Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
Class Activities
Chapter 15: Leadership Ethics
Activities
These activities may be used in either small-group or large-group settings, depending on class size and
Perceived Leader Integrity Scale
Have students complete the PLIS individually and share their results in small groups. As each group
reports its results in a large-group discussion, compile a master list showing what supervisor ratings
Case Analysis
Assign each case to one or more small groups for in-class analysis and discussion. Each small group
Making a Small Difference on Campus
Post five sheets of newsprint on the wall of the classroom, one for each of the principles of ethical
leadership: respects others, serves others, shows justice, manifests honesty, builds community. Give
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
I Want to Be an Activist!
Invite students to research an activist whom they respect; someone working for a cause they believe in.
How did this person become an activist? How does he or she sustain passion for the cause? How does
Teaching Ethics
In small groups have students discuss: Are ethics caught or taught? What’s the best way to teach ethics?
Develop a Case Study
Unethical Behavior #1
Have students look up examples of unethical behavior in the news and bring them to class. Students
Unethical Behavior #2
Have students look up examples of unethical behavior in corporations and bring them to class. Have
them use the Toxic Triangle to explain in what ways the leaders’ behavior was destructive, how
Toxic Leader Behavior
Have students share or find examples of toxic leadership in the workplace (Singh, Sengupta, and Dev,
2017). Do they consider managerial incompetency to be toxic, unethical or both? How can erratic leader
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
Writing Assignments
Life Balance Check–Up
In order to be effective and ethical leaders, people need to lead balanced lives. Leaders slide into
destructive patterns when they become overly self-absorbed and disregard the rights of others and seek
Contemporary Leadership
Have students write a 2–3-page reaction paper about a contemporary leader, using the concepts
Perceived Leader Integrity Scale
Have students write a 2–3-page reaction paper that explains their scores on the PLIS in relation to their
previous understanding of their beliefs about ethics and leadership. Their papers should describe their
Action Plan
According to virtue-based theories, “virtues and moral abilities are not innate but can be acquired and
learned through practice.” Ask students to develop their own learning plan for developing virtues and
Reflection Paper
According to virtue-based theories, “virtues and moral abilities are not innate but can be acquired and
learned through practice.” Have students write a two– to three-page paper reflecting on the following
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
One-Minute Paper Topics
How would you rate yourself as a true listener? How can you improve in this area?
Internet Activities
Internet #1: Class Blog
In your class blog or chat room, write about some of the discussion questions provided in this chapter.
Some additional questions are suggested here:
Internet #2: How a Child Learns
Go online and read the poem “How a Child Learns” by Dorothy Law Nolte. Variations can also be found
Internet #3: Communication Currents
Look up the National Communication Association website and e-zine called “Communication Currents.”
Check the archives for the article “Ethics in the City: How to Talk about Ethics Leads to an Ethical
Culture” (Vol. 1, Issue 1). Discuss the following questions in class:
• What was the research method used by Jovanovic and Wood? Whom did they study?
Internet #4: Web Search
This can be done as an individual or group assignment. Go online to a business magazine home page
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
Internet #5: Online Organizing
Find the website of an activist organization you respect, working for a cause you believe in. What is the
function of the website? How does an online presence create passion for a cause? Influence others? Set
Internet #6: The Dark Side of Leadership
Discuss the dark side of leadership in class. Have students experienced any of these distressing leader
behaviors? How did they and other followers respond? After the discussion, show the TED talk by Simon
Internet #7: Powerful Images
Look up the webpage of “35 Photos that Tell a Story.” Show the photos in class and discuss what makes