Intentional Forgiveness in Relational Leadership: A Technique for Enhancing Effective Leadership

Executive Summary The call for effective leadership echoes throughout our society. Leaders are advised to inspire a vision, empower their followers, and not mistake management for leadership—all in an attempt to build more effective social structures. This focus on effectiveness can lead to a productivity orientation that may in fact undermine the development of organizations. The authors of this article believe that a deepened understanding of effective leadership is built on relationships, and that the quality of relationships reflects the quality of leadership. Relational leadership is introduced as a forum for enhancing effective leadership. The approach is centered on interpersonal relationships. In this article, the authors outline a technique called intentional forgiveness designed to restore meaningful relationships necessary in the context of effective leadership.