When social norms and common beliefs clash between different cultures, organizations or countries the question of whose behaviour is ethical gets raised.

For Example

Religious organizations often practice different beliefs .  For example, one religon restricts priests from marrying while another does not.  Some religions recognize and accept homo-sexual practices.

Is it ethical for someone whom has taken holy vows to marry?  Can people of the same sex co-habit as partners or even in wedlock?

Interestingly, your answer to these questions could be driven by your religious beliefs or could be drawn from your background and experience or even just your social group (the society you belong to).

The ethics of these questions could even be derived from a combination of these factors and some not even mentioned.  Ultimately though the direction most often comes from leaders (religious, societal, cultural,etc.)

Leadership and Ethics

Do you need a leader to practice ethical behaviour?  Probably not, how you behave is really up to you.  That being said a leader, with a critical mass of followers certainly influences what constitutes ethical behaviour.

In many cases the leader sets the framework for behaviour within their group (country, society, organization). Precepts like religious beliefs, prejudices or interrpretations of morality can influence this leaders guidance.

While you do not require a leader to determine what behaviour is ethical the leader requires followers (i.e., you)  in order to set the ethical course.

An Ideal State

As noted in yesterdays post, I am still a beliver ethical behaviour being determined with the least amount of subjectivity or external influence (like that of a organizational, spiritual or political leader).

Although totally idealistic and perhaps impractical to broadly implement I believe each individual should simply ask themselves, “Is it right, Is it fair” when determining the ethicality of their behaviour.