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Leadership and Change: The Case for Greater Ethical Clarity

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Abstract

This article addresses the relationship between the ethics underpinning leadership and change. It examines the developments in leadership and change over the last three decades and their ethical implications. It adopts a consequentialist perspective on ethics and uses this to explore different approaches to leadership and change. In particular, the article focuses on individual (egoistic) consequentialism and utilitarian consequentialism. The article argues that all leadership styles and all approaches to change are rooted in a set of values, some of which are more likely to lead to ethical outcomes than others. It also argues that all stakeholders in an organisation have a role to play in ensuring ethical outcomes. It concludes that in order to achieve sustainable and beneficial change, those who promote and adopt particular approaches to leadership and change must provide greater ethical clarity about the approaches they are championing.

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  1. Organisational Change, Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, Booth Street West, Manchester, M15 6PB, UK

    Bernard Burnes

  2. Organisational Behaviour, Leadership & Change, Staffordshire University Business School, Staffordshire University, Brindley Building, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST4 2DF, UK

    Rune Todnem By

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Burnes, B., By, R.T. Leadership and Change: The Case for Greater Ethical Clarity. J Bus Ethics 108, 239–252 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-011-1088-2

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