By Linda Fisher Thornton This series includes 22 quotes (linked to posts with leadership guidance) to inspire you and help you improve your leader development as we head into the new year. Part 1 included the first 11. Here are 11 more:
Category: Ethical Leader
22 Quotes to Inspire Leaders in the New Year (Part 1)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Are your leaders prepared for the year ahead? Each day will bring new challenges, and to succeed within ethical boundaries, we’ll all need a clear picture of “good leadership.” This series is an annual tradition and this year’s posts include 22 quotes (each linked to a post with leadership guidance) to inspire you to grow your leadership skills to be ready for whatever 2022 may bring. Part 1 includes the first 11.
Setting Stretch Goals? Build in Ethics
By Linda Fisher Thornton Employers using stretch goals to motivate employees to higher levels of performance need to take note of the ethical risk. If the push for higher performance doesn't come with an emphasis on ethical behavior, it may be encouraging cheating.
Aligning Strategy and Values
By Linda Fisher Thornton Consumers are seeking brands that support well-being, sustainability and social justice, realizing that brands that care about these things are more likely to have the best interests of consumers and society at heart. Brands will be well served to assess their alignment between values, culture and strategy.
Leading the Way Forward (Part 2)
By Linda Fisher Thornton This post is Part 2 of a series sharing trends for leading the way forward. Part 1 shared over 60 trends, and Part 2 includes over 60 more.
Leading the Way Forward (Part 1)
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 60+ trends at the links below and start getting ready for what’s ahead!
Building Our Future on Global Values
By Linda Fisher Thornton We have become a divided society that seems to have lost its collective center in values. But we have worked globally for many years to define that center. I wrote an article for the Non-Violent Change Journal about creating a better world through values. Here is an excerpt from that article:
World Values Day: Reconnecting Through Values
By Linda Fisher Thornton Tomorrow is World Values Day, an annual campaign to increase the awareness and practice of values around the world. This year's core theme is about reconnecting. Here are some insights about World Values Day from worldvaluesday.com, as well as a new article I wrote for World Values Day on the theme of Reconnecting Through Values.
The Human Journey
By Linda Fisher Thornton The human journey. We're all taking it, but we don't always know where it's headed. We can't always see where we've been until later, when we have the long-term perspective and can begin to make sense of the twists and turns we've taken throughout our lives.
The Journey to Authentic Leadership
By Linda Fisher Thornton The journey to authentic leadership is not an easy one. It's full of challenges, and it requires developing a high level of self- and other-awareness over time. "Knowledge experiences" alone won't be enough to stimulate the kind of learning that is required on this important journey.
Leaders: Practice Perspective Shifting
By Linda Fisher Thornton Perspective shifting is a hot topic now for a very good reason. We're in a time when conversation can quickly become divisive, with otherwise friendly people choosing sides and ostracizing former friends and family members. This article will focus on the benefits of perspective shifting and how to practice it so that you can more quickly see beyond the disagreement to the bigger picture.
Seeing Past Our Point of View
By Linda Fisher Thornton Have you noticed the steady increase in the complexity of navigating our daily lives? It feels like we have too many choices, too much information, and not enough time. More information and more choices would be great if we had the time to research and decide, but the reality is that it's difficult and time consuming to sort out which information is reliable and which is not. Seeing and appreciating other ways of doing things is not just a nice-to-have ability. In a connected global society, it's an essential skill. To achieve mutual benefit and collaboration, we will need to see the world from other perspectives that differ from our own, respect those perspectives, and work together toward shared goals. Leaders who don't know how and don't make the effort to change can be thought of as intentionally "unseeing" important aspects of the context and their leadership responsibility.
Different Perspectives (They’re Not a Threat)
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.
Adaptability is an Ethical Issue
By Linda Fisher Thornton Ego-driven leaders want to be "right" even when the evidence shows otherwise. They see rightness as something fixed that they can control. Of course, it isn't fixed and they can't control it, but they may not want to be confused with the facts. Conversely, when ego is not driving the thinking process, leaders can adapt to changing information and circumstances and change their minds.
Don’t Let Your Ego Undermine Your Leadership
By Linda Fisher Thornton Ego has a way of undoing even our best intentions as leaders. We have to be aware of our ego and manage it to avoid getting off track. In a world that requires rapid adaptation to changing events and circumstances, ego tries to maintain the status quo and works against our ability to pivot in response to change. Think of the adaptable leader as piloting a boat, able to turn at a moment's notice as the situation warrants it. The ego-driven leader, in contrast, is living in a fortress with a moat around it, protecting status and the status quo at all cost. The fortress can't move, can't pivot, can't adapt to changing circumstances.
Leading in Context 