The group came to define ethical leadership as leadership that is guided by strong principles, infused with a humane and generous spirit, and courageously committed to the common good, and it issued a call for dialogue on how such leadership principles should be applied in both the public and private sectors. Despite the competitive nature of the marketplace, we maintain that it serves the greatest good when its stakeholders have an eye to more than the bottom line. Leaders, both elected and self-selected, function best and for the best when every action is reasoned and justified. Whether the actors are caregivers, councilpersons, or concerned citizens, they are obligated to remain answerable to their constituents. Even more, they should act in ways that adhere to their own concepts of moral behavior.
Humanity promises mistakes and blunders, departures from the path of good and right.
Accountability in ethical leadership serves, then, to guide us back to the higher road. Ethical leadership promotes and demands accountability. As members of American society, we are bound by our covenant as citizens to agitate for the good of all. Without clamor for actors of conscience, however, we collectively suffer. Accountability is not merely the province of a minority, nor is it focused solely on leaders, but rather it trains its eye on each of us.