Ethics for Public Leadership

The purpose of this course is to explore, identify and detail the connectivity between good governance and the realization of social wellbeing, economic justice and environmental health. Occurring in many forms, corruption is currently a worldwide phenomenon that impedes the realization of human rights, economic development and environmental stewardship by obstructing the rule of law and the administration of justice, whether subtly or blatantly. The meaningful and functional institution of anti-corruption measures depends upon an understanding of both attitudinal and transactional deficiencies in human affairs across many dimensions of malpractice in public service. Attitudinal deficiencies are often intangible, as in cases of narcissistic disorder, normalized collusion and cultural hypocrisy. Transactional deficiencies are often tangible, as in cases of immediate conflict of interest, ranging from gifts and bribes, to self-dealt compensation and investment, besides nepotism, cronyism and favoritism; and intermediate conflict of interest, ranging from undue influence to campaign contributions, voter suasion and lobbyist support, in exchange for regulatory loopholes, waivers, earmarks, bailouts, subsidies, permits and contracts, besides perquisites such as honoraria, board directorships and revolving-door career advancements.

The course has four primary sections, each addressing in three subsections a domain or theater of ethics, which is distinct from but interconnected with the others. The first section addresses ethics in discourse, particularly the contemporary need to frame ethics in global, scientific and practical terms. The second addresses ethics in leadership, especially the current debates about the traits, authenticity and efficacy of leaders. The third section addresses ethics in management, including the peculiar hazards or pathologies of its main forms: loyalty-based, science-based, and behavior-based management. The last section of the course addresses ethics in society, including three critical sets of values that are significantly determinate with regard to achieving good governance: public, civic and social values, associated with governmental, nonprofit and for-profit organizations.