Humanise: Why Human-Centred Leadership is the Key to the 21st Century

CHAPTER 19 Moral reasoning

‘Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.'

MARIE CURIE

Have you ever found yourself in a conversation, or perhaps an argument, where you think the person on the other side of the table could just as easily be from another planet? Despite how clearly you explain your position, they remain blind to your insights? And have you noticed how they think the same thing about you?

Have you seen this in our elected political representatives, in the way they vehemently disagree with one another about often simple matters? While both sides claim they care and that they hold the moral high ground, those they care about continue to suffer.

Different people, whether your family, friends, work colleagues or fellow citizens, have different ways of looking at and resolving moral issues. Where some think in terms of black or white, good or bad, others see nuance and shades of grey.

Could I suggest that if you talked to a large number of people about the process they use to work through moral challenges you would be able to identify a number of very similar approaches? You could then form groups of people based on these observations. One set, for example, could consist of those who rely on external authority, while another could be those who figure things out for themselves.

Can I also propose that the way in which individuals and communities think about moral issues is changing? Not the ...