By Linda Fisher Thornton Today I'm taking you inside the mind of the ethical leader to explore ethical thinking. Inside the Mind of an Ethical Leader “I make decisions based on values, not money pressures.” “I need to constantly learn in order to stay ethical.”
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Do Differences of Opinion Set Off Your Threat Detector?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Differences of opinion can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. We may be in a discussion with someone who has very different views from ours, on a topic of great importance to us. How we handle it shows others the inner workings of our character.
“Is It Ethical?” (Decision Tool Based on the Book 7 Lenses)
By Linda Fisher Thornton A new ethical decision-making tool is available for readers of 7 Lenses!
Take Positive Action When You See Unethical Leadership
By Linda Fisher Thornton While I specialize in positive, proactive ethical leadership, I frequently get asked questions about unethical leadership. In particular, readers ask about the damage that toxic leaders do in organizations and what situations and circumstances lead to ethical failures. Today I'm sharing posts about unethical leadership that may answer your deep questions about what leadership looks like when it is NOT ethical:
5 More Reasons to Pay Attention To Trust
By Linda Fisher Thornton Trust is a hot topic and a valuable business enabler. The organizations that will adapt and succeed in the future make it a business priority. Here are five perspectives on the critical role trust building plays in the success of our organizations:
Is Ethics a Body of Knowledge? (No! It’s a Process of Human Growth.)
By Linda Fisher Thornton If you think ethical awareness is about knowledge and learning, think again. Knowledge and learning are only useful in ethics if we are open to receiving them, open to shifting our perspective, and open to changing our minds.
Leaders: Check Your Motivation, Your Authenticity and Your Ethics
By Linda Fisher Thornton If we are leading others, we need to be asking the questions of leadership - about our motivation, our authenticity and our ethics.
Are You Approachable?
By Linda Fisher Thornton The pace of change is out of control in the workplace. Have any of you learned more than three new software programs this week? Have you had to deliver on deadline in spite of being completely new to a project? Have you struggled to get the attention of colleagues when you need their input, only to find that they are too busy to make the time to meet?
Where Is Ethical Leadership Found?
By Linda Fisher Thornton While it may be convenient to think about ethical leadership as a task, a program, or a rule book, that's not where it lives.
Reader Question: Why Did You Include Profit as One of the 7 Lenses?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Recently, a 7 Lenses reader told me she loved the leadership book but she had one question - "Why did I include Profit in the 7 Lenses?" This is a question that has come up before, so I will address it in today's post.
What is Positive Leadership?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Positive leadership is a new term that is popping up regularly in articles. What does it mean? What kind of leadership do we describe as positive?
Ethical and Unethical Sales Leadership: What’s The Difference?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Unfriendly Sales Techniques Times are still tight for consumers and salespeople are concerned about their jobs. It seems that is more tempting now than it would be in a booming economy to use high-pressure tactics or other unfriendly approaches in order to get business. And pushy, unfriendly sales techniques stand out even more in difficult economic times. Customers will go out of their way to avoid companies that use them. Some unfriendly approaches that I have observed recently include:
5 Warning Signs Of Oversimplified Ethics
By Linda Fisher Thornton Leaders and organizations can get into real trouble if they oversimplify ethics. Some examples of what that might look like include lonely ethics statements (that look good on paper but are not brought to life) and grand statements (that are vague and not well understood). Here are 5 warning signs to watch for that signal an oversimplified approach to ethics:
What is Research?
By Linda Fisher Thornton What is research? The answer depends on your perspective. Some people believe the definition is very narrow, and only if you "do it right" in the scientific sense does it meet the requirements of proper research. Others believe that it includes paying attention to messages from all areas of our lives and using that information to achieve insight and understanding.
Hitting the High Notes
By Linda Fisher Thornton When I was singing with a local chorus, I took some voice lessons. My teacher had me start by singing scales while she listened. After my voice cracked, I explained that I had trouble "hitting the high notes." I explained that I was an Alto, not a Soprano and the high notes seemed way out of my reach.
Leading in Context 