Abstract

The virtues identified by Aristotle in the Nichomachean Ethics offer an important foundation for developing virtuous leaders. Justice, courage, temperance, and practical wisdom can also lead to a fulfilled life. Leaders in particular need these virtues because of the power they exert over resources and stakeholders. Aristotle argues that humans tend to attract to pleasure, advantage for oneself, and actions or circumstances that are fine, beautiful, and noble. A leader who is motivated by one or more of these objects is naturally drawn to act in line with it, and the resulting actions may or may not fulfill the leader’s responsibility to others. This study describes Aristotle’s virtue ethics and applies it to leadership who must lead and compete in an organization. Leaders must understand the virtues and their corresponding motivations if they are to ethically guide their followers.

Keywords: Virtue, Ethics, Aristotle, Leadership.