Ethical Leadership

The Virtues of a True Leader

A good leader must be a good person.

One way to think about what it means to be a “good” leader is to see how the ancient Greek philosophers approached the question. I started Day 1 with this concept, and it is time to return to discuss possessing the character to lead. Aristotle focused on four cardinal virtues. Possession of these virtues is associated with being a person of “good character.”

They are:

1. Fortitude (or Courage). A good leader must be courageous and bold. Fortitude is also about persevering — working hard toward goals that one believes in. Taking on challenges headfirst. It is also about the courage to do the right thing.

2. Prudence (or Wisdom). A wise and prudent leader gathers evidence and consults with others before deciding on a course of action. The leader strives to be objective and make the right decision.

3. Temperance (or Moderation). This virtue involves controlling one’s emotions and “appetites.” It is a lack of temperance that gets many leaders into trouble — they act rashly, give into their passions or greed. Temperance leads to humility, and temperance helps leaders realize when they have made mistakes so that they can work to correct them.

4. Justice. This is treating everyone fairly — leaders should not put their own gains over those of others. Just leaders are objective and fair in how they treat followers. With justice, the leader is able to respect the rights of other people.

According to Aristotle, the best leaders are persons of good character, and one can continuously work on being virtuous and become a better leader/person.

For Development: For the most part, developing these cardinal virtues is a difficult and lifelong process. We need to focus not on what we want to do, but on what we ought to do. Character and virtues are about doing the right thing. A leader must develop all of the cardinal virtues because they work together.