When Deontology and Utilitarianism Aren’t Enough: How Heidegger’s Notion of “Dwellingâ€\x9D Might Help Organisational Leaders Resolve Ethical Issues

This paper offers an alternative to deontological and utilitarian approaches to making ethical decisions and taking good actions by organisational leaders. It argues that the relational and context-dependent nature of leadership necessitates reference to an ethical approach which explicitly takes these aspects into account. Such an approach is offered in the re-conceptualisation of ethical action on the part of leaders as a process of “coming into right relationâ€\x9D vis-à-vis those affected by their decisions and actions. Heidegger’s notion of “dwellingâ€\x9D is explored as a means of “coming into right relationâ€\x9D. Three aspects of dwelling: “staying withâ€\x9D, “comportmentâ€\x9D and “active engagementâ€\x9D are described and ways in which they might be practically enacted by leaders are suggested. The paper concludes by reflecting on the ways adopting a “dwellingâ€\x9D approach to resolving ethical issues implies a re-conceptualisation of leadership itself. Copyright Springer 2006