Really interesting and important research from The HOW Institute for Society as shared by the World Economic Forum on the true desire for moral leadership. This is not a call for just CEOs and formal leaders, but those of all levels that influence and lead others. It’s always been relevant but in greater focus now given well, everything the last year or so has thrown at us.

It’s fascinating to see some of the many findings that are far from complex in concept- as an example, “79% of respondents agree that their organizations would make better business decisions if they followed a golden rule: treat others as you would have them treat you.” This is what most of us learned at home before even starting school. Treat your teams with compassion, treat each other as humans and not just workers, and know that everyone is working to balance many roles in their lives. These are real factors in how teams perform and overlooking the human piece in leading an organization will ultimately leave you short of optimal results.

One of my favorite pieces in the report:

These leaders are not simply well-behaved, they stimulate action by anchoring their daily work – and the work of those around them – in a principled vision of what is good for the world. Moral leaders are advocates who see the humanity in everyone and take the time to build unique and deep relationships. They see people not as means, but as ends in themselves. They listen and learn from those they lead and are often more inclusive.

Read the full report from The HOW Institute for Society and consider how you can continually learn and improve your own moral leadership skills and enjoy better performance.