As we look to advance the goals and objectives of our respective organizations within the justice domain, we are continuously faced with shifts in our environment that we refer to as cultural changes. These influences can stem from public safety and health concerns, climate changes, political stressors, the advancement of technology in our world, and/or economic instability worldwide to name only a few factors. In order to best address the needs of our organizations in this changing environment, the IJIS Leadership Academy will look at leadership through the lens of values and ethics and why it matters to adhere to these longstanding guideposts.

In this rapidly changing world, leading through ethics and values may sometimes take a back seat to expediency in order to put out the never-ending fires. As accountability or the lack thereof continues to be played out in the most public ways, however, our leaders in the public and private sector must revisit personal and organizational values, and our responsibility to ourselves and to others must lead through the lens of values and ethics.

The following article outlines six key factors in revisiting and reinforcing the importance of working together in bringing this important topic to the forefront of leadership.  

Clarity and Consistency of Core Values

The reemergence of core values, both personal and professional, is shining a much-needed light on the importance of both clarity of what we stand for, and consistency in how those values are exhibited among our teams and organizations.

Leaders must define, articulate, and embed a set of core values that guide decision-making under all circumstances—whether in a government agency, a corporate boardroom, or a public-private partnership. Small and large teams alike should embark on the process of jointly designing organizational values which should be revisited on a regular basis, particularly in a hybrid setting or where staff turnover is frequent.

Why It Matters: In cross-sector work, inconsistent values create mistrust. When public and private partners operate from a shared, clearly communicated ethical foundation, collaboration is smoother, transparency increases, and credibility with stakeholders is strengthened.

Transparency and Accountability

Ethical leadership demands openness in both process and outcome. This includes clear reporting, explaining the “why” behind decisions, and establishing mechanisms for oversight and feedback. In essence, leaders must begin to adopt a narrative-based leadership approach where the story matters as much as the decision itself.

Why It Matters: Public entities are accountable to citizens; private companies are accountable to shareholders and customers. In joint initiatives, the higher standard often applies—and failure to meet that standard can damage reputations on both sides.

Balancing Mission and Market Pressures

Public leaders often prioritize service and policy outcomes; private leaders often prioritize efficiency, innovation, and profitability. Ethics-based leadership requires finding the equilibrium point that honors the mission without compromising integrity. This balance lies at the heart of future of leadership in our sectors and is the creative tension necessary for us to move forward. 

Why It Matters: In cross-sector projects, values can be tested when financial incentives clash with public good. Leaders must navigate these tensions so that short-term gains don’t undermine long-term trust.

Performance Based Decision-Making

Performance Based decisions must be made with an eye toward ensuring corporate goals and objectives are met rather than focusing on certain groups or representation and avoiding conflicts of interest—particularly when policies or services affect diverse communities.

Why It Matters: Public-private work often impacts populations with varying needs and interests. Ethical leadership ensures no stakeholder group is preferred and is solely based on successful facts-based data, thereby strengthening legitimacy and public confidence.

Ethical Resilience in Times of Pressure

Ethics and values must be maintained during crises, market downturns, political change, or public scrutiny. Leaders need structures (defined values, value statements, behavior guidelines, advisory teams) to prevent erosion of standards.

Why It Matters: Public and private leaders are both subject to intense pressures. Maintaining ethical commitments in hard moments signals strength, earns lasting respect, and preserves institutional reputation. In addition, ensuring that all leaders understand the decision-making process – meaning how to execute decisions based on mission and purpose – is key to successful implementation.

Closing the Value-Disconnect in Generational Workforce Gaps

Today we have five different generations working together which leads to generational gaps in the workplace as each generation brings different values, work ethics, style, technical competencies and communications. This is forcing the executives in the organizations to change the internal culture and to be innovative in managing the workforce in an effective manner to support organizational growth and thus stay true to its mission and purpose.

Why It Matters: Leaders across different sectors are grappling with the issues of workforce generational gaps and they are forced to reinvent themselves and their traditional way of operations to ensure harmony with diverse workforce. This can be addressed by developing strategies that encompasses needs of all the generations in the workforce and create culture of inclusiveness, productivity and harmony.

Questions for Us to Consider

What specific strategies can leaders implement to effectively define and embed core values within their organizations?

How can organizations measure the success of their ethical leadership initiatives and track changes in trust among stakeholders?

What are some real-world examples where ethical leadership has successfully navigated the tension between mission and market pressures?

Conclusion

For organizations operating at the intersection of justice, public safety, and private innovation—as IJIS members do—ethics and values serve as the shared operating system.

They:

• Protect public trust in technology and data-driven solutions;
• Reduce reputational and legal risks for all partners; and,
• Improve stakeholder buy-in by ensuring that collaborative outcomes serve both societal and organizational goals.

When leaders across sectors commit to these five factors, they create partnerships that are not only effective but are also principled—where “the how” is as respected as “the what” that gets achieved.