Leader Centric Versus Group Centric
What’s in A Name? Leadership Centric vs. Group Centric
ABSTRACT
In the book Leadership Ethics, the journey begins with the author Terry Price asking the reader to think about three critical questions 1) Are leaders morally special 2) Is there something ethically distinctive about the relationship between leaders and followers and 3) Should leaders do whatever it takes to achieve group goals? By definition ethics are the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group or culture. Throughout his entire life philosophical scholar Socrates was predominantly interested in ethics. He believed that self-knowledge is the sufficient condition to the good life. He identified knowledge with virtue. If knowledge can be learned, so can virtue. Thus, virtue can be taught. If this is indeed the case and virtue could be taught, then society should be able to be molded into a perfect image of humanity. We all aim to emulate Socrates ethical intellectualism, however according to Aristotle’s criticism, an individual might know what is best, yet still do what's wrong. Dependent on the leader’s philosophy and personal beliefs, the relationship between that of leader and his followers could emulate that of Socrates true image or Aristotle’s criticisms.
Price outlined and identified the four Leader Centric approaches as 1) Relativism and exceptionalism; 2) Reason and amoralism; 3) Power and self-interest; 4) Traits and virtues. As well as the four Group-Centric Approaches: 5) Permission and consent; 6) Situations and circumstances; 7) Membership and moral particularity; 8) The greater good and 9) Everyday leadership ethics. Some may say that a great leader can be someone who can lead others with confidence and have perseverance even through the toughest of battles. Others may say it is someone who can make tough decisions when others may be against them. Price defines leadership as leader inducing followers to act for
ABSTRACT
In the book Leadership Ethics, the journey begins with the author Terry Price asking the reader to think about three critical questions 1) Are leaders morally special 2) Is there something ethically distinctive about the relationship between leaders and followers and 3) Should leaders do whatever it takes to achieve group goals? By definition ethics are the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group or culture. Throughout his entire life philosophical scholar Socrates was predominantly interested in ethics. He believed that self-knowledge is the sufficient condition to the good life. He identified knowledge with virtue. If knowledge can be learned, so can virtue. Thus, virtue can be taught. If this is indeed the case and virtue could be taught, then society should be able to be molded into a perfect image of humanity. We all aim to emulate Socrates ethical intellectualism, however according to Aristotle’s criticism, an individual might know what is best, yet still do what's wrong. Dependent on the leader’s philosophy and personal beliefs, the relationship between that of leader and his followers could emulate that of Socrates true image or Aristotle’s criticisms.
Price outlined and identified the four Leader Centric approaches as 1) Relativism and exceptionalism; 2) Reason and amoralism; 3) Power and self-interest; 4) Traits and virtues. As well as the four Group-Centric Approaches: 5) Permission and consent; 6) Situations and circumstances; 7) Membership and moral particularity; 8) The greater good and 9) Everyday leadership ethics. Some may say that a great leader can be someone who can lead others with confidence and have perseverance even through the toughest of battles. Others may say it is someone who can make tough decisions when others may be against them. Price defines leadership as leader inducing followers to act for
References: Philosophy 302: Ethics. The Ethics of Socrates. Retrieved June 17, 2012 from http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/socrates.html Price, T Bjerke, B. Business leadership and culture. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 1999. Wenzke, G. (2009). Leadership and egocentricity. Distinct Strategies. Retrieved May 13, 2012, from http://www.distinctstrategies.com/file/sites%7C*%7C267%7C*%7CLeadershipandEgocentricity.pdf Jayakody, J phenomenon: a follower-centric approach. Department of Management and Organization. Retrieved May 20, 2012, from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/docview/212076116/fulltextPDF/136D24F8A796B6DF962/4?accountid=8289#