Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of the study was to discover and explore the acts and events of moral courage in the life of Winston Churchill; the influence of those acts and events of moral courage on the values, beliefs, actions, or behaviors of followers; to determine what implications for leaders of today are revealed in the acts and events of moral courage in the life of Winston Churchill and the influence of these acts and events on his followers. Methodology. The study used the methodology of historical research and qualitative, multiple case study design. The study addressed the following research questions: (1) What acts and events of moral courage demonstrate the practice of moral courage in the leadership of Winston Churchill; (2) In what ways did the acts and events of moral courage in the leadership of Winston Churchill influence the values, beliefs, actions or behaviors of followers; (3) What implications for leaders of today are revealed in the acts and events of moral courage in the leadership of Winston Churchill and the influence of those acts and events on his followers? Findings. (1) In the leadership of Winston Churchill, vision, knowledge and moral courage were essential elements. (2) In the leadership of Winston Churchill, acts and events of moral courage often came at great personal and political costs. (3) Winston Churchill drew upon courage to act out his beliefs, and persist in his vision for a prevailing democracy, equality and lasting peace. (4) In the leadership of Winston Churchill during the two decades of this study, influence on values, beliefs, actions or behaviors of followers was varied and sometimes oppositional. (5) Between 1940 and 1945, there was a positive alignment between the leadership actions of Winston Churchill and his ability to influence followers. Conclusions. (1) Moral courage in leadership is a "quality of mind and spirit". (2) Knowledge of the present and past supports decision-making and provides information for forming a vision. (3) Authenticity is being who you are and living your values and principles. Recommendations. Further study recommendations include: Determine if the quantity and quality of the acts of moral courage are related to the age or experience of the leader; Studying other well-known leaders, determine if there are specific acts of moral courage that are more likely to lead to career highs and lows than others; exploration of the relationship between societal values and personal values and its impact on a leaders ability to be effective.