Ethical Leadership Isn't an Excuse For Taking Centre Stage
It’s not your place as a leader to insert yourself into the lives of others as the hero.
You do have a significant role, especially when you take charge of building a business and creating a culture that attracts others. But empowerment isn’t about swooping in. It’s about creating the conditions where others can fulfil their potential.
Let me share a quick story with you.
The Bird Feeder: A Lesson in Absent Intentions
A couple of years ago, my partner decided to buy a bird feeder. I wasn’t best pleased. I could already see the mess it would bring but sometimes, you have to pipe down and take a seat.
The confusion, frustration, and disappointment that followed was a social experiment in itself. The feeder was never touched. Mouldy seeds were thrown away because the birds never came to enjoy the treat.
Why?
After some observation, it was clear: the location of the bird feeder was the problem. It left any small bird completely exposed, an open target for the local Sylvesters, Toms, and Garfields. What never clicked in my partner’s mind was the sudden hangout spot he’d created for every neighbourhood cat (and the odd fox).
Designing for the Kerb Appeal, Not the Business Culture
The feeder was moved from left to right to centre, more for aesthetic reasons than anything else because at no point was there any consideration for the intended users. Like the birds avoiding the exposed feeder, viable team members will avoid roles that fail to come across as safe.
This is not far off the mentality of many SME business owners.
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What Does This Role Really Offer?
Many believe that by simply creating a job, they’ve offered something of great value. The people “fortunate” enough to be selected should be grateful.
Yet no real thought has gone into what the role consists of. No attention paid to how a person might find meaning or fulfilment through their contribution. That’s seen as an optional extra. A possible afterthought. The box is ticked: a job has been created.
This kind of thinking not only impacts recruitment. It also shapes the entire ecosystem of your business. A lack of intention here makes it easy to forget about long-term retention, role evolution, and how this position might grow with your company. Instead of designing the feeder for the birds, you’ve designed it for the kerb appeal.
While we all have different goals, we all have aspirations.
The Quiet Power of Shared Structure
So, if you want contribution and engagement, what exactly are you doing to nurture that?
This is your ecosystem; you’re inviting others into it, which means shaping the business culture and ethical leadership dynamic from the inside out.
You offer each person a role, and they decide, based on the information given, whether it’s the right fit for them.
As a driven founder, it’s only natural to want like-minded individuals around you, people who will push forward with the same energy and ambition.
What does this role offer someone like you? Is there:
- a glimmer of hope?
- the prospect of growth?
- a reward beyond a “well done” slap on the back?
Empowerment Starts Behind the Scenes
Clear rules, processes and practices remove confusion. It’s a foundational part of team empowerment through structure. Everyone understands who has the authority and how to act on behalf of the company. Curating a culture where individuals can find their footing, get involved and develop enables them to grow in confidence and become stronger, which benefits both the individual and the business.
Confidence Comes from Clarity
There’s no need to take away the limelight from their personal achievements. As a leader, you can be satisfied that in the pursuit of fulfilling your aspirations, you’re paving the way for countless others. Now that’s where empowerment begins.
Leadership Isn’t About the Limelight
When the business founder takes the time to think through the next steps, with a shared structure and policies, candidates will see your company as more than a make-do until something better comes. Your business will become a feature in their future because ethical leadership in small businesses means making intentional choices that serve both vision and values.
This is the fundamental principle behind ethical leadership in small businesses, the HouseRules method. Whether working together on a Flutter, Hover, or Humming engagement, the core elements are always the same:
- Ethical Leadership.
- Internal community.
- Policies and procedures.
Each one feeds into the others, tailored to the rhythm of small business life, clear, purposeful and built to evolve. All held together by a golden thread of maintaining ethical standards.
What Part of Your Structure Needs Repositioning?
Every so often, your structure needs an honest look. A moment to pause, assess the gaps, and move with purpose to improve. Not for show. Not for applause. You are building something others want to be a part of. Creating a strong internal community grounded in mutual trust.
You don't need a spotlight, simply a well-placed feeder.
The lure of short-term financial gain should never outweigh doing what’s right. That’s not leadership—it’s self-preservation disguised as strategy.
When you’re ready to start building with intention, book your spot. Let’s keep your business humming with HouseRules.