By Linda Fisher Thornton I must admit that I can’t take the credit for coming up with the catchy title of this post. A group of attendees at a keynote I delivered came up with it as a way to describe what they had learned. And it makes perfect sense.
Category: Ethics & Talent Management
Ethics Isn’t “Out There”: It’s Us and Our Choices
By Linda Fisher Thornton Much attention is paid to the tactics of ethics – the ethics codes, compliance plans and such. We can easily begin to think that ethics is something we can see and touch. Something finite. Something written in stone. Something outside of ourselves.
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. It lives in our big and small choices. It lives in our decision-making. It lives in our organizational culture. It lives in our deep commitment to working for good.
10 Posts to Inspire Leaders in 2026 (Part 2)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Part 1 of this series included the first 5 Quotes to Inspire Leaders in 2026. This week I’m sharing 5 more thought provoking quotes and posts that will help you refine your leadership thinking in 2026:
10 Posts to Inspire Leaders in 2026 (Part 1)
By Linda Fisher Thornton This series includes 10 quotes that are linked to the blog posts they were quoted from, to inspire you and help you improve your leadership and leadership development in 2026. Part 1 includes the first 5.
Top Post Series 2025: Leading in Context Blog
By Linda Fisher Thornton The Top Post Series for last year on the Leading in Context Blog was called 10 Posts to Inspire Leaders in 2025. It featured specific areas of focus and strategies for living and leading with values. Explore the insights shared in this series as you consider your leadership goals for 2026.
5 (Easy to Spot) Hallmarks of Unethical Leadership
By Linda Fisher Thornton Quibbling about terminology –the words used to describe unethical behaviors as they are uniquely defined by different groups – just misdirects our attention away from some foundational, easy-to-spot signs of unethical leadership.
Unethical Leadership: Selective Inclusion
By Linda Fisher Thornton I previously wrote about the problem of selective respect and today I’ll address it’s evil twin. It has been happening right in front of us and has been amplified by social media – leaders speaking from a perspective of selective inclusion. This week, I’m sharing a collection of posts that explain the importance of full inclusion and how to recognize examples that stray from it.
What is Unethical Leadership?
By Linda Fisher Thornton This week I’m sharing posts that clearly describe what unethical leadership looks like, and caution readers about the risks of allowing it to continue. While I have always blogged about proactive ethical leadership, my posts on unethical leadership continue to be some of the most popular, so I know you’re looking for answers.
What Causes Ethical Failures?
By Linda Fisher 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. In 7 Lenses, I describe the kind of proactive ethical leadership that builds ethical cultures. The book is a road map for how to lead ethically in a complex world. While 7 Lenses is written from a positive perspective to help leaders avoid ethical problems and create ethical cultures, I often get asked “What causes ethical failures? What goes wrong?”
A Manifesto For Ethical Leaders
By Linda Fisher Thornton We are here to focus on what’s right and what’s possible, not on what’s historical or convenient. We are here to serve others, not to profit from their vulnerabilities. We are here to make a positive difference, through intentional leadership and responsible choices.
10 Things Ethical Leaders Believe (Part 6)
By Linda Fisher Thornton We will build a better world. When we think of the term “stakeholder” in its broadest interpretation, and lead with care, our proactive ethical leadership generates ripples of trust. We make a difference. When we seek a simultaneous win for many stakeholders, we: Create a better future for the organization, it’s customers and employees. Support healthy communities. Make a difference in the world.
10 Things Ethical Leaders Believe (Part 5)
By Linda Fisher Thornton We should serve as positive role models. We model ethical leadership through our character, integrity, behavior, and choices. Our role is to listen, learn and improve, serving as a role model for what ethical behavior looks like. We model the ethical behavior we ask of others. We realize that we can only bring out the best in those we lead when we demonstrate our commitment to ethics and show them the way.
10 Things Ethical Leaders Believe (Part 4)
We must take responsibility. The world is changing. There is a powerful responsibility movement going on. We know more about what leaders should be doing, and we know more about what responsible leadership looks like. People need to be able to count on us to take responsibility. Everyone is counting on us to take responsibility. Taking responsibility for using ethical thinking and behavior will not only change everything we do, it will earn the respect of others, and change how we feel about ourselves.
10 Things Ethical Leaders Believe (Part 2)
Our purpose is to create value for others. When we reflect sincerely on our purpose as leaders, we come to a profound realization: as leaders, we are not the center of the universe. It’s not about us. Leadership is about creating value for others.
Leading in Context 