Avoid These 10 Thinking Traps What are some of the thinking traps that we fall into as leaders? I'm not referring to "correlation versus causation" and other logical reasoning problems. There are some common ways of thinking about business leadership that…
Category: Ethical Thinking
“Ethics” Means Acting Beyond Self-Interest
By Linda Fisher Thornton "Ethics" Means Acting Beyond Self-Interest Ethics is fundamentally about acting beyond our own self-interests. Can we be ethical without considering others and acting in ways that benefit them? Here are some interesting questions and quotes on the subject.
Differences or Inclusion – Which Are We Focusing On?
Diversity can be Divisive When we talk about diversity, we are noticing differences. That may not seem like a profound statement at first, but think about it for a moment. Diversity is about having different types of employees, right? And that's a good thing for productivity and innovation, isn't it? It is a good thing. But it's not enough. Managing diversity without inclusion as the ultimate goal can make a big difference in the way employees experience our organization.
Twitter Helps Leaders “Think Global”
Twitter helps us learn to "think global" in a connected global society. It can transform us and the way we do business. It keeps us current, connects us with a global network of information and provides real-time data. I've sprinkled in some statistics along with my own observations about the learning benefits of Twitter.
Developing the Ethical Leader of the Future
by Linda Fisher Thornton On Thursday, I spoke about The Future of Ethics and Business Leadership at the Richmond SHRM Strategic Leadership Conference. My lens was leadership development - how to help leaders be ready to lead ethically in a highly complex, connected future. Here are some success principles for developing "Ethical Leader Future:"
5 More Ways to Avoid the “Rightness” Trap
By Linda Fisher Thornton 5 More Ways to Avoid the "Rightness" Trap The comments kept coming! Here here are 5 More Ways to Avoid the "Rightness" Trap based on social media responses to Is Needing to Be "Right" Unethical? They are each illustrated here with quotes.
10 Ways to Avoid the “Rightness” Trap
10 Ways to Avoid the "Rightness" Trap There were quite a few responses to last week's post about "rightness, Is Needing to Be "Right" Unethical?, which seemed to strike a chord with readers. These are just 10 of the themes raised by readers in their comment. Collectively, these themes represent 10 ways to avoid falling into the "rightness" trap.
Is Needing to Be “Right” Unethical?
by Linda Fisher Thornton We Like to be "Right" Why do we sometimes abandon civility? One reason is that when the discussion gets heated, sometimes we just like to be "right." And sometimes we abandon civility to try to prove that we are.
Civility and Openness to Learning
By Linda Fisher Thornton Author's Note: In a previous post, Civility is an Ethical Issue, I explained why civility is an ethical issue. In this post I'll explore the connection between civility and openness to learning. Moving From Tolerance to Civility in Conversation It seems that "civility" has come to mean something closer to the word "tolerance" in everyday conversation. Civil behavior now seems to imply an aloof stance that doesn't step directly on anyone's toes, but that is not nearly enough. According to W. Jason Wallace, we should be "moral agents" who "share moral relationships."
Why We Need A Strong Moral Center
As we deal with increasing work complexity, connection and speed, we need a strong moral center to guide us. We can think about it as having a strong character, being principle-centered, having integrity, or following an ethical compass. No matter what we call it, we need a strong moral foundation.
What is the Greater Good?
What is the Greater Good? As leaders, we must think beyond our own interests to the interests of those we lead and serve, and the interests of communities and the world. We must take a long-term view, keeping in mind the broad effects of our day-to-day decisions. Many people refer to the "greater good" as an important part of leading ethically, and use different words to describe it. The descriptions collectively paint a picture of a responsibility to think beyond ourselves and to work for a better, inclusive society.
Reflections on Respecting Differences
Quotations About the Importance of Respecting Differences I hope that you enjoy this collection of quotes about respecting differences. Notice how many different compelling reasons for respecting differences are included - some from unexpected sources! Toward no crime have men…
Complexity, Creativity and Collaboration
Diversity of Ideas Provides Perspective When dealing with complexity, we need fresh thinking. We need to listen to all ideas that may help, regardless of where they come from in the organization. That involves giving up the notion that we are "right."
What is Creativity?
What is Creativity? In the leadership development world, creativity is getting a great deal of attention now. But what is it? Can you learn it? Is it a skill? How do we lead in ways that encourage it? This post begins to answer those important leadership questions. When we explore the question "What is creativity?" from a thinking and learning point of view, an open and active mind is clearly required - one that can see new possibilities. But is there more to it than that? This post explores the variables that make up what we think of as "creativity."
Developing Globally Responsible Leaders
Laws serve as minimum standards for society, but responsible leadership requires that we go well beyond those minimum standards. As the leaders who will help shape the future of our businesses and our societies through small actions and big decisions, we need a global sense of responsibility. This post explores what it means to be a globally responsible leader and what kinds of learning opportunities help leaders develop a global sense of responsibility.
Leading in Context 