Exploring the Foundations of Moral Growth: Insights From Leonardo Polo's Conceptualization of the Human Being

What the paper says

ABSTRACT This article explores the foundations of moral growth and strength in organizational life through the lens of Leonardo Polo's philosophical anthropology. By conceptualizing humans as both “having” and “giving” beings, Polo provides a framework that integrates ethical growth with personal development. His approach challenges the dominant instrumental logic of management by emphasizing the intrinsic value of persons and the transformative role of freedom, virtue, and self‐giving in ethical behavior. Building on the tradition of virtue ethics and expanding it through a philosophical anthropology, the paper contributes to the field of positive organizational ethics (POE), business ethics, and more specifically, moral growth. Leonardo Polo reorients ethical analysis toward the inner development of agents and their capacity to contribute meaningfully to others. Practical implications are illustrated through contemporary leadership models, such as Bob Chapman's “Truly Human Leadership,” Ennio Doris at Banca Mediolanum, and initiatives like the “Decalogue of Good Business Practices.” The study advocates for a human‐centered redefinition of organizations, one in which profit generation is consistently pursued through the moral growth of the people within the organization.