Leading With Conscience

Conscience is a leader’s moral compass. It is an aptitude or judgment of one’s intellect that helps a person discern right from wrong. Conscience leads to our feelings of regret or remorse when we commit actions that go against our moral values. Sometimes we think of conscience as the metaphorical “voice within” that guides how we think and act. In the absence of conscience some of the world’s most heinous crimes have been committed.

I chose this topic for my weekly post because there are so many examples of leaders in business, politics, religion, and family whose conscience seems lost or at least badly weakened. Decisions are made without the benefit of a spiritual foundation or a set of principled moral values. Even when such a framework exists our selfish need for power and control may cause us to stray. Perhaps our lapses in judgment are more pronounced because we don’t see many persons behaving in a different way.

Leading with conscience means fighting a lonely battle to make a moral decision that could result in adverse consequences. Doing the right thing is rarely a popular path to take. Leading with conscience goes beyond what is simply required of us. The Good Samaritan did more than show pity for a wounded traveler. He acted to save the man’s life knowing that it might cost him personally and professionally. 

George Washington wrote that conscience often comes too late. “Conscience seldom comes to a man’s aid while he is in the zenith of health and revelling in pomp and luxury upon ill-gotten spoils; it is generally the last act of life, and comes too late to be of much service to others here, or to himself hereafter.” Today’s modern leaders would do well to heed Washington’s warning.

More than ever our families, businesses, communities, and nation need leaders of conscience. We need leaders who still believe in a Higher Power, whose life is guided by a set of moral principles, and who will accept the consequences for doing what is right instead of what seems popular or easy. Leading with conscience means being courageous, authentic, truthful, and loving. Don’t wait to accept the assignment.