When I
first entered this course, I believed that being an ethical leader was quite
simple. After taking this class, it has come to my attention that being an
ethical leader is not just black and white. There are very complicated aspects
of leadership that different leaders address. For instance, Machiavelli taught
that keeping power was very important, and that certain necessary evils must be
performed to please the majority of people. I would not have previously thought
that killing off people could be an ethical decision, but after this course, I
understand why leaders have to make unpopular decisions. Being a completely
ethical leader is not possible, although the best leaders only use necessary
evils when they are completely necessary. Also, leaders like Nelson Mandela had
the charisma and confidence to push through a virtually unsupported idea and
make it a success, as portrayed in the film Invictus.
In
regard to certain ideas I change my opinion on, I cannot currently think of
any. But, I am sure that my perspective will be greatly change as I lead in the
future. I will know to not hesitate when a necessary evil or unpopular decision
must be made, if that is what I believe is best for the cause. Also, I can base
my decisions on the teachings and ideals of leaders like Mandela, Dr. King, and
Machiavelli. The knowledge I have gained from this class will allow me to not
only make the right decisions, but also help me compare my values to the
ethical consequences in situations and make the decision I want to make.
By Michael Becker
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