Ethical Decision Making and Effective Leadership: Is Every Effective Leader Ethical?

In the midst of changes during these significant times in education, "Effective Leadership and Ethical Decision Making" is more than ever a focus for educational leaders. Leaders are increasingly challenged on a daily basis to be effective yet ethical. The compelling findings of this research are that honesty and integrity are the most important characteristics that an educator values in his or her leader. Schools in today's society, more than ever before, require ethical leaders who demonstrate their leadership by modeling ethical behaviors through actions and making decisions based on ethics rather than playing the role of a CEO who worries about the outcome rather than the process. Acting ethically, however, may not improve test scores and of this the leader must be cognizant. Integrity may distance itself from honesty. Honesty is being transparent with all constituents. Integrity is keeping one's commitments and promises. Trust is the foundation for an educational leader's effectiveness. This research looks at leadership both from the perspective of practitioners and theory on how to become an effective and ethical leader.

Dr. Ellie Kaucher is the Director, Academic Coordinator and a Senior Faculty member at Cambridge College Ontario Regional Campus in California. She has worked in the field of Education for over twenty years and has studied and conducted extensive research on ethics and effective leadership.