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Power, Ethics and Leadership for Arizona
By Teri J. Traaen, Ed.D., D.P.A.
Traaen & Associates, LLC
www.TraaenandAssociates.com
The following quote is attributed to Abraham Lincoln: "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him
power." Timely at this point in Arizona's history, this quote reflects the daily reality of power as a legitimate tool for correcting all of
the current issues that face our state. To address many of Arizona's issues, we have used power for overcoming incredible challenges. In other
circumstances we have perhaps not used sustained power and influence to bring closure to all that has been before us since the economic downturn
began nationally in late 2007.
Ethics based leadership is best described as aligning with the efforts of moral intelligence, namely '...doing the right thing at the right
time.' The blend of ethics based leadership and power in the face of our state's staggering debt and escalating program and service needs can
now be easily used to resolve these issues with both individual and collective perseverance.
Power, by title or abstract award, can profoundly change one's moral compass. Power without ethics can literally destroy everything. Leadership
- the carefully constructed use of power for the greater good - is available for immediate use to correct our state's most extreme challenges.
Consider the following six critical questions as a means of leadership self-assessment between now and the fiscal year change of July
1:
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Are you personally using your professional role to correct as many current problems as possible in your organization? In your
community? In your profession? [Is this effort only in support of your personal values or are you working to truly find common
ground?]
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Is your work only short term? How many of your efforts truly address the long term organizational and community health issues in
your sphere of influence?
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Does the level of personal/organizational transparency that you have adopted include owning all of the past mistakes and harm
brought about as the result of your/your organization's decision processes?
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Have you brought new talent/leadership to as many boards/commissions/task force entities as possible, so that your organization is
not continuing to re-make decisions with only old paradigms and decision models that have lead us to the circumstances in which we
now find ourselves?
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Do you routinely engage professional mentors (regardless of your time in service or stage of career growth in which you find
yourself) to challenge your ethics based leadership (or lack thereof)?
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Are you (and your colleagues) providing strong mentorship to newer talent at various levels of your current organization so that
there is never a leadership gap in your professional arena?
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Begin with the premise that all leadership decisions must be ethics based. Support that with a value based decision model that stipulates that
all issues - regardless of their severity must be solved - immediately. Seek the best new thinkers to broaden the potential options for positive
outcomes. Stay the course until we have found common ground for effective solutions for all of Arizona and our local organizational issues.
Collectively, we possess the tenacity to engage in the use of ethics based leadership and in turn model solution based outcomes in all spheres
of influence. Have you committed to this journey from your leadership role?
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Teri J. Traaen, Ed.D., D.P.A. is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Traaen & Associates, LLC. Traaen & Associates, LLC is a
full service human resource management company with three service divisions. These divisions include: technical human resource management
services; employee and labor relations services; and training and organizational development.
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League of Arizona Cities and Towns
1820 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: 602-258-5786
Fax: 602-253-3874
http://www.azleague.org
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