Illustration by Helena Pallares
Asked for their examples of moral business leadership, as might be expected hundreds of MBA students described well-known CEOs, whose extraordinary actions we certainly can learn from (individuals such as Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia and Ratan Tata of the Tata Group). More frequently, however, respondents provided recollections about their own bosses (current and former) and the tangibility of how these middle managers made a meaningful difference in the lives of their teams and upheld the moral compass of their organizations. Becoming the manager whom others genuinely respect, admire, and recall as a moral role model requires deep work. Two areas, in particular, can help: taking a regular self-inventory to gauge your existing standing, and willingly correcting habits and behaviors — then monitoring them on an ongoing basis.
Middle managers get a bad rap. Blamed for being bottlenecks, pilloried as bureaucratic and ineffective, and painted as the “bad bosses” who send good talent running, they often bear the brunt of harsh criticism and false beliefs. I see them differently. After countless hours of conversations with MBA students about moral and ethical leadership, what emerges is a strong, consistent cadre of unsung heroes in middle management who push their teams and organizations to seek principled decision making and choose the right thing over what is simply the most expedient.
