6.4 Leadership and Change: The Case for Greater Ethical Clarity

In this scholarly article, the authors argue, from a consequentialist perspective, “if a leader ceases to act for the common good, they lose their legitimacy. Consequently, for leaders to have legitimacy, they must act in the interests of the common good.” (Burnes & By) This is not to say that leaders cannot also act in their own best interest, as long as it is aligned with the best interest of the organization.

Burnes, B., & By, R. T. (2012). Leadership and change: The case for greater ethical clarity. Journal of Business Ethics, 108(2), 239–252.