By Linda Fisher Thornton One of the thinking traps that people fall into is putting people into categories. This may result in assigning a derogatory label to the category, and making blanket statements about how "all people" from that category are a certain way.
Category: Ethical Thinking
What Role Does Exclusion Play in Hate and Violence? Part 2
By Linda Fisher Thornton Moral exclusion includes using an insider mindset and thinking that others (who are not members of the group) as not worthy of protecting. If you're not yet familiar with moral exclusion, this post may be helpful background on differences in world views and selective inclusion.
What Role Does Exclusion Play in Hate and Violence? Part 1
By Linda Fisher Thornton Hate speech and violence do not adhere to ethical values. An ethical person will quickly rule them out due to the harm they cause to others. But even when someone wants to be an ethical person, there are problems with human thinking that can enable hate and violence to happen.
10 Quotes to Inspire Leaders in 2024 (Part 1)
By Linda Fisher Thornton This series includes 10 quotes (linked to blog posts with leadership guidance) to inspire you and help you improve your leader development as we head into the new year. Part 1 includes the first 5.
Top Post Series of 2023: Leading in Context Blog
By Linda Fisher Thornton The Top Post Series for last year on the Leading in Context Blog reflected how to navigate the nuances of ethical culture building. It featured specific areas of focus and strategies for building an ethical culture in your organization.
Top 10 Posts of 2023: Leading in Context Blog
By Linda Fisher Thornton Of the 52 weekly posts published on the Leading in Context Blog in 2023, these 10 were the most popular. See if you notice a theme that connects these new topics that readers accessed most frequently:
5 Phrases to Watch For: Resistance to Change
By Linda Fisher Thornton Leading ethically requires staying competent as a professional and as a leader. The speed of change in today’s global economy may cause leaders to fall behind even while they are diligently working to stay on top of trends and industry knowledge. These 5 phrases signal that a leader is refusing to adapt to changing times, putting the company and its employees at risk.
Thank Someone Who Changed Your Life
By Linda Fisher Thornton There have been several great leaders who helped me grow, and who inspired me to want to lead others. This message is for them:
5 Phrases to Watch For: Low-Trust Culture
By Linda Fisher Thornton Treating People With Respect Builds Trust How we treat people is an important part of ethical leadership. We know that when leaders treat people with respect, trust is built within the organization. Treating people with respect includes listening to their ideas and working together to accomplish the mission of the organization.
5 Phrases to Watch For: Ignoring Ethical Boundaries
By Linda Fisher Thornton Boundaries can be simply described as lines that we don’t cross when doing business. Respecting these (sometimes clear, sometimes hazy) boundaries is an important part of today’s ethical leadership. The 5 phrases below signal that the speaker is ignoring an important ethical boundary:
Help Young People Center Themselves in Values
By Linda Fisher Thornton How do we help young people become ethical leaders? This is an important question because our long-term future depends on how well we prepare young people to make positive ethical choices and honor multiple dimensions of ethical responsibility.
Hallmarks of Ethical Leadership (Part 6)
By Linda Fisher Thornton In Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 I shared defining characteristics of ethical leadership. In Part 4 I addressed the importance of fear-free leadership. In Part 5 I explored the importance of listening to all stakeholders, including those who are not in the room. In Part 6 let's take a look at the importance of Trust.
Hallmarks of Ethical Leadership (Part 5)
By Linda Fisher Thornton In Part 5 of this series on attributes of ethical leadership, I explore the importance of really hearing all stakeholders, including those who are not in the room. Here are Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 in case you missed them.
Hallmarks of Ethical Leadership (Part 4)
By Linda Fisher Thornton This post is Part 4 in a series. In Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 I explored 9 different traits that help you recognize ethical leaders. In Part 4 I will address the importance of leading in ways that eliminate fear. One of the hallmarks of ethical leadership is that it is a fear-free zone. Fear is insidious. It changes how we see the world and how we treat others. Here are 5 important reasons why fear has no place in our workplaces, our families or our communities:
Hallmarks of Ethical Leadership (Part 3)
By Linda Fisher Thornton In Hallmarks of Ethical Leadership Part 1and Part 2, I shared 6 special qualities, behaviors and outcomes that define ethical leadership. This week I’ll share three more. These are intentional actions ethical leaders take to stay competent as things change around them.
Leading in Context 