Promoting marginal employees without addressing problems violates which foundational leadership principles?

Promoting marginal employees without addressing existing problems directly violates the principles of fairness and accountability. Fairness requires that all employees be evaluated and promoted based on their performance and capability. When marginal employees are promoted without resolving issues, it undermines the core values of equity and meritocracy within the organization.

Accountability relates to the responsibility of leaders to ensure that all employees meet established standards and contribute effectively to the organization. By overlooking problems and promoting those who do not meet performance expectations, leaders fail to hold individuals accountable for their work, ultimately leading to a decline in team morale and productivity.

In contrast, while efficiency and effectiveness, transparency and honesty, and creativity and innovation are important leadership principles, they do not encompass the specific ethical implications of promoting individuals who have not demonstrated the required competencies or addressed performance issues.