The Use of Benevolent Leadership Development to Advance Principles of Responsible Management Education

Abstract

Purpose - This paper proposes benevolent leadership development as a framework to incorporate principles of responsible management education to mainstream management curriculum, specifically within the context of leadership courses. Design/methodology/approach - The illustrative processes, exercises, and projects in this paper come from leadership development courses offered in Turkey and in Canada.Findings - This paper presents four anchors that support benevolent leadership development: ethical sensitivity, spiritual depth, positive engagement, and community responsiveness. Research limitations/implications - The paper develops the framework of benevolent leadership as a means to impart the principles of responsible management.Practical implications - The paper shares pedagogical strategies to incorporate benevolent leadership in leadership development courses through use of individual and team projects and exercises. Originality/value - The paper shares a theoretical framework and practical insights for incorporating multiple literacies and sensitivies - namely morality, spirituality, positivity, and community - in leadership development.