"From Laurels to Learners: Leadership with Virtue"

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a new approach to leadership development founded on the principle of the Leader-as-Learner: a reflective human who pursues the 4C – virtues of courage, commitment, confidence and curiosity, rather than the laurels of traditional approaches of heroic leadership. Design/methodology/approach: Exploring art-based methods and fostering a new approach to leadership development: Leaders-as-Learners. Findings: In this paper, studies and theoretical findings from the literature are discussed. Research limitations/implications: This paper includes extending life stories and modes of learning by projecting possible selves as leaders, to learn the daily practice of leadership. Practical implications: Leadership involves not only the art of judgment but refines it through a learning orientation to confront volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity conditions. Social implications: Leadership is not limited to organizations and in relation to work practices. It is a central aspect in all social affairs and integral to building societies which serve, through leaders, the common good. Originality/value: An approach to leadership development that supports human flourishing and locates leadership among ordinary people who do extra-ordinary things.