By Linda Fisher Thornton of values as a critical element in enabling and focusing individual and collective success. Values shape your life, leadership, career and relationships. If you are currently going through life without knowing what your values are, you're missing out on a powerful force for good that can offer a turbo-charged boost to propel you to where you want to go. This week I'm sharing how values change everything. Take a look at some of the many ways that values are transformational, and if you haven't identified yours yet, I'll share some advice on how to get started.
Category: Quotes
5 Insights For the Class of 2021
By Linda Fisher Thornton I have a special message for our 2021 graduates. Like 2020, this year has veered away from what we had hoped and planned. The COVID-19 pandemic is still a force in our lives that we must adapt to. And we're weary, but also hopeful that there are better times ahead. How can you start your college life or career under circumstances like these?
Ethical Thinking, Ethical Self: 5 Things You Need to Know
By Linda Fisher Thornton Developing an "ethical self" is important for good citizenship and good leadership. But what does it involve? There's more to developing and maintaining an ethical self than trying to make good choices. Making ethical choices isn't easy, and while we're struggling, our brains are actually working against us.
Leadership Isn’t Cushy (Human Development Required)
By Linda Fisher Thornton There's a powerful connection between responsible leadership and human growth and development. It's not easily visible to leaders, so today I'm digging into how these important variables intersect and how they should inform our approach to leadership development.
600th Blog Post: 10 Leadership Lessons Learned
By Linda Fisher Thornton I've been blogging for 12 years, after making a very rocky start on March 5, 2009. If I had let my early failures determine my future, I would never have made it to this point, celebrating 600 posts on the Leading in Context Blog. Today I'm sharing 10 Leadership Lessons I've learned since starting this blog in the hopes that they will inspire you to press forward in your important work.
Unethical Leadership: Beliefs of Convenience
By Linda Fisher Thornton Sometimes leaders believe things that aren't true because they haven't taken time to investigate the truth. In other cases, they may have trusted someone who has misled them. But there's an even more problematic reason some leaders may ignore the truth - claiming to believe the falsehood may benefit them in a tangible way.
Ethics is Acting Beyond Self-Interest
By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethics is fundamentally about acting beyond our own self-interests. Can we be ethical without considering others and acting in ways that benefit them?
How to Be Human (Together)
By Linda Fisher Thornton This week I'm sharing an edited compilation of three previously published posts that are relevant for leaders and organizations wanting to honor human rights in chaotic times. The first addresses the risk of excluding any humans from our organizational statement of inclusion. The second explains why values transcend borders and boundaries, and the third explains that how we perceive people who are 'different' impacts our behavior and our ethics.
“Ethical Thinking Isn’t Automatic”
"For ethical leadership to stick, the culture needs an infrastructure that consistently supports acting on stated values...Ethical cultures treat ethical thinking as something that must be cultivated, demonstrated, and practiced over time."
Human Leadership is the Leadership We Need
As we struggle with compounding challenges around the world, people are more and more frequently seeking information about human or humane leadership. Why is the topic so timely?
Pluralism: 9 Elements Required For Ethical Leadership
By Linda Fisher Thornton Pluralism is required in our leadership thinking because it drives how we treat people and make decisions. It's the mindset required for important ethical leadership responsibilities such as respect, inclusion, and cultural awareness.
Foster Your Ethical Brand Reputation
By Linda Fisher Thornton Connect Magazine invited me to weigh in on why ethical brand reputation is so important and how brands can build and foster stronger images. In this article I share practical advice on protecting ethical brands and five top leadership trends I see unfolding in 2020. It's worth a read for those who want to use the time during the pandemic to figure out how they can build a stronger company and a stronger brand that is ready for an uncertain future.
5 Insights For the Class of 2020
I have a special message for our 2020 graduates. It includes five important life insights that I wish someone had shared with me when I was a new graduate beginning the next chapter of my life.
10 Things Ethical Leaders Believe
While dealing with the catastrophic COVID-19 pandemic, we need to remember that good decisions are always made based on values. To confirm what those values are that should guide our choices, this week I'm sharing my Manifesto What Ethical Leaders Believe. This Manifesto frames ethical leadership in clear language, and is shareable under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. It includes 10 Things Ethical Leaders Believe that transform their leadership and their organizations.
10 Quotes To Inspire Leaders in Divisive Times
There were many things that went right in the past year, despite the omnipresent bad news. Here is a collection of inspiring quotes to keep us moving forward and ready to face the challenges ahead.
Leading in Context 