How To Practice Moral Leadership
Maradiaga, a Central America Leadership fellow, started the conversation by exploring the current political situation in Nicaragua. Recognizing that Thursday marked the 100th day of protests, he said that standing up to the Ortega dictatorship was the only moral thing for him to do. Maradiaga left a comfortable job in the business sector to join his fellow citizens and voice his discontent.
When asked what the practice of courage looks like Maradiaga responded: “It is humility.” With respect to moral courage, all of the other traits of leadership become irrelevant.
Bagchi, a Kamalnayan Bajaj fellow, provided some insight into leadership in India. "In India, leaders crop up from the unlikeliest places," she said. Bagchi also explained that the Indian media is actually more negatively affected by large corporations than the government. When corporations disapprove of coverage they remove advertisements, which news outlets heavily rely on. Since Bagchi covers international news, the topics she reports on do not typically concern Indian corporations. However, when the current administration came into power, they adopted an adversarial approach to the media.
Bagchi remains unfazed. In five years the administration may or may not be in power, she said. But the media will. She likened her industry to cockroaches, pointing out that the tiny creatures have managed to survive nuclear warfare. “I really like cockroaches!” she said. But she admits that if she didn’t feel any fear, she would run for office.
"Fear is a surprisingly good GPS system, it tells you what you really want," said Brooks. Failure is often the biggest fear of leaders. Brooks noted that there are three types of people who have overcome this. The first is the one who has been through something worse than failure. He gave the example of Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war who listens to his “inner voice” in spite of the political fallout. The second is the person whose moral identity is fully-formed. He cited the French Huguenots who defied their government to provide refuge for Jews during World War II. The third is a person who has found a higher love than oneself. Brooks mentioned Mother Teresa who lived a life in service to others, despite her own periods of doubt.
Maradiaga added that the best leaders are sensitive to the fears of others. To be courageous, he said, you need to focus on the issues and reconnect with your motivations. He noted that if he were more courageous he would have more honest conversations with those who disagree with him. It is important to try to deeply understand people who are different than us or have opposing viewpoints.
"Courage is compassion," he said.
Other Recent Posts
Explore upcoming opportunities to come back together with this community and continue the journey of fellowship. October 14-15, 2023 | Dubai, UAE AGLN Fellow Reunion in Dubai Fellows across the AGLN, especially those in China, India, Africa and the Middle East, have expressed a desire to reconnect with one another to build deeper bonds in a location ...
Charles Conn is a 2001 Henry Crown Fellow. He is co-founder of Monograph, a life sciences venture firm, and chair of Patagonia. Charles co-authored best-selling Bulletproof Problem Solving , and newly released The Imperfectionists: Strategic Mindsets for Uncertain Times (Wiley 2023). Our Operating Context We live in a different world than the one ...
Together with the McNulty Foundation, we're excited to announce the Winners of the 2022 John P. McNulty Prize , three individuals who have leveraged their expertise, experience, and networks to build and lead transformative social impact ventures. Their transformative social ventures are striving to end malnutrition worldwide , sparking a ...
More than a year after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, the American political landscape reflects the yawning divides highlighted on that violent day and reveals the extent to which extremist beliefs have become part of the mainstream. As the 2022 midterm election campaign kicks into high gear, I’m deeply concerned about the state of ...
Fellows across the network are tackling issues like good education, diversity on boards, cross-community dialogue and more. This Giving Season, we're excited to share causes close to the hearts of Fellows across our global community. Read below and consider giving or getting involved in these incredible organizations.
Leave a Comment