By Linda Fisher Thornton What is research? The answer depends on your perspective. Some people believe the definition is very narrow, and only if you "do it right" in the scientific sense does it meet the requirements of proper research. Others believe that it includes paying attention to messages from all areas of our lives and using that information to achieve insight and understanding.
Category: Ethical Thinking
Hitting the High Notes
By Linda Fisher Thornton When I was singing with a local chorus, I took some voice lessons. My teacher had me start by singing scales while she listened. After my voice cracked, I explained that I had trouble "hitting the high notes." I explained that I was an Alto, not a Soprano and the high notes seemed way out of my reach.
Webinar “Leading For the Future”
By Linda Fisher Thornton Many leaders wonder how to prepare for an uncertain future - one that is filled with complexity, changing expectations and an increasing global awareness about ethical responsibility. On October 13, 2015 I will be presenting a webinar…
Just Say No To 10 Behaviors That Kill Competence
By Linda Fisher Thornton On the lifelong quest to become our best selves, we must S-T-R-E-T-C-H and grow and learn from our mistakes. Being a flexible and willing learner, we can more easily stay competent as the world changes. Here are 10 things that we must NEVER do if we are to accomplish the elusive goal of becoming our best selves:
What is “Good Food” (In an Ethical Sense)?
By Linda Fisher Thornton What is "Good" Food? I was reading an article that ranked food products, and I began to think about how many different variables define "good" or "best" when we're talking about food products. One variable is…
Which Values Are Ethical Values?
By Linda Fisher Thornton My Applied Ethics students asked a great question that I want to answer in today's post: "Which Values Are Ethical Values?" Quick Overview Not all values are ethical values. Some values, such as efficiency, do not have an ethical component. Some ethical values involve qualities of an ethical self (such as honesty and integrity). Others describe positive and ethical behavior toward others, the environment and society.
How Does Struggle Shape Us as Leaders?
By Linda Fisher Thornton On the journey to ethical leadership, we all struggle. We struggle to make ethical choices when there are multiple stakeholders to consider. We struggle to balance competing interests, high expectations, information overload and overbooked schedules. We struggle to be at our best in difficult circumstances.
300th Blog Post: Answering Big Questions About Ethical Leadership
By Linda Fisher Thornton I have spent the last six years answering the big leadership question "What does it mean to do the right thing?" The support, the unsolicited testimonials and the social shares of this work have been widespread and global. Could it be that the world is ready for a clear answer to this important question? I wrote the book 7 Lenses because I believed that we needed a clear answer to what it meant in a global society. I believed that the answer had to be there, somewhere, if studied the question across disciplines, religions and geographic boundaries. It was a question worth taking on. With a clear understanding of leadership responsibility, and a common language for talking about it, we could get down to business in ways that also improved lives and communities. We could make a powerful positive difference through our leadership.
There Are No Quick Fixes For Ethics
By Linda Fisher Thornton I have been thinking about how lightly some leaders take the subject of ethics. Some ignore ethical issues altogether or think ethical issues are unimportant compared to money concerns. It’s a risky choice to take ethics lightly. Why? There are no “ethics transplants” for people who have made bad ethical decisions. We are responsible for our choices. If an ethics transplant did exist and we could easily start over, imagine how long the waiting list would be for that procedure! Since there is no quick fix for failed ethics, we need to protect our ethical reputations carefully, and choose to stay on an ethical path. In our global society, where almost anything can be obtained for a price, you can’t buy ethics.
5 Ways To Bolster Your Organization’s Ethical Immune System
By Linda Fisher Thornton I was thinking about organizational culture recently, and noticed an interesting parallel. Eating healthy foods, exercising and getting enough sleep all boost our individual immune systems. What actions can we take to boost our ethical immune systems? And how could doing that help us create more ethical organizations? Building a healthy ethical culture where people take steps to protect ethics and reputation takes intentional effort. It requires regular attention, similar to the way we must eat healthy foods and exercise daily to maintain our individual health.
Leaders: Is Respect Enough?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Respectful behavior makes it possible for people to work together successfully. But when we ask the teams we lead to be respectful, I wonder if we're aiming too low. Shouldn't we be asking for more?
Trust is a Relationship (Not a Commodity)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Waiting For Trust to Be Earned I sometimes hear leaders say that they think "trust is earned" and that we should not trust others until they have earned our trust through their behavior and choices. I see several big problems with this way of thinking about trust.
Prepare Now For The Future of Leadership
By Linda Fisher Thornton Leading with positive values and demonstrating care are becoming expected ways of doing business. Leading now is not as much about leaders as it is about bringing out the best in those they lead and serve.
9 Questions for Ethical Leaders in The New Year
By Linda Fisher Thornton As we head into the New Year, use these questions to plan how you will transform your leadership, your workplace and your world.
Ethical Leadership 2015: Graphics That Tell the Story
By Linda Fisher Thornton The graphics at the links below tell the story of the future of responsible leadership. They describe the kind of leadership that is respectful, caring and ethically aware. This is the positive leadership that engages employees in meaningful work and helps builds an ethical culture. My hope is that you will share this story with your leadership team and plan now for the future, using the questions that follow.
Leading in Context 