The Ethical Essence of Leaderful Practice

In this article, the author introduces the leadership approach known as “leaderful practice,” an alternative to the traditional trait-based approach of individual leadership. Leaderful practice is shown to sustain an ethical infrastructure based on democratic principles. It is democracy not in its representative sense, however, but in its endorsement of public engagement of all those affected by the activity and decision at hand. The article makes the ethical case for leaderful practice based on two paramount ethical behaviors: dialogue and meaning making, and on three virtues: authenticity, humility, and dignity. Leaderful participants not only pay heed to emancipatory processes but also attend to practices that preserve a sustainable future