ABS 415: Leadership And Ethics In A Changing World

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Absolute Power and Corruption Laticia Brown ABS 415: Leadership and Ethics in a Changing World Instructor: Pinkerton October 09, 2012 Introduction "Power is defined as the ability to get someone to do something you want done or the ability to make things happen in the way you want them to." (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2005). Within an organization, managers derive power from various sources such as through the use of manipulation or coerciveness. Power gives an individual access to control his/her subordinate; the employee believes the manager has the authority and thus will obey. However, some leaders will attain power at the expense of morality. From examples in history, we have seen how power can increase one's moral hypocrisy. Historic Examples of Power and Corruption Perhaps one of the most powerful and corrupt figures in history is Adolf Hitler. We all know Hitler as the leader of the Nazi Party of Germany, which was responsible for the deaths of millions of…show more content…
Also from these examples, we can see how an increase in power can lead to unethical behavior. It is unethical in the sense that when one gains this power or control, he/she feels that he/she has earned the right or authority to do so with total disregard for human rights. Ultimately, authority with total control destroys the honesty of what is right and wrong completely. To be human is to make mistakes but if a society is modeled after the leadership of a human with supreme authority, corruption is bound to occur. References Kiernan, B. (2002). The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power, and Genocide in Cambodia. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002 Schermerhorn, J. R., Hunt, J. G., & Osborn, R. N. (2005). Power and Influence in Organizational Behavior (9th ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.
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