ABSTRACT
This chapter proposes Ethics of Care Leadership (ECL) as a transformative approach to leading organizations that emphasizes care-based relationship-building and social harmony at work. ECL, rooted in moral psychology, is presented as a remedy to the cognitive overload affecting employees across various sectors. The authors propose that ECL’s carrying nature, often associated with female leadership, could be the key to enhancing workplace sustainability.
The narrative explores the alignment of ECL with female leadership qualities of communality, grounded in research that underscores women’s propensity towards care as a moral value, and not a necessity, and leadership style. It suggests that ECL embodies a communal ethos that could lead to more equitable and effective organizational outcomes, unlike traditional male-associated leadership models characterized by agency and authority. Drawing on social cognitive theory, the chapter refutes the notion that ECL is always gender-specific and discusses it as a learnable, adaptable leadership style. It presents a case for ECL’s role in fostering a caring and sustainable workplace, advocating for leaders who model such behaviors.
