Organization Management

What is moral leadership?

Moral leadership describes how leaders make decisions according to beliefs about right and wrong. They will make moral and ethical decisions based on their interpretation of organizational values. A system of morals, or beliefs, is also very personal to leaders. In some instances, leaders might elect to follow their personal morals rather than organizational values (Bianca, 2011)

The definition of moral leadership are various and different depend on the need of school that successful leaders must address. From the research of John Pijanowski in the part of graduate school found out that the research by Bell in 2001 gave the several definition of moral leadership including:

- Vision - what adults do in schools plays a major role in shaping children’s lives and preparing them for lifelong success.

- Respect/high expectations/ support/ hard work.

- Empowerment.

- Moral leadership - staff and students visualize themselves as part of the whole system/schooling was more than preparation for academic success/it laid a foundation for success in life.

The study of ethics is about human relationships. It is about what we should do and what we should be like as human beings, as members of a group or society, and in the different roles that we play in life. It is about right and wrong and good and evil (Ciulla, 2003).

So the moral leadership is the behavior of good leadership. Moral is about good and bad behavior, what should human behavior. Thus, moral leadership is about right and wrong, good and bad leader behaviors. And the definition of moral leadership depends on each organization and the responsibility of each leader. That why the definition of moral leader is various.

Ciulla, Joanne B. (2003). Ethics and Leadership effectiveness. Retrieved from http://strandtheory.org/images/Ciulla_-_Ethics_and_Leadership_Effectiveness.pdf.

Pijanowski, John. (2007). Defining Moral Leadership in Graduate Schools of Education. Retrieved from...