All of us who lead and develop leaders need to be tuned in to the "New Leading." To embrace the "New Leading," we need to realize that leadership and ethics are joined in important ways. Many leaders have traditionally thought of ethics and leadership as two different things. That fragmented way of thinking is part of why we've reached a point where there are so many examples of ethical violations in the news. What Really Happens When We Separate "Leading" From "Ethically?"?
Category: Ethical Leader
Ethical Grey Areas: Our Choices Define Us
Grey Areas in Leading Ethically We see plenty of information about lying, cheating, stealing and other obvious ethical violations. It is more difficult to know what to do when we encounter behaviors that fall into ethical grey areas, particularly in term of relationships with other people.
Disposable Marketing Freebies: What Message Are We Sending?
Consumers Want Sustainable Marketing Many consumers now shop around for "ethical" companies and those consumers expect a new kind of business marketing - the kind with a long-term view and a sustainable approach. When we decide what to hand out to customers that will help them remember our company, we need to consider the unintentional messages our choices may be sending.
“Good Products”: Beyond Convenience and Flavor
We could define a "good product" a number of different ways. For example, tasty convenient clean colorful nutritious
Top 10 Leading in Context Blog Posts
As of today, after over 100 posts, these are the Top 10 Most Popular Leading in Context® Blog Posts: Planned Obsolescence: Is it Ethical? No. Can We Still Have the Newest Gadgets? Yes! Case Study: Is Withholding Information From Other Leaders…
Are Sustainable Businesses Ethical?
Are All Sustainable Businesses Ethical? Are all sustainable businesses ethical? Not necessarily. There are ways that sustainable businesses can operate unethically, including pretending to be more sustainable than they really are, or making decisions that are dishonest or cause harm. Sustainability is multi-faceted and is just one of many areas of concern in leading an ethical organization.
Leadership and…Sleep Ethics
Sleep and Ethical Behavior Besides the fact that mistakes and accidents may increase at work due to lack of sleep, there is evidence that lack of sleep also contributes to the likehood of unethical behavior and to serious physical and mental harm. Here are some of the questions that this post will explore: 1. Is it ethical to force people to become sleep deprived? 2. Is it ethical to promote "wakefulness" in ways that interfere with natural sleep cycles? 3. Is it ethical to schedule work in ways that prevent people from getting regular sleep?
Ethical Leadership Context
The context for ethical leadership is broader than you may think. Here are some quotes that bring the concept to life:
Ethics at the Intersection
Why is it such a challenge to determine how we interpret "ethical leadership?" Because there are many different ways of determining what we consider to be ethical. Even while trying to be responsible we can still miss the mark by a mile. Consider some of the possible ways that a leader might interpret ethics.
People-Based “Ethics”: The Mindset Behind it
The Trouble With Using Only People-Based "Ethics" Being concerned about people is a very important aspect of ethical leadership. The trouble with using only a people-based definition of "ethics" is that by using the impact on people as the only way to make decisions we may be ignoring these other variables: The impact of our business operations on the planet The long-term unintended consequences of our choices The changing consumer mindset toward sustainable business and avoiding harm
Curiosity and Imagination Necessary Ingredients in Ethical Business
What happens in business environments where curiosity and imagination flourish? How are curiosity and imagination related to ethics and business leadership? How are curiosity and imagination important in today's business environment?
Profit-Based “Ethics”: The Mindset Behind It
The Trouble With Profit-Based "Ethics" The trouble with using a profit-based definition of "ethics" is that by using profitability as a way to make decisions, an entire spectrum of other issues is conveniently ignored:
Planned Addiction: Based on A Narrow View of Ethical Responsibility
Chemicals that alter the brain and other human systems are still frequently being used in food and drink in place of natural ingredients, even though research is showing that they cause major harm to human health. Some of those chemicals alter the brain's ability to signal that the stomach is full, leading to inability to control cravings.
Ethical Interpersonal Behavior Graphic: Red, Yellow and Green Zones
This blog post features a Leading in Context® Graphic that shows red, yellow and green zones for interpersonal behavior in an ethical workplace. Full graphic available in the Leading in Context® Store.
Ethical Leadership: C-Suite Problems Should Be Corrected Quickly
Why Does C-Suite Behavior Matter So Much? C-Suite behavior matters because people do what they see the senior leaders do. If employees see dysfunctional behaviors among senior leaders, they assume that there is complete acceptance of those dysfunctional behaviors throughout the organization and see it as a "green light" for them to use those same behaviors whenever they like.
Leading in Context 