This introduction charts the course for a unique investigative journey—a Spurensuche—into the foundations of leadership ethics. Departing from traditional approaches, this book’s exploration begins with a direct analysis of power as a social phenomenon. This starting point defines the path that follows: the investigation moves from the external dynamics of power to the internal psychological and moral development of the leader. It builds from a diagnosis of how power can corrupt towards the construction of a positive ethical ideal, culminating in an autonomy-based ethics for strategic leadership.