Leadership research has shifted from focusing on the leader to focusing more on the relationship between leaders and followers. Moreover, ethical considerations are increasingly being incorporated into more theories of leadership. Positive leadership research has shown that organizational members are more willing to follow—and even go the extra mile for—leaders with high ethical standards and who value relationships. But how does one become such a leader?
Important ideas about what it means to be a good leader can be found in the thinking of the theologian st. Augustine. In his thought, love comes first. Maintaining the community is also an important leader's activity, as is correcting mistakes and moral transgressions.
Our colleagues Henri Slob, Paul van Geest and Harry Commandeur published an article in Frontiers in Psychology on this type of leadership.