Preface and Acknowledgements

To explore such a subject as ethical leadership means to discover the inner road taken by men and women who participated in my research projects—a road littered with doubts, hesitations, and reconsideration, along which they had to confront the fear of judgment but also experienced the joy of having done something to improve things around them. I am indebted to them for the precious time they dedicated to me in unveiling their ethical dilemmas. In fact, to examine and talk about an ethical dilemma, while attempting to highlight the good as well as the bad, is not easy. To broach delicate subjects regarding an organization is sometimes inconvenient and can even be quite destabilizing. To speak of fraud, sexual and moral harassment, conflicts of interest, issues surrounding maternity leave, favouritism, and internal politics that work to the detriment of justice is to raise very sensitive questions, rarely openly discussed inside an organization and even less so in the public arena. I am deeply grateful to those who opened up to me, because their confidence helped me to understand better how the exercise of ethical leadership can resolve difficult situations and can lead to lasting change in an organization.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Fernand Morin, professor emeritus in the Faculty of Social Sciences at Université Laval, Claire Lapointe, director of the Centre for Research on Scholastic Success at Université Laval, and Jerry Starratt, professor in the Lynch School of Education at Boston College, for their careful reading and their very relevant commentaries that helped me to improve this book, which was first published in French. My thanks also go to Paul Begley, of Penn State University, who made my year of study and research there very pleasant. Our exchanges on ethics were very enriching. I do hope we will carry on this research in collaboration. I likewise wish to thank Frédéric Lenoir, renowned philosopher, for the time he spent with me during his holiday in the summer of 2005 in Lavandou, France. His assistance helped me to clarify my ethical approach.

Very special thanks also to Della Marcus, who translated the manuscript with much patience and professionalism; to Juliette, who generously translated all the quotations on the eve of a holiday; and to Charlotte, for all her assistance.

I would also like to thank the members of the various research teams at CSRH (Conseil de recherche en sciences humaines) and IRSST (Institut de recherche en santé et en sécurité du travail) with whom I have had the pleasure of working: Claire L., Alain, Fernande. Their many questions pushed me to clarify my thinking and refine my various research tools. My gratitude goes also to Deirdre Smith, manager of the Standards of Practice and Education Unit at the Ontario College of Teachers, and to Jacky Tremblay, director of human resources at Québec’s Commission scolaire des Découvrers. These two colleagues provided invaluable support during the evaluation of the TERA model in the work environment.

Of course, the writing of a work requires the time and patience of the author, but also a great deal of understanding on the part of those who are dear to the author. Work on this book began during the last six months of my year of study and research in 2005 and finished only in the fall of 2007. My family provided constant motivation, which helped me overcome obstacles along the way. How many times did I hear my daughters, Catherine and Beatrice, ask: “Mother, is your book finished?” And how often did I have to reply: “Not yet …”? I thank them for waiting patiently for me to return to a normal life, in which we have time to play together again. My gratitude also goes to Daniel, an eternal optimist who, unlike myself, never doubted my abilities. And I thank Paulette for the many documents she collected and never failed to forward to me with infinite patience.

This work is dedicated to my friend William Hatcher, philosopher and mathematician, who passed away too soon and with whom I was often able to engage in an exchange on the moral dimension, the ethical decision-making process in general, and the TERA model in particular. Aside from our discussions, unfortunately far too brief, which I always considered a veritable source of intellectual inspiration, what impressed me most were his qualities of heart. Always at the service of others, he practiced a leadership marked by authentic and responsible ethics. I miss this inspiring man very deeply.

Lyse Langlois

27 November 2007