Educational Leading and Ethical Fortitude: A Perspective on Being and Wellbeing in Morals, Ethics and Transformative Leadership

Educational leadership requires personal and professional consciousness of one’s virtuousness and responsiveness to the learning organization’s mission. Leadership wellbeing and system health and wellbeing in relationship with moral, ethical and transformative understandings and leadership practice are emergent areas in scholarly deliberation. A qualitative hermeneutics study involving K-12 Ontario school and system leaders examined how practice was interpreted in moral, ethical and transformative ways. Findings point to sensemaking and critical consciousness whereby just, caring and relational leadership impact wellbeing and ethically responsive growth. As the leader develops heightened self-awareness and sense of virtuousness within roles and relationships, they strengthen and transform beliefs and ethical reflective practice/praxis. In turn, they fortify commitment in human-life-centered service and in nurturing the holistic needs of learners in community. Implications for appreciation of the ethic of hope and care, rooted in love, goodness and sacredness of life shared in leadership practice/praxis holds promise for deeper enquiry.