By Linda Fisher Thornton What is the ultimate goal of leadership? This is an interesting question that seems simple enough at first, and then begins to get tricky as we think more about it. The tricky part is that we can't answer it in one simple statement. Is it to provide direction and show the way? Is it to respect and serve? Is it to support others and remove obstacles? Is it to teach and mentor? Is it to help bring out the best in those we lead as we work toward a common purpose? Of course, leadership is about all of those things and more. So what is its purpose? Here are four very different ways of thinking about the purpose of leadership.
Category: Context
Understanding (and Preventing) Ethical Leadership Failures
By Linda Fisher Thornton Understanding What Causes Ethical Leadership Failures Ethical leadership failures can be caused by different types of problems that may compound. Some of these problems are individual and others may be embedded in the organizational culture.
10 Ethical Leadership Questions For the New Year
By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leadership is evolving, and expectations are increasing. Will we be ready? As we go into the New Year, here are some questions we should be considering:
16 Trends Shaping the Future of Ethical Leadership
By Linda Fisher Thornton Today, I want to share with you the picture of the future that I see, based on a powerful movement toward positive, proactive ethical leadership. As a global community, we are increasingly aware of the impact of our choices on others. We are more aware of our human connection and our responsibilities to one another. There is a trend toward considering our responsibilities broadly, beyond making profits to also making a difference. As we head into the New Year, let's help our leaders be ready for this positive, proactive "ethical leadership future."
Ethics is About What’s Right (Not Who’s Right)
By Linda Fisher Thornton If you've read the news lately, you've noticed that there is a lot of discussion about who is right. Each person has an individual perspective that seems to be right from where they sit. Each group has values and norms that seem right. How can we make sense out of it all? When we need to make a critical decision, and everyone around us is arguing passionately for a different approach, how will we know which one is most right?
The 7 Lenses Story – A Closer Look Radio Interview
By Linda Fisher Thornton ThorntonI am honored to have had the opportunity to do a radio interview with Pam Atherton of A Closer Look Radio. She invited me to talk with her about my new book 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership. In the interview she asked questions that some of you may have about ethical leadership, and I walked listeners through the book's framework for leading ethically in a complex world (click below to listen).
Bringing Out the Best in People and Organizations
After 4 years of researching and writing, I am proud to announce that my new book, 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership is in print! 7 Lenses proposes a framework for learning the kind of ethical leadership that brings out the best in people and organizations. It is written for leaders who want to build ethical companies and cultures, stronger communities and a better world. It provides a road map for learning how to lead in ways that fully honor personal, interpersonal and societal dimensions of ethical responsibility. The four-quadrant model and case studies give readers a clear picture of the kind of ethical leadership we need.
What is Ethical Leadership?
By Linda Fisher Thornton This collection from reader favorites on the Leading in Context Blog will help you explore the scope and dimensions of today's ethical leadership. As you will see, ethical leadership requires much more than following laws and regulations. We have to take on a global mindset and an openness to learning, and much more.
Ethical Leadership is a Journey
By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leadership is a journey, not a destination. Imagine walking for hours toward the distant horizon. No matter how fast or how far you walk, the horizon will always be out there, some distance away from you. The same is true for ethical leadership. No matter how far we go, we never "arrive."
The Ethics and Self-Interest Paradox
By Linda Fisher Thornton There was a lively discussion on LinkedIn in response to my post "Ethics" Means Acting Beyond Self-Interest." Readers joined in the discussion and came up with some very interesting observations.
8 Posts (And a Trend Report) On Global Thinking
By Linda Fisher Thornton Using globally-informed thinking helps us succeed in a connected economy and a global society. This week, I decided to corral a collection of posts that help us understand ethical leadership in a global context.
When is a Decision an Ethical One?
By Linda Fisher Thornton As we think about our decisions, which ones do we recognize as "ethical?" Complying with laws and ethics codes clearly has ethical implications. But what about these decisions?
“Dial it Back” (Over-Solving Problems Can Be Unethical)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Sometimes out of fear, convenience, profit (or marketing promises) we use a solution that goes way beyond what is necessary to solve the problem. There are broad ethical implications of over-solving problems, and this post will explore some of them.
What Variables Impact How Freely We Extend Trust?
By Linda Fisher Thornton The recent post Should Trust Be Freely Offered or Conditionally Earned? generated lively discussions in LinkedIn Groups about extending trust when we meet someone new. It was clear from the discussions that trust has many different dimensions, and that those dimensions are perceived differently by different people.
13 Leadership Temptations (to Conquer in 2013)
By Linda Fisher Thornton 13 Leadership Temptations To Conquer In 2013 We're starting a new year, with fresh possibilities, and it is a good time to think about our leadership values. What do we believe? How do we treat others? What matters to us? Can people determine our values just by watching how we treat people? As we think about how we want to lead this year, we need to recognize that it is tempting to make easy short-term decisions that end up having ethical consequences in the long run.
Leading in Context 