Reject the choice between ethics and competence

The Ethical Lexicon #70: Authentic leadership is a duty, a privilege, and a trust

Recent developments in the 2024 presidential race offer painfully relevant lessons for both leaders and followers everywhere.

Charismatic rhetoric, overstated claims, and grandiose promises will always attract a nucleus of passionate acolytes, all the more so in a leadership vacuum where quality candidates can’t be found or refuse to step forward.

When no competent alternative arises to take the helm, people will turn to whoever shouts the loudest and pledges the most. When that becomes the expectation, truly qualified candidates become increasingly marginalized and unnoticed.

But the same flamboyant leaders who incite zealotry among their core supporters simultaneously alienate and repel others through their incendiary rhetoric. The result is the inherent instability of a polarized society.

Authentic leadership is a duty, a privilege, and a trust. The incompetent cannot be ethical, since they are ill-equipped to discharge their responsibilities. And the unethical cannot be competent, because they thrive amidst a culture of toxic strife.

Please take the time to read today's column in Fast Company, carefully composed to enrage Republicans and Democrats alike. Click here to enjoy!