4. Empathetic and Moral

Serving-first focuses on creating greater meaning and fulfillment, greater relational engagement, greater personal, group, organization, and community transformation—in short greater personal and collective human flourishing. This chapter addresses moral authority within the context of empathy and compassion, integrity and responsibility, forgiveness and healing, and the complex concept of humility. Promoting community at Stages III and IV is reflective of a profoundly relational approach to leadership and is grounded in the development of an independence–interdependence dynamic. The dynamic is introduced as a developmental outgrowth from a profoundly relational awareness that the drive for self-actualization can only occur within a supportive and flourishing collective actualization. Finally, congruence and harmony supported by systems thinking are posed as primary guiding values for Stage IV development.