Virtuous Leadership: Insights from the Example of Joseph

Abstract

This paper is a conceptual paper that identifies eight testable propositions about virtuous leadership, incorporating insights from the example of Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob, as set forth in the Old Testament. Joseph, or Yosuf, is one of the most highly regarded individuals in holy writ and an exemplar of virtuous leadership. We introduce and explain the nature of virtuous leadership and summarize the life of Joseph, as set forth in the Old Testament and the Qur’an. We identify seven key characteristics of virtuous leadership and cite examples from Joseph’s life that demonstrate those qualities. We conclude the paper by identifying five contributions of the paper for practitioners and scholars.