Moral Leadership Matters claims Ethics Leader, Shawn Vij
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves,” said Abraham Lincoln who is modeled as one of the greatest moral leaders of all time. He embodied not simply political skill, but personal virtue.
So, what has happened since then? As America gears for the Presidential election only two months away, the question remains does character matter for the highest office in the land?
As Harvard Ethics Expert, Arthur Applbaum writes, “rulers that cannot govern themselves cannot legitimately govern others.” Elected leaders, like Trump who govern by impulse fall into a failed category called wantonism.
“When we let anger, greed and ignorance take over then toxic tyranny reigns because its citizens are governed not by themselves, but by chance.” says Business Ethics Leader, Shawn Vij. He goes onto say that Moral Leadership does matter and leaders whose decisions are not grounded in living their values will be less equipped to respond well.
Shawn Vij is a global business leader and best-selling author of the book, Moral Fiber with a foreword by the Dalai Lama.
“This is not rocket science… be kind, respectful, compassionate, honest, accountable and live your values.” says Shawn Vij. Unfortunately, we have let our self-interests (excessive greed) take over the wider-interest without any human regard.”
America is in a time of despair. From the rise of gun violence, school shootings to civil unrest, the world is closely watching the United States on the brink of moral decay. The recent killing of George Floyd and repeated targeting of black men and women by police has unveiled racism at the highest levels. Furthermore, the inequities of the COVID pandemic in the US has left people of color disproportionately ill and dying. If ever there was a need for moral leadership, it is now.
As Vij states, “We have reached to a level of toxicity, fueled by lobbyists and self-interest groups, that has made our society lose its way. It is much easier to blame sides rather than look in the mirror and take personal accountability. Heaven forbid, that would require strong self-reflection and actually working on ourselves.”
As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Moral Leadership requires compassion, courage and living our values. Who will be this new leader that helps heal and unite a country so divided? Will America vote her conscious this November? Only time will tell.