By Linda Fisher Thornton A new ethical decision-making tool is available for readers of 7 Lenses!
Category: Ethical Thinking
Is Ethics a Body of Knowledge? (No! It’s a Process of Human Growth.)
By Linda Fisher Thornton If you think ethical awareness is about knowledge and learning, think again. Knowledge and learning are only useful in ethics if we are open to receiving them, open to shifting our perspective, and open to changing our minds.
Leaders: Check Your Motivation, Your Authenticity and Your Ethics
By Linda Fisher Thornton If we are leading others, we need to be asking the questions of leadership - about our motivation, our authenticity and our ethics.
Where Is Ethical Leadership Found?
By Linda Fisher Thornton While it may be convenient to think about ethical leadership as a task, a program, or a rule book, that's not where it lives.
Reader Question: Why Did You Include Profit as One of the 7 Lenses?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Recently, a 7 Lenses reader told me she loved the leadership book but she had one question - "Why did I include Profit in the 7 Lenses?" This is a question that has come up before, so I will address it in today's post.
What is Positive Leadership?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Positive leadership is a new term that is popping up regularly in articles. What does it mean? What kind of leadership do we describe as positive?
5 Warning Signs Of Oversimplified Ethics
By Linda Fisher Thornton Leaders and organizations can get into real trouble if they oversimplify ethics. Some examples of what that might look like include lonely ethics statements (that look good on paper but are not brought to life) and grand statements (that are vague and not well understood). Here are 5 warning signs to watch for that signal an oversimplified approach to ethics:
What is Research?
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.
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.
Leading in Context 