What makes an ethical and responsible leader?

Hsu, together with her classmates, participated in the 2024 Parami Leadership Conference in Myanmar

Leadership includes both self-leadership and leadership of people in different contexts. While everyone has the potential to be a leader, becoming an ethical and responsible leader requires specific skills and attributes. 

Some people agree that anyone can become a leader due to their genetic background, while others point out that leaders are made. Whether leaders are born or made, they are expected to possess particular skills and characteristics to lead their roles effectively. 

Parami's sophomore student, Hsu Wutt Hmone Toe, is profoundly interested in learning about leadership. She usually spends her free time exploring words and concepts related to leadership. She has completed her service learning at Inkululeko, where she was responsible for creating a book catalog, writing about the importance of leadership, and creating a learner management handbook. 

One of the goals of Parami’s service learning program is to foster leadership skills in students. While working for community organizations, students are encouraged to hone their leadership skills, compassionate service, and other skills such as collaboration and communication.  

To Hsu, leadership is not only about being able to lead others but also about embodying the standards you set for them. She stated, "I have seen a lot of leaders during my time in school, community, and work, and some people holding leadership positions are not doing their roles in ethical ways." This inspired her to share and educate people about leadership.

Based on her experience observing different leadership styles in different contexts, Hsu shared the five top characteristics that encourage ethical and responsible leadership:  kindness, empathy, courage, responsibility, and inclusivity.

According to Hsu, with kindness, a leader can create a positive and supportive work environment for their followers. Empathy helps a leader establish a connection with their followers and understand their difficulties. As a leader, having courage is crucial to standing up for oneself and other people when experiencing unequal treatment. Leaders must be responsible for their words and actions. Lastly, factoring in inclusivity in leadership is vital. A leader needs to embrace and promote diversity and make everyone in the group feel inclusive regardless of their race, religion, and background.