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Values as the Foundation for Virtues. The Unexamined Life is not Worth Living. Socrates (c. 470-399 b.c.e.). James MacGregor Burns’ Summary. “Values are power resources for a leadership that would transform society for the fuller realization of the highest moral purposes.”
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Values as the Foundation for Virtues The Unexamined Life is not Worth Living. Socrates (c. 470-399 b.c.e.)
James MacGregor Burns’ Summary • “Values are power resources for a leadership that would transform society for the fuller realization of the highest moral purposes.” • “The mobilizing and kindling power of transforming values is the most essential and durable factor in leadership.” • “Values --- operationalized, claimed as rights, empowering leaders and followers --- are weapons.”
Definitions • What is right, worthwhile or desirable. • Principles or standards. • What is important. • Criteria for selecting actions. • Foundations for making choices. • Context for actions. • Virtues are actions that are performed against the backdrop of values.
Clusters of Values • All actions and choices are value-laden. • Changeable --- space, time, circumstances. • Personal --- individual. • Professional --- commitment to a profession. • Instrumental (Means to an end). • Goals (Teleological).
Groups of Values • Universal • Religious • Cultural • Transcultural • National • Political • Legal • Economic
Hierarchy of Values • Historical. • Anchoring the present. • Transcending the past. • Security a constant. • Pluralistic world. • Democracy --- self determination. • Supreme values --- security, liberty [ordered liberty], equality, justice, community.
Leaders and Followers • Unified by sharing similar values expressed in hopes, wants, needs. • Transformational dynamic. • Isomorphic sharing of values → stability. • Separation of values → change of leadership. • “The stronger the value systems, the more strongly leaders can be empowered.”