Leadership as Moral Architecture

The "Tone at the Top" (Tone at the Top)

The fundamental premise in psychosocial risk prevention is that culture is a direct reflection of the behavior of its leaders.

The concept of "Tone at the Top" states that an organization's ethics cascade from the board of directors and senior management downward.

If a CEO achieves exceptional financial results by running roughshod over his people and is rewarded with bonuses and applause, the entire organization gets the implicit message: "the end justifies the means."

Conversely, when a senior leader is publicly fired for violating the code of respect, it sends an unmistakable signal that dignity is non-negotiable.

The Leader as Role Model

Employees don't listen to what leaders say; they watch what leaders do.

A boss who preaches about teamwork but aggressively interrupts meetings, or who talks about work-life balance but sends demanding emails at midnight, creates cognitive dissonance that erodes trust.

Ethical leadership requires constant vigilance over one's own behavior.

Middle and senior managers act as "thermostats" of the work climate; they regulate the emotional temperature of the team.

Their ability to manage their own stress without projecting it onto their subordinates is the first barrier against harassment.

Silent Complicity and Laissez-Faire

Toxic leadership manifests itself not only by action (the boss yelling), but also by omission.

The "Laissez-Faire" leadership style, where the boss avoids conflict and does not intervene when he or she sees inappropriate behavior among subordinates, is highly damaging. By not correcting "minor" disrespect, the leader tacitly validates it.

Over time, this passivity allows potential aggressors to gain ground and informal power within the group.

The true ethical leader has the courage to intervene at the