Ethical Leadership Development Flashcards
7 cards from real CEA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethical Leadership Development flashcards as text
An ethical leader notices that a company policy inadvertently disadvantages a minority group. The best course of action is to:
Answer: Document the disparate impact and advocate for policy review
Ethical leaders are responsible for identifying and addressing unintended harms, even when a policy was not designed to discriminate.
Which ethical framework focuses on a leader's duty to act according to universal principles regardless of outcomes?
Answer: Deontological ethics
Deontological ethics, associated with Kant, holds that actions must conform to duties and universal moral rules independent of their consequences.
A leader in a cross-cultural team discovers that what is considered acceptable gift-giving in one culture is viewed as bribery in their home country. The ethical approach is to:
Answer: Apply the stricter standard and clearly communicate the reasoning
When cultural practices conflict with legal or ethical standards, leaders should apply the more rigorous standard and explain it respectfully.
The concept of 'servant leadership' is best associated with which ethical principle?
Answer: Prioritizing the growth and well-being of followers over the leader's own interests
Servant leadership, developed by Robert Greenleaf, emphasizes putting the needs of followers first as the primary ethical obligation of a leader.
When developing an organizational ethics program, which element is considered foundational?
Answer: Creating a code of ethics aligned with core organizational values
A code of ethics that reflects core values provides the foundational framework from which all other ethics program elements derive.
A leader must choose between laying off 10% of staff to save the company or keeping all employees while risking eventual bankruptcy. This scenario is best described as:
Answer: An ethical dilemma with competing legitimate moral obligations
An ethical dilemma exists when two or more values or obligations conflict and no option is entirely without moral cost.
Which behavior by a leader most effectively builds a speak-up culture?
Answer: Responding constructively and visibly when employees raise ethical concerns
Leaders build speak-up cultures by demonstrating through action that raising concerns leads to genuine, visible follow-through.