Morality’s Place in Leadership

Jason Seiden always has insightful posts on leadership.  His latest on A Fistful of Talent that good leaders must be amoral in order to be successful misses the mark for me, however.

While I wholly agree that leading and morality are largely independent, I bristle at the inference that leaders must be free from shackles of morality in order to be effective.  Leaders of all kinds exist including those who are amoral or even immoral (i.e. Hitler, Charles Manson).

photo by kristalynn

But, I’d suggest that there is a connection when you speak of the world’s most effective and enduring leaders.  Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi and Nelson Mandela inspired millions into action, accomplished the seemingly impossible and have a spirit that moves others to this day.  They did all this while following strict moral guidelines by which few others would have been able to abide.  Hence, one reason why they remain such lasting and inspirational figures.

Indeed morality doesn’t define a leader, actions do.  A leader is so deemed because they are uncompromising in aligning their actions to their beliefs.  The power of their leadership is in their words and actions.  The more true the former ring and the more consistent the latter, the stronger the leader.

Yes, anyone, regardless of moral standing, can be a leader.  But by defining a leader as one who gets someone to do something they wouldn’t do otherwise distorts the definition for the sake of expediency.  Going into battle is the fulfillment of an explicit contract not changing behaviors.  If anything, a leader is one who gets someone to do what they didn’t think was possible.

Mistaking titles for leaders is also a straw man.  Not all Presidents, Generals or CEOs could or should be classified as leaders.  In both war and business there is an explicit agreement made in which I will get something in exchange for my services.  My presence on either a battlefield or in a conference room means you’ve upheld your end of the obligation and I am now doing the same.

So please don’t think that your desire to be or status as a leader gives you a hall pass to act immorally.  Nor should we strive any less to be moral in our leadership.

If you want to be a leader align your words and actions.  If you want to be a great leader align your words and actions with your morals.

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