Leadership Assessment Ethical Leadership and Integrity 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a code of ethics in an organization?
- To limit employee creativity
- To provide a framework of values and standards guiding behavior and decisions (Correct answer)
- To replace legal regulations entirely
- To assign blame when things go wrong
Correct answer: To provide a framework of values and standards guiding behavior and decisions
A code of ethics provides a clear framework of values and behavioral standards that guides employees and leaders in decision-making.
Question 2: An ethical leader is asked to approve a project that benefits the company financially but harms the local community. The best approach is to:
- Approve immediately because profit is the priority
- Evaluate all stakeholder impacts and seek a solution that balances business and community needs (Correct answer)
- Deny the project without analysis
- Delegate the decision entirely to avoid responsibility
Correct answer: Evaluate all stakeholder impacts and seek a solution that balances business and community needs
Ethical leadership requires evaluating all stakeholder impacts and striving to balance organizational and community interests.
Question 3: Which leadership behavior most strongly erodes team trust over time?
- Admitting mistakes openly
- Consistently saying one thing and doing another (Correct answer)
- Sharing credit for team successes
- Asking for feedback regularly
Correct answer: Consistently saying one thing and doing another
Inconsistency between words and actions is one of the fastest ways to erode trust because it signals unreliability and dishonesty.
Question 4: Which of the following best illustrates 'moral courage' in a leader?
- Avoiding difficult conversations to maintain harmony
- Speaking up against unethical practices despite potential personal risk (Correct answer)
- Following the majority opinion without question
- Delegating ethical decisions to avoid controversy
Correct answer: Speaking up against unethical practices despite potential personal risk
Moral courage involves speaking up and acting on ethical principles even when doing so carries personal or professional risk.
Question 5: How should an ethical leader handle a situation where company policy conflicts with what is morally right?
- Always follow company policy without question
- Ignore both and act independently
- Follow the policy while working through proper channels to change it if needed (Correct answer)
- Resign immediately
Correct answer: Follow the policy while working through proper channels to change it if needed
An ethical leader can comply with existing policy while actively advocating for change through legitimate organizational channels.
Question 6: What role does accountability play in ethical leadership?
- It shifts blame to others during failures
- It requires leaders to take responsibility for their actions and their consequences (Correct answer)
- It is only relevant during performance reviews
- It reduces a leader's authority over their team
Correct answer: It requires leaders to take responsibility for their actions and their consequences
Accountability in ethical leadership means owning your decisions and their outcomes, which strengthens credibility and team culture.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of distributive justice in leadership?
- Giving the most vocal employee the biggest bonus
- Distributing rewards and opportunities fairly based on contributions and merit (Correct answer)
- Allocating resources based on personal relationships
- Providing identical outcomes to all employees regardless of performance
Correct answer: Distributing rewards and opportunities fairly based on contributions and merit
Distributive justice means allocating rewards and resources fairly based on employees' actual contributions and merit.
Leadership Assessment Ethical Leadership and Integrity 2
What is the primary purpose of a code of ethics in an organization?