What is it about power and success that creates ethical challenges for leaders? Why should a leader be ethical? What virtues do governmental leaders portray? What is the relationship between feelings and morality? Are there standards of right and wrong that apply everywhere, regardless of cultural practice? How do we make ethical judgments in and about foreign cultures? What are our ethical obligations to people from other cultures? Should moral characteristics apply to leaders and leadership everywhere? What is charisma and why are some people so obsessed with it as a quality of leadership? What is the difference between a leader and a celebrity? What are the dangers of charismatic leaders? Can followers be held accountable for their leader’s actions?

In this course, students learn the interconnectedness of leadership and ethics. We examine the ethical background of what leaders are, what they do, and how they do it. Students assess the public and private morality of leaders, the moral obligations of leaders and followers, the ways in which leaders shape the moral environment of their environments, and the temptations of power. This course looks at how leaders convey values through their actions (and inactions), language, and their power and influence as role models. The course aims to expand students’ moral point of view by first considering personal ethics, then moving on to look at leadership and the common good, and finishing with an examination of ethics in a global community

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP AND THE SGLC (Spring Semester)

In the Spring semester, FIE’s Ethical Leadership course combines classroom study with the opportunity to present a topic on leadership to other students at an international conference. As part of the Ethical Leadership course, students will attend and present at the FIE Student Global Leadership Conference (SGLC), held in FIE’s Kensington Campus, in April. The SGLC is a weekend-long event that encourages emerging global leaders to think beyond short-term gains and build sustainable communities, policies, practices, and organizations which support our planet, people, and global prosperity. Events include keynote speakers, breakout sessions led by leadership professionals as well as other students, networking opportunities, receptions, and more.

What is the connection between Ethical Leadership and the Student Global Leadership Conference?

In the Ethical Leadership course, students will explore the interconnectedness of leadership and ethics. They will examine the ethical background of what leaders are, what they do, and how they do it. The students will further assess the public and private morality of leaders, the moral obligations of leaders and followers, the ways in which leaders shape the morality of their environments, and the temptations of power. Tying in with the course objectives above, keywords from previous SGLC themes are Sustainable Leadership, Social Impact, Holistic Practices, and Future Positive Impacts.

What does this mean for the student?

The presentation assignment of the Ethical Leadership course will be incorporated into the conference presentation delivered in a breakout session. The group presentation for this course will examine the future leadership challenges in the area of diversity. In particular, students will be asked to consider the ethics of pursuing diversity in a leadership context. Students will receive an e-certificate for participating in the conference breakout session. Registration and access to the entire weekend event is included and participation is expected as part of the course. 

*Please note: For the Spring Semester, a lab fee of £90 (covers registration and participation in the SGLC) is required for this course 

 EXAMPLE CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (2-4 PER COURSE)

• Visit to relevant, current special exhibitions, for example the Ethics of War

• Spring only: Student Global Leadership Conference

COURSE OUTLINE