The Good Struggle: Responsible Leadership in an Unforgiving World

How can modern civilization harness the powers of capitalism safely? Harvard Business School ethics professor Badaracco (Leading Quietly) wrestles with that difficult question in this short but wide-ranging discussion. The author divides the larger issue into five specific questions for responsible business leaders to ask themselves: “Do I know what I am really accountable for?”; “Do we have the right core values?”; “Why have I chosen this life?”; and others. These questions serve as guides in the morally ambiguous business world. The author’s ambitions are laudable—his execution, less so. The five questions he raises are incisive, but the answers he cites aren’t convincing, mainly because Badaracco seems oblivious to certain shortcomings of modern business. While the author accepts that some business leaders err because of their ignorance (willful and otherwise), he discounts the possibility of outright dishonesty and fraud. Despite these issues, Badaracco asks important questions, and it will be up to the readers to arrive at answers. (Oct.)