Purple Virtues: A Leadership Cure for Unhealthy Rivalry
Abstract
Joint operations are the rule, not the exception, for the U.S. military. Why then do interservice rivalries seem to work against the services becoming "more joint"? Colonel Ash proposes that the lack of a recognized set of common "core virtues" is the root of the problem. He suggests that the tenets of West Point's motto "Duty, Honor, Country" are these common, "purple" virtues. The most capable military in human history cannot afford to suffer from an ethical breakdown. Interservice competition is good and is here to stay, but unhealthy interservice rivalry must end. Presently, the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps have different core values. This is dysfunctional. Core values also are limited in effecting joint ethical conduct because values don't go far enough. They are situationally tied to worth and lack a moral domain. Virtues are more appropriate as an ethical bedrock. West Point's respected motto "Duty, Honor, Country" is more closely linked to virtues than values because it has moral implications. What does this have to do with leadership? Everything. Ethics begins and ends with leadership -- today's leaders living it and tomorrow's leaders believing it. The leaders we need for the 21st century are those with virtue and ethical superiority. Only then can our joint force be joint from the heart.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA517513
Entities
People
- Eric Ash
Organizations
- Air University