BETWEEN VIRTUOUS AND EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP.

It is possible to endorse virtuous leadership and at the same time to accede that virtue and effectiveness will sometimes part ways; and if this is the case, then we must be open to the possibility that leadership guidance that seeks to do honor to the ideals of virtue while acknowledging the realistic constraints faced by fixed social leaders should try to find a balanced approach between virtuous and effective leadership. Emphasizing the importance of virtue for leadership is entirely appropriate: moral virtue is crucial for strong leadership. LEADERSHIP GUIDANCE BETWEEN MORAL VIRTUE AND EFFECTIVENESS The upshot of all of this is that purely virtue-based approaches to leadership will inevitably overlook, or give short shrift, to an ineliminable and crucial portion of what it means to be a leader in a fixed social position, and to that extent such approaches will be of limited practical value. An approach to leadership guidance that navigates between virtue and effectiveness must also give place to prudential dictates that, while not constituting egregious violations of virtue, would likely be frowned upon by defenders of traditional virtue. [Extracted from the article]