Columnist

Are you a responsible leader?

Responsible leadership has never been more important or relevant for businesses and organisations to succeed and prosper. Director of Learning and Teaching, Dr Jenny Davidson explains why, and how Newcastle Business School at Northumbria can help.

The past decade has seen widespread financial and political disruption which continues to impact negatively on a regional, national and international level today. It has, however, persuaded many businesses and organisations to focus far more on the need to act responsibly – and just as importantly to have responsible leaders throughout their operations. Regardless of what an organisation does, or of the goods or services it provides, having senior managers who demonstrate and enact responsible leadership and ethical values is paramount and it may well be the defining factor for organisations in the future. To be effective, their actions must also go above and beyond immediate roles and responsibilities, and reflect the expectations of the wider community and indeed society as whole.

Today, there is even an obligation for businesses to align their strategies, or at least be mindful of, the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. The UN states that “for the goals to be reached, everyone needs to do their part: governments, the private sector, civil society and people like you”. In other words, being a responsible business today means operating in a way which helps tackle the big global challenges that the world is facing.

It also means that doing the wrong thing has never been riskier. It may deter investors and put a halt to growth opportunities. Doing the right thing, however, can not only attract investors but secure their long term financial support, helping to create a more sustainable future and a stronger bottom line. This is borne out by some of our recent research which shows an emerging link between responsible leadership or ethical values and changing attitudes toward risk.

Again, the key to becoming a responsible business in this environment is having responsible leaders. Newcastle Business School can help with a range of corporate and executive development programmes that equip people with the skills and leadership attributes needed for these added responsibilities and pressures.

As a Business School developing the leaders of tomorrow we are striving to ensure that our approach to executive education is responsible and we have woven key elements of responsible business through a number of our programmes. Our most recent focus has been on employee wellbeing and mental health, as we recognise that organisations need leaders to be aware of mental health issues and the wellbeing of both themselves and their staff. This is partly because aspiring leaders looking to step up and transition their careers stand a better chance if they have the mental resolve and resilience to overcome challenges and meet ever greater expectations. It can also be a powerful management and people skill to help ensure the wellbeing and productivity of staff.

Whether it is sustainability, corporate governance, accountability, corporate social responsibility, reporting, ethics, risk and regulation, and of course responsible leadership, organisations need to get it right. Staff, customers, investors and all your stakeholders demand it. The executive development courses, along with our MBA at Newcastle Business School, offer a local solution to help you match these demands. For more information about the MBA, visit us here.

Are you a responsible leader? Join the discussion in our live webinar on Wednesday 26th July. Register to join.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Northumbria University .