Can you respond and site references in the response using the below references:

https://www.businessinsider.com/marcus-aurelius-on-being-a-good-leader

Our question asks, "Is unethical behavior ever justifiable for a person in a leadership position?" Knowing it could lead us toward a discussion about situational ethics; it depends on the situation, your personal ethics, and your view of societal ethics. In my professional life, I have only worked outside of the Department of Defense (DoD) for less than four years; I mention that to illuminate the experiences I base my decision on. I do not have adult experience working in an organization outside of the DoD. However, some private companies contracting with the DoD have been known to act unethically, like Halliburton and Blackwater.

In Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development (Northouse, 2022), he divided moral reasoning into six stages of ethical thinking. As an adult, I operate in stage four, maintaining social order; stage five, social contract and individual rights; and stage six, universal principles (Northouse, 2022). In my approach to my personal ethics, I strive to maintain self-control (Nudelman & Feloni, 2016); while Marcus Aurelius lists it as one of his rules for exceptional leadership, it also helps with ethics. Being able to maintain self-control aids in keeping the mind clear and allowing one to think critically and strategically through situations.

In the article by Darbellay (2015), we see how the scientific community studies inter- and trans-disciplinarity as they relate to ethics. Combining the knowledge of multiple disciplines with societal norms helps leaders make more informed and thoughtful ethical decisions. We can all agree that societal norms evolve through different generations. Not only is society, in general, different from previous generations, but the general knowledge level of a great deal of society has increased dramatically. More broad knowledge is still needed in the general population to enable them to make better and more ethical decisions. "The need for multiple disciplines and multiple perspectives to illuminate the human context could not be more evident..." (Brewer, 1999, p. 329).

My experience with ethical/unethical leadership came from my time in Colorado Springs. My squadron commander was given what everyone on the leadership team felt was an unethical order. My squadron commander discussed the issue with all of us and decided not to follow the order. The order came from our group leadership. At the basic level, my squadron commander was instructed to ignore his duties to the people under his command to comply with the whims of the group leadership. Ignoring or disobeying an order from a higher command can be seen as unethical, while at the same time, the order itself can be seen as unethical. Ultimately, the squadron members' needs were prioritized above the desires of the squadron commander, and it cost him his leadership position.

-Stephen

Brewer, G. D. (1999). The challenges of interdisciplinarity. Policy Sciences, 32, pp. 327-337.https://canvas.ou.edu