Four Virtues That Our Leaders Need

By Edward Brooks

Published: Greater Good Magazine

Edward Brooks’ article Four Virtues That Our Leaders Need shares the beginnings of The Oxford Character Project, and their journey to explore how character virtues in leadership contribute to human flourishing and the common good.

Edward Brooks is the Executive Director of the Oxford Character Project and in this article he shares links to valuable research and unpacks the four virtues of great leadership, which is rooted in character, not just competence. These include: purpose (having a meaningful direction), courage (acting on values despite challenges), love (genuine care for others), and hope (committed belief in a better future). Brooks explains that leaders who embody these traits help individuals and societies flourish, and shares information about their free online leadership course to foster these virtues in leaders Leading with Character.

In Brooks words, this is a ‘free online course developed together with the Legatum Foundation and the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard. The course was designed by a global group of academics and practitioners to support people around the world to be better leaders and build a better world. It has so far been taken up by 2,000 learners in 122 countries. The course focuses on four central virtues: purpose, courage, love, and hope. If leaders were to cultivate these virtues, if we could even strengthen them by a few percent, we believe there would be a marked impact on leadership performance and societal flourishing.’