Leadership grows when ethics meet real consequences

The daily practice of ethics helps, but leaders act honestly only when systems, consequences and constant feedback reinforce good behaviour

- Ke Yu

On 9 September, Daily Maverick published an Opinionista piece by Dr Sibongiseni Kumalo on South Africa's leadership crisis.

He called for a deeper conversation about how to grow leaders who can widen the circle of belonging, act with integrity and rebuild public trust.

I agree with his assertions as part of the interventions to save South Africa, and I must hasten to say that his idea of turning schools and workplaces into “leadership laboratories” is both ambitious and inspiring.

However, as valuable as this vision is, it rests on a key assumption that deserves scrutiny: that ethical leadership can simply be taught and rehearsed into existence.

Research in psychology and behavioural economics suggests otherwise. For instance, people rarely act unethically because they lack knowledge. Rather, they are adept at justifying their behaviour to preserve a positive self-image.

This means lessons and daily rehearsals are not enough on their own to produce consistently ethical leaders.