspect of the problem and then self-analyze their own ethics on the issue. The analogy of the librarian is a good example of this. Should she maintain the caller's privacy, when he may be a rapist, or should she turn over the caller's identity to the detective who overheard this call? The answer is never easy, and clearly, the librarian must take her own high ethical standards into account when she makes her own decision. There is no right or wrong answer here, and each solution has positive aspects. These are the toughest kind of decisions, and they come up in life all the time.

In fact, choices like these face the independent and organizational leader all the time, too, and that is what makes this book so valuable in personal and business life. Everyday, leaders face ethical challenges that affect them, the workplace, and the staff. How they manage these tough decisions not only reflects on them as leaders, but also ultimately reflects on the success of the company. Weighing ethical decisions with two very different answers is never simple, but this book, and its advice, does give tools to the leader who wants to be more effective and successful at the same time.

Kidder concludes the book with a nine-point checklist to aid in ethical decision-making, observing, however, that one does not always have the indulgence of time to investigate and come to a decision on an ethical dilemma. His checklist includes:

1. Recognize that there is an ethical issue.