Introduction To Values-Driven Leadership In Action

Introduction

The press today is replete with examples in both the private and public sectors of situations where leaders who consider themselves ethical, make unethical choices or are found in compromising situations.

Many times people convicted in these cases are convinced their choices were business decisions and not ethical decisions. Why is this the case? More than simply a legal or moral responsibility, ethics need to become an organizational priority.

Organizational leaders have a lot on their minds in today’s highly competitive world. They must keep abreast of rapid technological advancements, competitor’s products and services, the effects of globalization, and opportunities and threats within their own industry, to name the most obvious. Leaders must also keep a constant eye on the mission, vision, values, culture, strategy and goals of their own organizations.

In the midst of all of this complexity, it’s not easy to find room on the organizational plate for another major priority. However, to succeed in the 21st century, organizations will have to figure out how to make ethics a priority. As an organizational priority, ethics will not only affect decision-making but also, and ultimately, institutional culture. To achieve this ideal, there must be an alignment process that integrates business ethics with mission, vision, values, strategies and goals.

Ethical values are essentially social in nature, therefore, this alignment process will be concerned with relationships and defining relational expectations. The goal of a values driven organizational culture is the greater good of all.

Internal relationships between leaders and followers, as well as external relationships with clients, customers, vendors and the community are all prized. As a result, people are treated well consistently and an ethical culture emerges.

“The principle task of the 21st Century is the creation and nurturing of a values-based culture.” Due to the extensive amount of time people spend at work, much of this nurturing must take place in the working environment. Rushworth Kidder founder, Institute for Global Ethics.

In this leadership development course, Africa’s top business schools partner with corporate leaders to build leadership capacity for building sustainable and ethical businesses across Africa.

Developing Great African Leaders

For further information on the Values-Driven Leadership Program (VDL) contact:

Strathmore Center for Sustainability Leadership
Email: sustainability@strathmore.edu
Phone: +254 703 034 542

Programme Benefits
This programme will help you develop a new self-awareness as well as tools for moral reasoning and a robust ethical framework to assist in everyday decision making.

Together we will explore the meaning of integrity, values, and beliefs—and how these shape our behaviors and actions.

We will examine the the tensions between your own personal values and your responsibilities to the public—and discover how to address both with integrity.

Learning Approach
The approach we will be taking differs from other leadership courses in a few distinct ways:

  • We bring talented leaders together to empower them to Give Voice to their Values, and to help each other to do so going forward. Becoming part of this programme means that alumni of the course become ambassadors for sustainable and ethical organizational practices across Africa, part of an elite Alumni that is equipped to effect real change.
  • We encourage cross-sectoral cooperation and understanding, embedded in an understanding of the unique contextual factors that face leaders in specific parts of Africa. As such, we deliver tailor-made programmes at the top business schools across Africa. This first pilot in Kenya, at Strathmore Business School, will bring together an elite group of senior leaders in both private and public sectors in East Africa to launch the programme.
  • Our unique learning approach aims at doing more than transferring knowledge and skills. We hope to build the muscle memory for ethical and sustainable decisions and actions in our participants and to sustain it in our alumni.

Programme Design
The programme design is shaped around a new, ground-breaking international learning approach for developing ethical leadership, called “Giving Voice to Values”(GVV). GVV was developed by Mary C. Gentile PhD of Babson College.

A veteran of Harvard Business School and pioneer in both ethics and diversity management curriculum. GVV is now being used in over 100 educational and executive settings on five continents.

This methodology draws on participants’ values and beliefs to deal with challenging situations in their workplaces. As such, we steer clear of lectures and instead work with the experiences of the participants. An important part of this is self-reflection, in order to understand the value-fit or discrepancy faced in the workplace.
Students/ learners will be encouraged to share their workplace dilemmas, and be empowered with hand-on strategies to reframe situations, rescript reactions and to plan interventions that offer a practical response to each situation.

Participant Profile
The programme is designed for senior executives making significant business decisions for their organization.

We also welcome senior managers whose job it is to direct or communicate their organization’s ethics and sustainability-related activities.

A limited number of seats will be available for regulators, NGO professionals, social entrepreneurs, and senior professionals in the public sector.

Learning Outcomes
  • Motivate the importance of value- and purpose alignment in organizations
  • Practice the skills and capacities to act on your values in complex situations
  • Demonstrate cross-sectoral understanding and cooperation strategies towards ethical and sustainable business practices
  • Assess corruption risk and master best practice strategies for managing these risks
  • Proactively manage ethical organizational cultures through ethical lenses
  • Lead specific dimensions of sustainability management

Cost
The cost of the programme will be 180,000 Kenya Shillings.

This fee covers tuition, course materials and lunches on working days as well as the closing dinners.

A certificate endorsed by the partnering academic institutions will be provided upon successful completion of the programme.

How to Apply
Places on the programme are confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis, taking into consideration the applicant’s level, objectives and the diversity of the classes.

We recommend that you submit your completed application form as early as possible.