What is moral reasoning? Moral reasoning is a process of discerning the possible effects of making a decision on a specific issue and examining the pros and cons of what values are at stake and why and the “prices to pay” for each decision made.
Moral reasoning has a “justice” component to it, and this needs to be taken into consideration. The “justice” component is to discern what is right or wrong as , at times, diametrically opposed to what maybe declared or accepted as right or wrong. In this way, moral reasoning provides guidance of sorts on how to behave with some semblance of honor.
Therefore, what happens when the decision is made on the sole basis of one’s conscience/conviction without the substantive information to support it? Is this a valid use of moral reasoning?
All this being said, Is this really a necessary leadership quality? If so, how does one “acquire” it? Can it be taught or is it innate? Regardless of the answers, there is little doubt there is a definite lack of moral reasoning.
Shouldn’t leaders be THE moral agent of their organizations? If so, how?