How can power be used ethically in organizations Essay

How can power be used ethically in organizations - Essay Example It is in the hands of the leaders to use power ethically because they are also organization’s ethic officers and use it for the best interests of the organization (Johnson 2009). In the present paper it is explained ‘how power can be used ethically in organizations’ to derive benefits from legitimate use of power by presenting theoretically concepts and arguments related to the same. Theoretical Concept of Power & Ethics To know how to use power ethically in an organization first power, organizational politics and ethics concept should be understood clearly. â€Å"Power refers to a capacity that A has to influence the behaviour of B so B acts in accordance with A’s wishes† (Bass 1990, p.170). Power is used as a means by leaders to achieve their goals. However power is different from leadership as power requires only dependence and not goal compatibility as in the case of leadership that requires compatibility of goals between the leader and their fol lowers and also power can be exercised both by a group and individual to influence an individual or a group (Robbins et al 2011). ... ns and the moral code† and â€Å"Ethics is concerned with the study of morality and the application of reason to elucidate specific rules and principles that determine right and wrong for a given situation† (Crane and Mitten 2007) based on the cultural and legal standards. In this perspective Leaders should be conscious of the morality of their actions at all times and a leader to be successful must not only take right actions but through right means and with right intentions according to Ciulla (2005). Therefore ethical behaviour refers to conforming to moral principles as well as to cultural and legal standards. It is very common for employees to indulge in organizational politics to exert more influence, for career advancement and for gaining credit and rewards. Organization politics refers to â€Å"use of power to affect decision making in an organization or on self-serving and organizationally unsanctioned behaviours† (Robbins et al 2011, p. 415). It is used in all organizations in some form or the other everyday and by everyone. However not all organizational politics is illegitimate or unethical there is also a legitimate and ethical dimension to it (Robbins et al 2011). Leader’s bear more responsibility to exercise power ethically in an organization compared to others and can create ethical organizations through their responsible behaviour. People emulate their leader’s behaviour, attitudes and values because they consider them to be attractive, credible and legitimate as they exert power through their position of authority they occupy (Johnson 2009). Therefore power to be used ethically in an organization the focus should be on the leader’s behaviour. But what constitutes ethical use of power and how to differentiate it from unethical use is complex and