About Leadership Development
Introduction
Historically, outstanding Australian leaders have been men and women able to give meaning and a clear sense of direction to the community – especially during trying times.
These leaders had a sense of what makes a good society. They were people able to help others deal with complexity. The times in which we live clearly require leaders of this calibre.
The aim of the Ethics Centre’s leadership programs are to help find and develop such people and in doing so, help to secure a better future.
The nature of good leadership
Good leaders are ethical as a matter of course. To be a good leader also requires a capacity for ethical reflection. This reflection does not mean entry into a world of esoteric theory.
The ethics of leadership is a practical wisdom; it is about answering well a very old and persistent question, "What ought one to do?". This wisdom has roots both in a perception of human life, which extends beyond the material as well as in the formation of an inner character.
If a leader is to be truly responsible when making choices, many of which can present difficult dilemmas, then it is necessary to draw on such an inner orientation in weighing the issues that arise, when determining a good course of action.
Our role and what we do
Our primary role is to assist individuals within organisations or groups to develop reflective practices that enable them to invoke the ethical dimension as a conscious and deliberate factor in their personal and organisational decision-making.
We look at the ethical dilemmas that those with leadership responsibilities face, raising awareness about their nature and we explore practical strategies for dealing with them with integrity.
We focus on the responsibility that we have within our roles, asking what it is that each of us can do when faced with the complexity inherent in the world we share.
Our main program in this regard is the Vincent Fairfax Fellowship.
We also offer a Short Course for Good Leadership program, which is a prerequisite and ideal introduction to the Fellowship program, and of great benefit in itself as a standalone program.
Both programs are funded thanks to the generosity of the Vincent Fairfax Ethics in Leadership Foundation.
Learn more about the Vincent Fairfax Fellowship, including how to apply for the prerequisite Short Course.
In addition, we facilitate program segments for various leadership programs, looking at the ethical dimensions of leadership.
We also work with organisations and companies at the design phase of their internal leadership programs helping them to incorporate the ethical dimension in their program. This work is conducted by our Ethics Consulting arm.