servant leaders also ensure that both the ends they seek and the means they
employ are morally legitimized, thoughtfully reasoned, and ethically justified (Sendjaya,
2005). This ethical predisposition is likely when we consider that servant leaders appeal
to higher ideals, moral values, and the higher-order needs of followers ( Yukl, 1990, p.
210). Furthermore, Graham (1991) argued that servant leadership employs relational
power which facilitates good moral dialogue between leaders and followers. In her later
work, Graham (1995) suggested that servant leadership promotes post-conventional
moral reasoning in organizations, as well as encouraging others to engage in it. Postconventional
moral reasoning relies on internalized principles of justice and right rather
than the expectations of others, attainment of reward, or avoidance of punishment. In an
organizational context where ethical principles are typically compromised, servant leadership
fosters reflective behaviours which bring about positive changes in the ethical
climate of the organization (Ciulla, 1995; Graham, 1991).