By Linda Fisher Thornton This week I take a moment to reflect on the question "Can rights and responsibilities be separated?" If we fail to live up to our responsibilities, we have a negative impact on others. If we assert individual rights without also taking responsibility, we are asking for more than we are willing to give.
Tag: 7 Lenses
Ready to Change the Ethics Quo (For Good)? – Part 2
By Linda Fisher Thornton The first post in this series addressed ACCOUNTABILITY. In this second post we'll take a look at IMPACT. Here are 3 ways to Change the Ethics Quo (For Good) that improve the impact of your organization and your leadership.
Ready To Change the Ethics Quo (For Good)? – Part 1
By Linda Fisher Thornton Each day brings new challenges for leaders. They struggle to deal with uncertainty and complexity and sometimes the most ethical choices are not obvious. In this kind of environment, we can't assume that things are going well even when there are no lawsuits or imminent ethical crises. What we need to do is build an ethical workplace that will discourage ethical problems. This week the focus is on Ways to Improve Accountability For Ethics. Here are 3 ways to avoid relying on the status quo - that also help you "do good" in your organization, community and world.
Building Trust: Paradoxical Qualities to Cultivate
By Linda Fisher Thornton As we progress on the learning journey toward positive leadership, some of the qualities we seek seem to be paradoxical. For example, as leaders we need to be CRYSTAL CLEAR in outwardly communicating what we expect and also OPEN to hearing input from others that might change our plans. We need to be FULLY PRESENT in this moment, and still able to THINK AHEAD to prepare for the future.
5 Signs Your Culture is FAILING
By Linda Fisher Thornton Building a positive ethical culture is a long-term process. It involves much more than just company trappings and perks - leaders must make a commitment to people and to creating a positive work space. When things seem to be going well, it's easy to miss signs that the culture may be off track.
What Is Organizational Integrity?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Individual integrity is the full alignment in what a person thinks, says and does. Taking that concept to another level, this post will explore the question "what is organizational integrity?" Clearly, organizational integrity is broader than individual integrity, but what does it include?
What Does it Mean to “Be a Leader?”
By Linda Fisher Thornton Leadership is not about being "in charge" or standing "at the front of the room" or "exercising personal power." Authentic ethical leadership flips that paradigm.
Reflections on Truth (Are You a Seeker?)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Reflections on Truth We've heard the expressions "truth is in the eye of the beholder" and "the truth shall set you free." What is this truth that so many have spoken of? How do we find it? How does it relate to ethics? Ponder those questions as you explore this collection of quotes about truth.
5 Insights Into Leadership Development Future (Part 2)
By Linda Fisher Thornton This post is Part 2 in a series called “5 Insights Into Leadership Development Future.” Each post in this series will address trends in leadership development and how to prepare leaders for success in a complex, connected global society (In case you missed it, Part 1 addressed trends in ethical awareness, leading with values and changes in the learning landscape).
What Does Genuine Respect Look Like?
By Linda Fisher Thornton There is no place for disrespectful behavior in a "good" society. We can disagree calmly in ways that help us solve problems together, or we can show our stripes by using aggressive behavior under the banner of "with all due respect." Whichever approach we use, how we interpret respect impacts the people around us.
Are You Squeezing Every Drop Out of Your Talent?
By Linda Fisher Thornton You may have been thinking that this post was going to be about how to get your people to do more and to achieve more. It is about that, but not in the way you might think. In my experience, when the leader improves, everybody can do more. Bear with me as I describe for you how you can get the most out of your people by squeezing every drop out of YOUR OWN talent and potential.
No Shortcuts WIll Get You There
10 Ways the Leadership Relationship is Changing (Part 2)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Previously, I blogged about the first 5 of 10 Ways the Leadership Relationship is Changing, and today I want to explore 5 more.
350th Post: A Zoom Lens Won’t Help You See “Good Leadership”
By Linda Fisher Thornton Leadership is multifaceted, but leadership books are not often written about that. Many use a "zoom lens" approach to take you very close to one aspect of leadership. This close-up view can be helpful for fine-tuning our leadership skills, but then we may begin to think that this close-up view is all there is to good leadership.
Leaders Influence First By Who They Are
Linda Fisher Thornton If you are in the Richmond, Virginia area, please join me for a Book Talk on April 7th at the Tuckahoe Library.
Leading in Context 