There is a growing body of research across disciplines that shows that the impact of our interpersonal behavior as leaders is important than we ever imagined. The ways that we can help or harm people as a leader directly relate to the health of our businesses, and the well-being of our employees and co-workers.
Category: Ethical Organization
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:
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.
Redefining Ethical Leadership in a Global Society
As a society, we are beginning to redefine ethical leadership. The change started quietly, fueled by a web of linked communication channels and a desire for a more civil way of dealing with each other.
Judging and Bullying: Are They Different?
What is Judging? If each person's view is different from the views of others, then what is judging? A limited worldview that only allows the views of one person or group Promoting one's own thinking as the "perfection" of thinking An attempt (intentional or not) to make ourselves look smarter by belittling another person or group An attempt to control the behavior and thinking of others or groups
18 Leading in Context® Resources For Building Ethical Cultures
This week's post offers 18 resources that will make ethical leadership easier to understand and implement in your organization. 17 of the 18 tools are free. The list of resources is organized around questions that you may have about how to build an ethical culture.
The Ethical Leadership Puzzle: A Broader View
There are companies that are winning categories in one aspect of ethical leadership (CSR, Sustainability, or Human Rights for example) and then being cited for violations in another aspect of ethical leadership (CSR, Sustainability, or Human Rights for example). The fact that it is happening illustrates the point that "ethical leadership" is broader than many companies think it is.
Business Metrics Evolve to Reflect the Need For Meaning
Focusing on financial gains as the desired end result of a business venture creates the impression that profits are more important than the overall impact of the business project. But are profits more important than ethics?
Leadership and…Respect: The New Minimum Standard for Workplace Behavior
This is a Themed Post featuring earlier Leading in Contextâ„¢ Blog Posts about Respect. Each Post illustrates a different way that ethical leaders show respect. Enjoy! Respect is the New Minimum Standard for Workplace Behavior
Ethical Leadership Culture: The Case of the Dissenting Senior Leader
The Impact of the Unethical Senior Leader Take the common case of many organizational leaders trying to create an ethical culture, with one or more of the Senior Leaders not bought in or even blocking their efforts. The distraction, fear and chaos created by an unethical Senior Leader can drain the company of engagement, creativity and productivity. Is blocking a company's efforts to create an ethical culture unethical? You bet. It can be the cause of company failure because of the negative systemic effects that it creates. The systemic effects created by even one Senior Leader leading unethically include loss of trust, loss of employee engagement, loss of customers, lowered productivity, increased complaints, failure of departments to work together, sabotage, blaming, etc... Correct it Quickly When a Senior Leader is operating against the best interests of the company and its stakeholders, the problem needs to be corrected by the other Senior Leaders as quickly as possible. How?
5 Unethical Phrases: Low Trust
How we treat people is an important part of ethical leadership. It is also a critical part of building trust in the organization. These 5 phrases signal that the speaker may not be treating other people in the company respectfully and may not be considering the ideas and concerns of others when making decisions:
Ethical Thinking: 5 Questions to Ponder for the New Year
As we approach the New Year, it is a great time to consider the broader implications of our leadership behavior and decisions. Here are 5 questions to ponder and a bonus question with a story.
Top 10 Trends in Ethical Business Leadership 2010
This is a list of the top 10 trends that I have observed this year that are redefining "ethical leadership." Feel free to post a comment about other ethical business leadership trends you've observed that are moving responsible leadership forward.
