Question

1. Is character an essential ingredient in ethical leadership? Is it especially important in managers? In leadership, especially among CEOs, is character important? Why? 2. Do you agree with the Waiter Rule? Does it provide useful insights into who might be an ethical or unethical leader? Should corporate boards consider character when hiring someone for the top position? 3. Is using the Waiter Rule too simplistic a guideline for hiring people in important positions such as CEO? Is it too simplistic a guideline for judging one's ethics? 4. Do you have a "Waiter Rule" story or experience to tell?

Answer 1

Yes character is very much important and an essential ingredient in ethical leadership since without good and sound character one cannot deliver good to all stakeholders, the internal customers, i.e. employees of the company and management/owner and to the outside customers and without having character one cannot take the desired and right decisions which includes care for its peers, company employees, and good service level to its customers and character includes lots of things, i.e. confidence, empathy, kindheartedness, understanding, vision, patience, dignity, humanity, etc.

So character is an essential ingredient in ethical leadership.

Yes it is very very important for managers, since managers are the mediator between management/CEO and his/her team/subordinates and if he/she will not show his true character with true signs of confidence, empathy, kindheartedness, understanding, visionary, patient, dignified, humanistic, etc. then he/she will only discourage his/her subordinates, their morale which will discourage and demotivate them to deliver as per management goals and to prove their company the best option to choose from amongst the other alternates available. So managers without having above characteristics will harm company, its culture, its results and perception among its customers.

So character plays a very important part in managers professional behaviour and is very very important.

A CEO with good character with above mentioned character qualities is a must requirement since CEO is the most influential person in an organization and his qualities of his/her character reflects in a company's day to day activities, its both short term and long term goals and perception of company among its customers, a CEO with good character qualities will put positive impression on the employees, its customers, company's environment since character shows its true colors in terms of confidence, compassion, empathy, kindheartedness, patient, humanistic with focus on growth and it shows its character as respect with results which truly fits his/her character.