By Linda Fisher Thornton In my Applied Ethics Class last fall, I introduced my students to the Five Whys. This is a simple and valuable tool for getting to the root cause of problems. We may think we understand why something happened but when we "fix" whatever we think is the sole cause we don't always get the intended result. The reason for that is that problems tend to have multiple causes. They happen in the context of multiple processes. Singling out one "cause" is rarely sufficient for understanding what really happened.
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Top 10 Posts 2018: Leading in Context Blog
By Linda Fisher Thornton Of the 52 individual posts published on the Leading in Context Blog in 2018, these 10 were the most popular. See if you notice a theme that connects these new topics that readers accessed most frequently:
Tis The Season
By Linda Fisher Thornton It's the season of giving and gratitude and celebration, and today I'm sharing a sampling of this blog's best seasonal messages. Each is meant to inspire us to become our best.
A Message About Togetherness
By Linda Fisher Thornton In What is Meaningful Leadership Part 5 I wrote about building a better society together for future generations. When I really stop to think about what it means to live and work together, here are some of the things that come to mind:
Ethical Thinking: 5 Questions to Ask in the New Year
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Each year I raise questions that help leaders stay current as ethical expectations change. Here are 5 new questions to tackle as we head into a New Year.
Human Rights: 70 Years
By Linda Fisher Thornton I had the privilege of hearing award-winning author Blanche Wiesen Cook speak at The University of Richmond last night. Her topic was "Toward an Inclusive Democracy: Eleanor Roosevelt's Legacy." During the inspiring talk, she noted that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Eleanor Roosevelt championed, is turning 70 this month.
Ethical Thinking is Intentional, Thoughtful and Applied
By Linda Fisher Thornton
One of the things we know about ethical decision-making is that we need to take the time to do it. But if we fill up every minute of the day with meetings, deadlines, emails and projects, when will we have time to think about the impact of our choices?
5 Things Grateful Leaders Do
Today I'm exploring two important questions: "What do grateful leaders do that sets them apart from other leaders?" and "How does expressing gratitude benefit them?
Context Matters: What We’re Learning About Food
By Linda Fisher Thornton
A day when so many people eat too much candy seems just right for sharing new research that turns conventional wisdom on healthy eating inside out. This new research will begin to change the thinking and practices of the food and restaurant industries. Here is a sneak preview:
The Seductive Power of the Status Quo
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Why do we have such a powerful negative reaction when we find out that we need to change? The status quo literally has a grip on us.
Ethical Thinking Requires Dialogue
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Ethical leadership requires us to understand the context and embrace the natural complexity of issues. One of the pieces that we can't be successful without is learning from the widely varying perspectives of others.
5 Things I Learned From a 6th Grade Bully
By Linda Fisher Thornton
October is Bullying Prevention Month. Most of the people I know were bullied at some point in their lives. As I look back on dealing with a 6th grade bully, I realize that I learned some things from that difficult time. Today I share that story along with resources for preventing bullying.
MindTools Expert Interview Podcast With Linda Fisher Thornton
By Linda Fisher Thornton
I recently did an interview with Rachel Salaman for the MindTools Expert Interview Podcast. We had a lively conversation about ethical leadership and the concepts from my book 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership.
Click on the graphic below to read the MindTools blog post featuring highlights from that interview and an excerpt of the podcast.
70 Trends to Watch in 2019
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Each year I curate a list of sites that write about trends that will change how we do business in the coming year. This year's list includes some ongoing trends from last year and some fresh ideas and new directions. Take a look at the 70+ trends at the links below and start getting ready for what's ahead!
Our Evolving Frame of Reference
By Linda Fisher Thornton
As we weathered a hurricane on the East Coast, I remembered the uncharacteristic earthquake that affected Virginia a few years ago. That experience changed how I interpreted the world around me. It drew attention to why we all see the world in such different ways.
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