Leadership Virtues Exposed

Abstract

Leadership clearly has an impact on organizational outcomes, and previous research has revealed the antecedents and consequences of leadership styles and the effects of leaders' personality traits. We focus on an area that has received much less attention: ethical leadership practice and the virtues that guide it. Following the positive turn in leadership research, we examine what constitutes virtuous action of leaders. We draw on observations made in a novel realm, rock climbing, and integrate them with the literature on leadership virtues while drawing parallels to business. We identify six essential virtues at the core of the ethical leadership model we propose: rationality, honesty, independence, integrity, justice, and pride. Three of these-rationality, independence, and pride-are not conventional virtues, but we suggest that they are critical for ethical leadership, as is the standard of human flourishing and the leader's relationship with followers as a trader of values. Our analysis is summarized in testable propositions.

The relationship between innovation management and the leader’s intellectual arousal in the pharmaceutical companies

“…While it is beneficial and helpful for company leaders to consult others, independent thought may be necessary for innovation. Leaders must, however, assess the recommendations of others by doing their own independent thinking (Bischak & Woiceshyn, 2016). Followers are more likely to have faith in a leader's capacity to manage performance when that leader is dedicated to exhibiting virtue (Lawton & Páez, 2015).…”

A Stakeholder Perspective on Ethical Leadership in Sport: Bridging the Gap Between the Normative and Descriptive Lines of Inquiry

“…This attention has generated two types of studies: one type that identifies the similarities between ethical leadership in business and in sport, and another type that exhibits the presumed specificity of practicing ethical leadership in sport (Constandt, 2019). Concerning the first type, Bischak and Woiceshyn (2016) have drawn on certain parallels between rock climbing and business, to identify six general ethical leadership virtues, namely rationality, honesty, independence, integrity, justice, and pride. These parallels relate to a shared orientation towards clear goals, a set of diverse challenges, the need for planning, and a risk of failure (Bischak & Woiceshyn, 2016).…”

“…Concerning the first type, Bischak and Woiceshyn (2016) have drawn on certain parallels between rock climbing and business, to identify six general ethical leadership virtues, namely rationality, honesty, independence, integrity, justice, and pride. These parallels relate to a shared orientation towards clear goals, a set of diverse challenges, the need for planning, and a risk of failure (Bischak & Woiceshyn, 2016). With regard to the second type, a number of studies has been conducted during the past decade.…”