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:
Tag: ethical thinking
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. 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:
Top Post Series of 2018: Leading in Context Blog
By Linda Fisher Thornton The Top Post Series this year reflects a concern I have that many other people must share. It is a concern about what can happen when we don't use ethical thinking. This series answers the important…
A Message About Togetherness
By Linda Fisher Thornton In What is Meaningful Leadership Part 5 I wrote about building a better society together for future generations. When I really stop to think about what it means to live and work together, here are some of the things that come to mind:
MindTools Expert Interview Podcast With Linda Fisher Thornton
By Linda Fisher Thornton
I recently did an interview with Rachel Salaman for the MindTools Expert Interview Podcast. We had a lively conversation about ethical leadership and the concepts from my book 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership.
Click on the graphic below to read the MindTools blog post featuring highlights from that interview and an excerpt of the podcast.
70 Trends to Watch in 2019
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Each year I curate a list of sites that write about trends that will change how we do business in the coming year. This year's list includes some ongoing trends from last year and some fresh ideas and new directions. Take a look at the 70+ trends at the links below and start getting ready for what's ahead!
Our Evolving Frame of Reference
By Linda Fisher Thornton
As we weathered a hurricane on the East Coast, I remembered the uncharacteristic earthquake that affected Virginia a few years ago. That experience changed how I interpreted the world around me. It drew attention to why we all see the world in such different ways.
The Mind Must Move
By Linda Fisher Thornton
We know that to stay healthy, we have to move. Many of us wear wrist bands that track the number of steps we take daily to make sure we "stay in the healthy zone." I have been increasing my steps each year, and have enjoyed more energy and a sense of improved well-being.
While we can easily track our physical steps, our mental steps are more elusive.
Seeing Beyond Borders and Walls
By Linda Fisher Thornton When you make a commitment to ethical values and ethical choices, boundaries and walls only indicate the boundaries of new places to apply those ethical values and choices. Beyond them, ethical values matter just as much…
What Happens When You Ignore Complexity?
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Ignoring complexity reduces the number of variables considered in a decision. That may seem convenient (see last week's post) but it also removes the nuanced thinking that is necessary for ethical decision making. With all the information available in a socially connected world, it is easy to fall victim to the quick oversimplified understanding of issues. This "quick glance" way of gathering information doesn't reveal the breadth and depth of what's really going on.
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.
Seeing The Nuances Of Ethical Leadership (A Developmental Model)
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Leadership is not a position or a task. It is a complex array of roles, relationships and processes, and yet we use one term, "leadership," to talk about it. And in using that term, we often mean different things. What Then is Leadership?
Fear is a Poor Advisor (Moving Us Away From Ethical Thinking To Protect Us)
By Linda Fisher Thornton
When we make decisions based on FEAR, our brains switch on the lower-level processor - which makes decisions based on a FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT response. The decision-making power of that part of our brain is extremely limited, turning our thoughts to lower level responses like "RUN!" or "HIT THEM FIRST." Obviously, ethical decisions must be based on better thinking than "RUN" and "HIT THEM FIRST."
Our fear response takes us into PROTECT and DEFEND mode, and that mode causes us to shelter in place, retrench and protect our own interests. It drastically restricts the breadth of our thinking and doesn't give much energy to our impact - what our choices will do to others.
Guest Interview: Stay On Top Of Your Work Podcast
By Linda Fisher Thornton
This week you can listen to a brand new interview I did with Kate Kurzawska, host of the Timecamp Stay on Top of Your Work Podcast!
Leaders, Why You Need Disequilibrium (Part 2)
By Linda Fisher Thornton
This post is Part 2 in a series. In case you missed the first one, here is 450th Post: Leaders, Why You Need Disequilibrium (Part 1). In the first post, I explored why leaders need to embrace disequilibrium. In Part 2, I explore how disequilibrium helps leaders deal with catastrophic change.
Disequilibrium Drives Adaptation
Accepting disequilibrium instead of trying to fight it, we can turn our attention to figuring things out as the landscape changes around us.
Leading in Context 