Courage and Moral Leadership

Chapter 6: Courage & Moral Leadership

• Moral leaders are guided by personal and organizational values
• They commit to ethical decision-making, even when unpopular
• Includes moral courage

Levels of Personal Moral Development (Kohlberg’s Model)

• Preconventional: Decisions are based on self-interest to avoid punishment
• Conventional: Decisions are based on societal norms, laws, and expectations
• Postconventional: Decisions are guided by internal principles of justice, equity, and truth
• Approximately 20% of adults reach this stage

Servant Leadership

• Involves meeting the needs of others rather than pursuing self-interest
• Key traits: empathy, listening, stewardship, and commitment to the growth of others

Participative Leadership & Stewardship

• Participative Leadership: Involves employees in decision-making
• Stewardship: Leaders act as caretakers and facilitators of shared goals

Courage in Leadership

• Includes facing opposition
• Includes taking responsibility for tough decisions
• Includes going outside the comfort zone
• Includes saying what needs to be said, with honesty

Moral Leadership Importance

• Moral leadership is making decisions based on ethical principles, honesty, and integrity
• It ensures responsible actions and stakeholder trust in polarized times
• Includes fairness, transparency, and social good, even at personal risk
• Courage is essential for upholding values

Chapter 15: Leading Change

• Change is central to leadership: leaders initiate, guide, and sustain change, even with resistance

Why Change Fails (Daft)

• 70% of change efforts don't succeed
• Common reasons include: lack of vision, poor communication, resistance, leadership disengagement

Lewin’s Three Stages of Change

• Unfreeze: Challenge the status quo and prepare for change
• Change: Transition to new behaviors and processes
• Refreeze: Reinforce and embed the new way

Kotter’s 8 Steps

• Create urgency
• Build coalition
• Form vision
• Communicate vision
• Empower action
• Generate quick wins
• Build on change
• Anchor in culture

Appreciative Inquiry (AI)

• AI is a strengths-based approach focused on what is working
• Phases include discovery, dream, design, and destiny

Reducing Resistance

• Involves communication
• Involves participation
• Involves learning
• Involves negotiation
• Involves stress relief
• (Least ideal: Coercion)

Leadership Actions for Successful Change

• Leaders should use structured models like Kotter's 8-step framework to create urgency
• Communicate vision clearly
• Empower employees
• Reduce resistance by involving employees
• Offer learning opportunities
• Address fears
• Celebrate small wins. Leaders must show empathy and patience
• It is essential to use transparency and storytelling to build trust and emotional buy-in

Case Theme A: Leadership in the Age of AI

• AI automates routine tasks, changing work dynamics
• Leaders must shift towards human-centered leadership which values, empathy, vision, culture, and inclusion

Key Traits for AI Leadership

• Trust
• Creativity
• Adaptability

AI Job Displacement

• It requires ethical leadership

Case Response Model for AI Leadership

• Use Kotter’s Change Model to introduce AI in stages
• Communicate vision clearly
• Use servant leadership to support anxious employees
• Foster a learning culture: Mastery, Autonomy, Purpose (Dan Pink)
• Frame AI as a tool to augment, not replace, human potential

Case Theme B: Leading for Social Impact

• Stakeholders now expect businesses to contribute to societal wellbeing, beyond profit
• Includes DEI, sustainability, mental health, and reconciliation with Indigenous communities
• Social impact aligns with Moral Leadership and Culture

Social Impact Case Response Model

• Vision & purpose must align with a greater social mission
• Moral leadership is foundational
• Leaders must act with courage
• Use inclusive leadership and ERGs to advance equity
• Use Followership concepts
• Includes trust and engagement
• Innovation, inclusion, and sustainability must be supported by culture

Chapter 1: What is Leadership?

• Leadership is an influence relationship where leaders and followers intend real changes and outcomes that reflect shared purposes

Leadership vs. Management

• Leadership focuses on vision, change, empowerment, and relationships
• Management focuses on stability, order, and efficiency through processes and systems
• Effective organizations need both

New Reality of Leadership

• Hierarchies are flattening
• Leaders must manage complexity, ambiguity, and diversity
• The focus has shifted from control to collaboration, from individual heroism to shared purpose

Leadership Paradigms Over Time

• Great Man Theory → Traits → Behaviors → Contingency → Influence → Relational/Transformational

Application Summary

• Modern leaders must build trust and lead change to create meaningful connections
• Leadership is now influence-based, not position-based

Chapter 2: Traits, Behaviors, and the Great Person Theory

• Traits are individual characteristics that contribute to effective leadership
• Key traits: intelligence, self-confidence, honesty, determination, sociability

Limitations of Trait Theory

• Traits alone don’t guarantee leadership effectiveness
• Context, behavior, and relational skills also matter

Behavioral Theories

• Focus is on what leaders do
• Ohio State & Michigan Studies identified task-oriented and people-oriented behaviors

Leadership Grid (Exhibit 2.4)

• Maps concern for people vs. concern for results
• Team leadership is considered ideal

Chapter 3: Contingency Theories and Leadership Flexibility

• There is no single best leadership style
• Effective leadership depends on the situation

Hersey & Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory

• Match leadership style to follower readiness/maturity
• Telling → Selling → Participating → Delegating

Vroom-Jago Decision Model

• Determines how much involvement leaders should allow in decision-making
• Balances decision quality with follower commitment

Practical Application of Theories

• These models support inclusive and team leadership, especially in flexible work environments

Chapter 4: The Inner Work of Leaders (Self-Awareness & Personality)

• Self-Awareness is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence (EQ)
• Includes awareness of values, personality, needs, and habits

MBTI (Myers-Briggs)

• 16 personality types based on 4 dimensions: E/I, S/N, T/F, J/P

Big Five (OCEAN)

• Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism

Locus of Control

• Internal: "I control my outcomes."
• External: "Things happen to me."

Values & Attitudes

• Instrumental Values = how to behave
• End Values = desired outcomes

Chapter 5: Mental Models & Emotional Intelligence

• Mental Models = Deeply held assumptions and beliefs
• These Models shape how we interpret experiences
• Leaders must be open to challenging their mental models

Emotional Intelligence (EQ – Goleman)

• Includes self-awareness
• Includes self-management
• Includes social awareness (empathy)
• Includes relationship management

Leadership Mindsets

• Fixed vs. Growth
• Scarcity vs. Abundance
• Fear vs. Love (Daft)

Chapter 7: Vision & Strategic Direction

• The #1 Leadership Responsibility is to look forward and lead change

Vision Components

• Vision = Desired future
• Mission = Current purpose
• Strategy = Plan to achieve it
• Values = Cultural pillars

Why Vision Matters

• Provides focus, engagement, and meaning
• Unites followers under shared purpose

Application of Vision

• Great leaders inspire followership and shift organizational culture through a compelling vision

Chapter 8: Motivation & Empowerment

• Intrinsic Motivation relates to growth, meaning, and purpose
• Extrinsic Motivation relates to rewards, punishment, and pay

Motivation Theories

• Maslow's Hierarchy
• Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory
• McClelland's Acquired Needs: Achievement, Power, Affiliation
• Four Drives Theory: Acquire, Bond, Comprehend, Defend
• Dan Pink (Drive): Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose

Empowerment

• Involves delegating authority, building confidence, and fostering ownership

Chapter 9: Leadership Communication

• Strategic Communication = intentional + purposeful + transparent

Communication Tools

• Listening
• Feedback
• Storytelling (build emotional connection)

Communication Channels

• Richest: Face-to-face
• Leanest: Email, text

Nonverbal Communication

• Up to 90% of meaning is conveyed through tone, body language, and eye contact

Chapter 10: Leading Teams

• Tuckman’s Team Development Stages: Forming → Storming → Norming → Performing → Adjourning

High-Performance Teams

• Clear goals
• Defined roles
• Trust
• Constructive conflict

Conflict Types

• Task (can be healthy)
• Relationship (destructive)
• Process

Conflict Handling Styles

• Competing
• Collaborating
• Compromising
• Avoiding
• Accommodating

Chapter 11: Diversity, Inclusion, Equity (DEI/JEDI)

• Diversity ≠ Inclusion ≠ Equity ≠ Justice

Inclusive Leadership

• Actively values and integrates different identities
• Builds trust, psychological safety, and access

Barriers to DEI

• Microaggressions
• Systemic bias
• Glass ceiling & First Rung

Sponsorship > Mentorship

• Sponsors use power to elevate others

Chapter 12: Power & Influence

• Types of Power:
  • Hard (Position): Legitimate, Reward, Coercive
  • Soft (Personal): Expert, Referent

Bolman & Deal's Four Frames

• Structural: Roles, policies
• Human Resource: Empowerment
• Political: Power & negotiation
• Symbolic: Culture & meaning

Responsible Use of Power

• Benefits others
• Builds trust
• Aligns with organizational purpose

Ch. 13 – Followership

• Followership Styles (Kelley): Effective, Conformist, Alienated, Pragmatist, Passive

What Followers Want

• Clarity, Feedback, Growth, Support

Managing Up

• Involves credibility + trust + strategic influence

Ch. 14 – Culture

• The Culture Iceberg: Visible vs. Invisible
• Strong + Healthy = High Performance
• Cultural Leadership: Stories, symbols, hiring, ceremonies

Culture Types (Competing Values Framework)

• Adaptability (external/flex)
• Achievement (external/stability)
• Involvement (internal/flex)
• Consistency (internal/stability)