Well, no one answered the question - but I can share with you something that I came to be enlightened with these few days as I am attending an International Assembly here in Busan Korea - Yes, education can work wonders - however, there is a need for the higher education to be involved - the research that was presented on the GREED LINE and other matters was extremely enlightening and I was thinking those scholars who are working on such issues might also assist in building the character of the future leaders.

Hope to see some responses!

Regards

Theodora Issa

This is not such a new or unexplored question as you might think. St Thomas Aquinas around 1268 looked at this in the later part his life on political theory. He talked about this in relation to the (he judged, negative) aspirations that had he felt had skewed the morality of the time, inculcating the politically-minded aspirants of the age.

He spent a lot of time looking at comparisons with Ancient Greek society, specifically the ethics of what made a virtuous person (q.v. the notion of eudaimonia set out in Nichomachaan Ethics). The most interesting thing though, is that the word 'integrity', etymologically, comes from the Latin and NOT the Greek.

He found striking dissimilarities and disappointment with the society he found himself in, ironically attributing its moral decline to a more superficial popular culture that was emerging from the artistic persuasions of the time, effectively the Thomist Hollywood. Indeed, one of the central theses of Thomism is that: 'if such principles are once removed or in any way impaired, it must necessarily follow that students of the sacred sciences will ultimately fail to perceive so much as the meaning of the words in which the dogmas of divine revelation are proposed by the magistracy of the Church.'

Clearly, for Aquinas the departure from morality was that of the prevailing Christian morality that dominated the period between the First and Second Vatican Councils, whereas it could be argued that today we have a more secular society. However, what is most important to realise about St Thomas is that he was not just a theologian, but a philosopher who attempted to unify theology with philosophy (okay, gross oversimplification!), through finding a 'logical basis for the existence of God.

It is interesting too to note that two hundred years later when Machiavelli introduces his political work, The Prince, outlining and stating what many people considered to be outrageous (but undoubtedly the real practices of successful political leaders of the time, he was vilified. Even today, everyone associates the word 'Machiavellian' with deceit and lack of integrity, exactly what St Thomas was concerned about many years before Machiavelli was even born. This, if you think about his prescience, is remarkable. Unsurprisingly, St Thomas is now considered by many to be the most significant and important figure in the history of the Church.

I would certainly suggest you read the Summa Theologica. Ironically you will probably find that reading it today, as a reader of this age, you will be startled by the relevance of this theological masterpiece, and in particular how closely it relates to (even answers) your question about Hollywood!

Thanks for the questions, really interesting one.

Jonathan,

Thank you for your comprehensive response to the question - actually, the conference that I referred to of Busan was the World Council of Churches Assembly, and we had Ecumenical Conversations one of which talked about Economy of Life, and how churches can help reduce the effect of greed... we came up with some challenges to the WCC and some recommendations...

Thank you for sharing with me ... Thomas Aquinas is one of my favourite theologians/philosophers! - however, we are living in a very scular world - and whatever you bring forth from saints, theologians or philosophers who are inclined in their ideologies to look at theology - those will be looked at with suspicion in the western world...

Indeed, the business schools might have been considred partners in crime when it came to the global financial crisis of 2008... some scholars mentioned this for example Swanson, Diane L.;, and William C.; Frederick. "Are Business Schools Silent Partners in Corporate Crime?". The Journal of Corporate Citizenship 9, no. Spring 2003 (2003): 24-27. Thus, as a lecturer in a business school I feel responsible that I need to guide the students of today, leaders of tomorrow to be better LEADERS caring for their society, community and well away from the self-interest motto that we can witness in business today.

All the best.

Regards

Dear Theodora

There is a Chinese proverb that says : " . Whether you are planning for a year , grow rice; If you are planning for 20 years , cultivate trees ; If you are planning for centuries , grow men and knowledge "

Leaders of the future will be those who best know farming people . Companies that do not learn to value people , will be off the market.

A leader is able to awaken the existing talent of each individual , it is he who stimulates our ability and challenge us to greater things that we believe we are capable of achieving.

Numerous studies show that organizations are focused on the management of people , seek professionals who go beyond their limits , which do not pose barriers to learn , innovate and create . The problem is not in the search , but the maintenance of these professionals , because maintaining a good professional within an organization today is no easy task and many of these studies show that most of the talent coming out of organizations do in terms of its relationship with the leader . Leaders ill-prepared , can not manage people for a long period.

There are numerous types of leadership , but there are attributes that are inherent to all leaders . Individual attributes that make someone who wishes to pursue .

1 ) The Character. True leaders are honest and fair. Are ethical , open and reliable .

2 ) The Vision . A leader must be a visionary , someone who is always ahead . Have a new look through different prisms .

3 ) The Behavior , although the leaders must adapt to constant changes , the most successful have a set of behaviors that differentiate them .

4 ) The Trust . A leader who does not trust his team does not trust himself