Chief Master Sergeant Kaleth O. Wright, Air Force, Retired

[Archive Interview Jan 14, 2021]“One of the things that I think is important to any moral leader is the ability to do self-reflection and be honest with yourself,” says retired Chief Master Sergeant Kaleth O. Wright.  Kaleth was the highest-ranking enlisted man in the Air Force when he retired last year and is now the CEO of the Air Force Aid Society.  He spoke with Dana Born, HOW Institute Fellow, about how his moral leadership journey led him to post a heart-felt essay on Twitter after the death of George Floyd.  In the post Kaleth called upon himself to, “do better in ensuring every Airman in our ranks has a fair chance at becoming the best version of themselves,” and took responsibility for not doing more.  Kaleth also discussed finding courage as a leader, how being in charge means making impossible decisions, and the benefits of having tough conversations with those in your community. Watch the full episode to learn why Kaleth wrote the essay and why he believes moral leaders need to be both courageous and vulnerable.READY TO START YOUR MORAL LEADERSHIP JOURNEY? Moral leadership is more imperative today than ever before. The HOW Institute for Society was founded on the belief that those in positions of formal authority should also have moral authority.  We are creating the tools leaders need to make principled, ethical and values-based decisions.  We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a world rooted in deep human values and trust in our social fabric. The Institute channels philosophical reasoning to address modern problems. Today, HOW we do what we do matters more than ever and in ways it never has before.  Learn more at https://thehowinstitute.org/