The Virtuous Leader

Leadership is difficult. Earning the respect of others in the pursuit of shared goals is an achievement that has proven to be elusive - whether the role involves being the President of the world's most powerful nation or the volunteer coach of a group of five-year-old "T ball" players. Paid or unpaid. Elected or self-appointed. The challenges in helping others to be successful in achieving a common purpose typically involve obstacles foreseen and unforeseen. Leaders are rarely appreciated and often criticized. Despite the frequently thankless tasks of leadership, there are inevitably individuals who take on the leader's role -- making the effort to bring others together in an attempt to improve the status quo. The motives of those willing to step up to take the lead of an organization or group are often varied, but for leaders to succeed they must be able to earn the followership and compliance of others - if not their admiration and respect. It is almost unanimously agreed, however, that for leaders to be truly great they must be people who are also regarded as truly good. Talent is not enough. Knowledge and competence are necessary but insufficient. Leaders who help others to achieve the optimum possible results are rare individuals. The purpose of this book is to identify the importance of those who lead achieving the status of "the Virtuous Leader." Throughout ten chapters, the authors write about what that term means, why it is important, the obstacles that leaders must overcome, and the qualities that they must acquire to earn that rarely achieved label of a virtuous leader. The authors have written this book because, in their collective experience, they have found very few individuals who qualify for that title - but they have been in awe of those who they believe have earned that distinction.