Ethical Leadership in the Community College: Bridging Theory and Daily Practice (review)

A timely discussion of ethics, leadership, and responsibility is presented in Ethical Leadership in the Community College: Bridging Theory and Daily Practice, edited by David M. Hellmich. The book provides not only sound theoretical discussions on ethics and leadership but also practical perspectives on the application of ethical leadership in a variety of community college settings. The writers range from college presidents and trustees to college academic administrators as well as university and community college faculty. This diversity of perspectives provides a refreshing approach, offering readers a wide range of reflective voices on this important topic.

The first six chapters form Part 1, "Foundations of Ethical Leadership." The writers have presented solid philosophical discussions of both ethics and leadership theory. Richard Brenner Sr. guides us through a discourse on virtue and leadership theory, drawing on Confucius and Aristotle as well as other major cultures, all of whom ascribe to some form of virtue ethics theory that is transformational to both individuals and groups and leads to the greater good of all.

Gordy Wax continues this discussion in his chapter that draws on Plato's Republic and the ethical leader, concluding that ethical leaders are "always concerned about what is best for the organization and are always searching for the knowledge of what is best" (p. 22). He surmises, "If leaders are of this nature, then all of their actions and decisions will be in harmony with their values" (p. 22).

Hellmich carries the discussion to a different level, exploring power, influence, and cultural norms for the ethical community college leader. He challenges the reader to consider who has the responsibility to act when unethical actions occur. His conclusion is that daily ethical behavior should be the cultural norm for everyone—faculty, administrators, and presidents alike.

Desna Wallin explores more fully the role of the president, presenting a compelling list of principles of ethical leadership. She stresses that community college presidents, because of their positional power within the college environment and the greater community, have a responsibility to exercise power ethically. Gary Davis, who poses the question why presidents and trustees should care about ethics, furthers this theme. He presents solid examples of ethical challenges to presidents and trustees and concludes that they need a method for making decisions ethically.

Part 1 ends with a discussion on professional ethical identity development and community college leadership. Writers Sharon K. Anderson, Clifford P. Harbour, and Timothy Gray Davies note that, while there is a considerable body of literature on community college leadership, there is limited commentary focusing on the ethical dimensions of leadership in this arena. To present a framework for such a discussion, they provide several models that result in an integrative strategy that can be tied to ethical identity. Moreover, they promote a process that enables leaders to develop their own strategies for strengthening personal and organizational ethics.

Part 2, "Daily Practice of Ethical Leadership," moves from the theoretical to the pragmatic. What are most appealing are the rich voices of the writers in this section. It is not the commentary of the university academician or the college president, but rather the voices of the practitioners, the community college faculty member, the chief academic officer, and the associate dean that resonate with the reader. Beth Richardson-Mitchell, Linda Lucas, and Sherry Stout-Stewart present compelling arguments about the ethical dilemmas confronting the faculty member or the dean each day. They conclude that ethical behavior sets the tone for the institution and provides a model for student behavior as well. Moreover, they provide practical applications for determining what constitutes such behavior.

David Hardy presents a thoughtful discussion on threats to ethical leadership. His chapter warns us that leadership built on absolutism, affinity-based decision-making, and the development of unethical followers is to be avoided. Furthermore, he provides day-to-day examples that confront faculty and administrators. It is in such...