By Linda Fisher Thornton I didn't set out to become a top blogger or thought leader. I set out to answer a question. In the process of answering the question, I started a journey that has changed my life. There's no fairy tale story here (is there ever?). It wasn't all by conscious choice, and it wasn't always a logical progression. It happened the way that life happens to all of us.
Tag: Ethical Leadership Development
Do Good Things Come to Those Who Wait?
By Linda Fisher Thornton I don't particularly like the quote "Good things come to those who wait." This quote, attributed to British author Violet Fane (Mary M. Singleton) in 1892, may be true but it leaves out important parts of the story. Good things may come to those who wait, but only after certain important conditions have been met:
Trust Energizes Organizations
By Linda Fisher Thornton How transformational is the power of trust in organizations? It increases capacity and improves performance. It improves work satisfaction and quality of life:
Leaders, Don’t You Care? (9 Red Flags That Tell Employees You Don’t)
By Linda Fisher Thornton One of the hallmark requirements of ethical leadership is that we CARE about people, about their success, and about creating a positive work environment. If leaders fail to demonstrate that they care, that harms the culture. The 9 behaviors below are red flags for employees - pointing out that a leader doesn't care.
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.
5 Insights Into Leadership Development Future (Part 3)
By Linda Fisher Thornton This is the third installment in a series "5 Insights Into Leadership Development Future" Each post in this series will address a trend in leadership development and offer tangible actions for helping leaders. In case you missed them, here are the previous posts:
The Future of “Leadership” (Do We Need a New Word For It?)
By Linda Fisher Thornton While we are experiencing many global challenges, there is also a gradual global push toward better leadership.
What Does “Good Leadership” Mean?
By Linda Fisher Thornton We need to talk openly with leaders about what "good leadership" means. Without those conversations, they might think it means making the sales numbers and meeting aggressive work deadlines, being knowledgeable when people come to them for help, or staying within budget. Those things are all important, but "good leadership" requires much 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.
Detachment and Ethics Don’t Mix
By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethics and detachment don't mix well. In fact, combining high ethical expectations with an aloof stance can lead to trouble.
Being Thankful is a Virtue
By Linda Fisher Thornton Cicero's quote reminds us that before we can act on the important virtues that create a just society, we must see the world with a thankful heart.
What Are You Talking About (Ethically Speaking)?
By Linda Fisher Thornton There are many layers of meaning in ethics conversations. How far down are you going? Do you stop at surface messages or do you dig into real problems? See if you can find your ethics conversations below:
Do Differences of Opinion Set Off Your Threat Detector?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Differences of opinion can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. We may be in a discussion with someone who has very different views from ours, on a topic of great importance to us. How we handle it shows others the inner workings of our character.
“Is It Ethical?” (Decision Tool Based on the Book 7 Lenses)
By Linda Fisher Thornton A new ethical decision-making tool is available for readers of 7 Lenses!
Leading in Context 