A critical analysis of ethical leadership in the organization

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the construct of two-component ethical leadership style by analyzing and differentiating the goals of the two components of ethical leadership: the moral person and the moral manager. Design/methodology/approach Taking the analytical approach, this paper problematizes the two-component ethical leadership style by developing the distinctions in the goals of moral person and moral manager and by doing so, it points to the divergent outcomes ethical leadership can lead to in the organization. Findings Conceptual analysis leads to the argument that under certain conditions, ethical leaders can negatively affect trust in the relationship of leader and subordinates, employee empathy development, and intrinsic motivation to act morally by creating feelings of moral inadequacy, focus on stated norms, and crowding out of intrinsic motivation, respectively. Originality/value This work contributes to the critical analysis of the constructs used commonly in social and business ethics research, and through highlighting the schism in the two-component ethical leadership construct, this paper offers remedies to improve the practice of ethical leadership which contributes to the leadership development, business ethics, and leadership ethics in the organization.