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Khalif Ali (Leading with Conviction™ 2020) writes: “President Joe Biden’s recent decision to pardon his son Hunter has set off the usual storm of commentary. Depending on where you stand politically, it’s either a grave moral failing or the compassionate act of a father. But if we take a step back, this moment reveals something bigger about the way we evaluate our leaders: We’re far too focused on their personal morality and not nearly focused enough on whether they’re actually governing well. …
We’ve blurred the line between criminal behavior and immoral behavior.
“Part of the problem is that we’ve blurred the line between criminal behavior and immoral behavior. Breaking the law is one thing — it has clear consequences and undermines trust in leadership. Immoral behavior, on the other hand, is subjective. What one person sees as a moral failing, another might view as a personal struggle or even a strength. Yet we’ve made these two things interchangeable, holding leaders to account for personal choices as if they’re crimes. …
“Imagine if we redirected the energy we spend dissecting moral scandals into evaluating whether policies are improving lives. Are leaders addressing the needs of the country? Are they building a better, fairer future? These are the questions we should be asking.”
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