Abstract
Laying the foundation for understanding ethical leadership, we begin this paper by identifying a framework for understanding the leader’s roles based upon five dimensions for understanding leadership’s duties and responsibilities. We present a model for ethical decision making that addresses the complex factors of ethical decision-making based upon a virtuous continuum. We then review five levels of leadership identified by Jim Collins (2001) in his research about leaders – identifying the special significance of Level 5 leaders who enabled their companies to evolve from “Good” to “Great.” We describe the characteristics of leaders in each of Collins’ five leadership levels and offer insights about the implicit ethical assumptions that accompany each leader. We conclude the paper by identifying seven contributions of the paper to the leadership literature and offer encouragement to individuals seeking to evolve their leadership skills, develop greater wisdom, and become more ethical leaders in the service of others.
Recommended Citation
Rutledge, Tangela and Caldwell, Cam
(2025)
"Evolving Leadership and Increased Wisdom – Understanding Ethical Leadership,"
The Journal of Values-Based Leadership: Vol. 18
:
Iss.
2
, Article 11.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22543/1948-0733.1593
Available at:
https://scholar.valpo.edu/jvbl/vol18/iss2/11
