Among dozens of leadership theories, types, and styles, “principled leadership,” is increasingly in demand as ethical crises plague more and more organizations and individuals. But despite strong consensus surrounding the need for principled leadership, there is little common understanding of it as an art and science.
What exactly is principled leadership? How does it work? How does a leader practice it? What distinguishes it from other leadership types? What does it look like in action? How is principled leadership more than just individual principled behavior? This book answers these and more questions, introducing principled leadership theory and illustrating it through practical case studies. Principled leadership holds powerful, positive effects for leaders who practice its concepts.

Kevin Dougherty is a retired Army lieutenant colonel and retired assistant commandant for leadership programs at The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina. He currently is an independent scholar and adjunct professor.

Kevin Dougherty
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 198
Bibliographic Info: appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2024
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9481-8
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5236-8
Imprint: McFarland

Preface 1

Introduction: What Is Principled Leadership? 5

Case Studies

  Business Leaders 27

    James Burke and the Tylenol Recall  27

    John Hall and the Ashland Oil Spill  31

    Charles Spaulding and Cardinal Point No. 4  35

    Herb Kelleher and Leadership Philosophy  39

  Political Leaders 44

    George Marshall and the Mission to China  44

    Carl Lutz and the Hungarian Jews  48

    Abraham Lincoln and Emancipation  51

    Mahatma Gandhi and Satyagraha  55

  Military Leaders 61

    John McCain and Being a Prisoner of War  61

    Katumba Wamala and Trust  65

    John Boyd and Careerism  69

    Hugh Thompson and My Lai  73

  Religious Leaders 79

    Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and Fixed Principles  79

    Thich Quang Do and Speaking Truth to Power  82

    Father Damien and the Leper Colony at Kalaupapa  86

    James and the Jerusalem Council  92

  Sports Leaders 97

    Eric Liddell and the 1924 Olympics  97

    Bobby Jones and the 1925 U.S. Open  100

    Armando Galarraga and the ­28-Out Perfect Game  104

    Rachael Denhollander and Helping Others Find Their Voice  108

  Literary Characters 113

    Atticus Finch and Empathy  113

    Jim and Principled Leadership Based on Personal Authority  117

    Jiggs Casey and Civilian Control of the Military  122

    Juror Number 8 and a Fair Trial  127

  Societal Leaders 131

    Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott  131

    Dorothea Dix and the Mentally Ill  134

    Denis Estimon and We Dine Together  139

    Mohammad Gulab and Lokhay  142

Conclusion 147

Appendix 1: CADRE Beliefs, Values, and Principles 153

Appendix 2: Master List of Principles and Lessons 156

Chapter Notes 163

Bibliography 179

Index 187