By Linda Fisher Thornton We've seen selective respect too often. Beyond harming the people who are disrespected, it also destroys trust, and leads to chaotic environments and fear-based cultures. Even though we've all seen selective respect in action, we may not have had the vocabulary to describe why it's wrong (beyond calling it mean or inappropriate). This week I'm digging in to those details.Â
Tag: Ethical Leadership Development
The Complexity of Ethical Thinking and Decision Making (Part 5)
By Linda Fisher Thornton While change is a constant reality, it doesn't always factor into leadership thinking. In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, I explored the Depth of our thinking, and the importance of understanding Context. In Part 3…
Read More The Complexity of Ethical Thinking and Decision Making (Part 5)
The Complexity of Ethical Thinking and Decision Making (Part 3)
Embracing Complexity is Part of Leadership Complexity has become a way of life. To make ethical decisions, we must embrace it and incorporate it into our thinking process. That means digging in to issues until we understand their multiple dimensions, connections and contradictions. It means being intentional about decision making and avoiding making snap judgments.
5 Insights For the Class of 2019
By Linda Fisher Thornton I have a special message for our 2019 graduates. It includes five important life insights that I wish someone had shared with me when I was a new graduate beginning the next chapter of my life.
The Willingness to Admit We’re Wrong
By Linda Fisher Thornton We've all been wrong. It's only when we are willing to admit that we're wrong that we show what this John Templeton Foundation video describes as "intellectual humility." This video, titled "The Joy of Being Wrong" is a compelling visual portrayal of the process of being willing to admit we're wrong, and it describes the many personal and social benefits that result.
Uncomfortable Learning
By Linda Fisher ThorntonI'm generally a fan of uncomfortable learning. I believe that "uncomfortable" is sometimes a necessary part of the natural processes of learning and growth. Facilitators and teachers sometimes leverage it to help people get past outdated mindsets or to shake up and resolve conflicts.
Ground Rules for Talking About Controversial Topics
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Talking about controversial topics has become a daunting task. There are some things we can do, individually and collectively, to improve those difficult conversations. Use the important points below as ground rules for discussing potentially emotionally charged issues:
3 Steps For Dusting Off Your Leadership in the New Year
By Linda Fisher Thornton
When we start a New Year, it's is a wonderful time to take stock of our leadership. The intense, conflicted global environment we face is formidable. Sitting still won't keep our leadership up to the task.Â
It's definitely not a good time to let our leadership get dusty from a lack of attention. It's time to take action.
Here are three things you can do to dust off your leadership and discover your best capabilities this year:Â
What is Meaningful Leadership? – 4 Common Threads
By Linda Fisher Thornton
What is meaningful leadership? I recently wrote a 5 part blog series exploring different facets of that question... There are four common threads that emerged from exploring the topic that I want to share today.
Where Ethics Should Be
By Linda Fisher Thornton We need to be talking about where ethics should be... how and where it fits into real life. Too many leaders and organizations have crossed ethical boundaries and that seems to be all we're seeing in the…
Grey Areas: Our Choices Define Us (Part 2)
By Linda Fisher Thornton
This post is an updated version of a reader favorite.Â
There Will Always Be Grey Areas
There will always be ethical grey areas.  We see plenty of information about lying, cheating, stealing and other obvious ethical violations. It is more difficult to know what to do when we encounter behaviors that fall into ethical grey areas, particularly in term of relationships with other people. Grey areas are difficult for anyone to handle but leaders bear the additional weight of needing to set the tone for the organization. Each decision impacts the ethics of the organization.
What is Meaningful Leadership? (Part 5)
By Linda Fisher Thornton
What is Meaningful Leadership? Making a Difference By Building a Better Society For the Future
In Part 1 of this series we looked at how leaders generate meaningful environments where others can thrive. In Part 2 we explored a leader's own quest for authenticity. In Part 3 we looked at the role of powerful conversations and a focus on relational ROI. In Part 4, we examined how meaningful leadership requires truth-seeking based on ethical values. In Part 5 we'll take a look at how meaningful leadership makes a difference by building a better society for the future.Â
Meaningful leadership sees the world in terms of building a better future together. The important focus on together requires not drawing lines around "better" or "worse" people or creating "in" and "out" groups.
What is Meaningful Leadership? (Part 3)
By Linda Fisher Thornton
In Part 1 of this series we looked at how leaders generate meaningful environments where others can thrive. In Part 2 we explored a leader's own quest for authenticity. In Part 3 we'll look at the role of powerful conversations and a focus on collective success.
Ethical Leadership: Complexity, Context and Adaptation
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Ethical leadership requires growth, a willingness to acknowledge complexity and an understanding of the broader context in which we lead. Use these resources to improve your ethical awareness, learn about how the leadership context is evolving and check for learning blind spots.
22 Resources For Developing Ethical Thinking
By Linda Fisher Thornton
This week I'm sharing a collection of hand-picked resources that will help you upgrade your thinking. With all of the ethical messes in the news recently, this seems to be the right time to help you focus on PREVENTION as applied to thinking. It's our thinking, after all, that determines what we decide to do under pressure.Â
