Essential virtues for responsible leader behaviour : a virtue-based approach to responsible leader behaviour

Abstract

Despite the dearth of literature on virtues as essential for responsible leader behaviour, there remains a lack of consensus around which are ‘the’ virtues most closely associated with responsible leader behaviour. To address this, the current study focuses on a specific set of six cardinal virtues with the aim of identifying which are ‘the’ virtues most essential for responsible leader behaviour. A mono-method quantitative methodology was applied, and 139 participants responded to the survey questionnaire. A correlation analysis was used to test the hypothesis in order to understand which virtues were positively associated with responsible leader behaviour. A linear regression analysis was employed to explore predictability. Results indicated that the virtues of prudence and temperance were positively associated with responsible leader behaviour thus identifying the “Top Two” virtues essential for responsible leader behaviour. The study makes a theoretical contribution to the burgeoning literature on responsible leadership by supporting a virtue-based approach to cultivating responsible leader behaviour. At the practical level, the study contributes to the development of a leader’s capacity to do good and avoid harm as essential for promoting positive organizational outcomes.