Why It’s Time to Stop Saying We’re “Better Than” Other People

December 4, 2019 Leave a comment

By Linda Fisher Thornton

It’s time to stop telling leaders they will only succeed if they are “better than” the competition. It’s time for business schools to stop telling students that they are “better than” their peers in the class or “better than” students in other programs. It’s time for teachers and religious leaders to stop telling people they can be “better than” everyone else.

Why is the “better than” message so harmful? It focuses on status and power instead of relationships, trust and collaboration, which represent the real currency for success. It sends the message that we have to “beat out” others to succeed, leading people to use either-or-thinking, not higher level systems thinking which is needed for success in a systems world.

The old message “Look to your left, look to your right. One of those people won’t be here by the end of the year” advocates beating people down and throwing them away when they don’t perform, instead of lifting them up and helping them succeed.

Competent leaders and educators aren’t using or teaching this kind of “better than” language because it’s an unethical message. It leads to unwanted behaviors, undue interpersonal tension and unethical competition.

As we move toward an inclusive society that works for all, the message that anyone is “better than” others undermines our progress and perpetuates old paradigms that can be harmful. The only way we should be using “better than” is in terms of our behavior and performance, not in comparing ourselves to other people. Are we better than we were yesterday and the day before? That’s how we will reach the elusive win.

Click the cover to read a free preview!

Click the cover to read a free preview!

LeadinginContext.com  

©2019 Leading in Context LLC

 

©2019 Leading in Context LLC

Filed under Context, Ethical Leader, Ethical Thinking Tagged with , , , ,

Interview on the Leveraging Thought Leadership Podcast

April 24, 2019 Leave a comment

By Linda Fisher Thornton

Today I’m sharing my recent interview with Peter Winick on the Leveraging Thought Leadership Podcast.  We had an interesting conversation about my journey including how I got my start, challenges I faced and “growing into” this important work.

Click on the graphic above to hear the Leveraging Thought Leadership Podcast Interview with Peter Winick. The challenges I faced helped me grow and become a more authentic advocate for ethical leadership. Listen in!

 

Unleash the Positive Power of Ethical Leadership®

©2019 Leading in Context LLC

 

Ethical Thinking Through the 7 Lenses, May 22, 2019

Register

 

Filed under Complexity, Ethical Leader, Ethical Thinking Tagged with , , , , ,

Ethical Leadership: Complexity, Context and Adaptation

June 27, 2018 Leave a comment

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.

To Learn About Ethics and Complexity:

To Learn About Ethics and Context:

To Learn About Ethics and Adaptation:

 

 

Special Series Celebrating the 2nd Printing of 7 Lenses: 

Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 1)

Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 2)

Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 3)

Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 4)

Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 5)

 

Top 100 Leadership Blog

LeadinginContext.com  

©2018 Leading in Context LLC

Filed under Complexity, Context, Ethical Leader, Ethical Organization, Ethical Thinking Tagged with , , , , ,

117 Trends to Watch in 2017

November 30, 2016 Leave a comment

By Linda Fisher Thornton

There are many changes underway that will impact your leadership and your business this year. Adapting to them will require shifts in direction and focus, while staying grounded in positive ethical values. Get settled in with your favorite morning brew and review these trend reports to see what you can expect in the New Year.

117 Trends That Should be on Your Radar in 2017:

The Consumer Sector in 2030: Trends and Questions to Consider, McKinsey & Company

10 Workplace Trends You’ll See in 2017, Forbes.com

7 Leadership Development Trends, Forum

5 Consumer Trends for 2017,Trendwatching.com

Health and Wellness the Trillion Dollar Industry in 2017: Key Research Highlights, Euromonitor International

26 Disruptive Tech Trends For the Rest of the Decade, Brian Solis

Future State 2030: The Global Megatrends Shaping Governments, KPMG.com

The four key consumer trends for 2017, BlueNotes, anz.com

7 Technology Trends That Will Dominate 2017, Forbes.com

The Future of Luxury: Five Trends Reshaping Luxury Consumerism in 2017 and Beyond, Trendwatching.com

5 Digital Marketing Trends in 2017 You Need to Prepare for Now, IBM THINKMarketing

10 HR Trnds You Will See in 2017, Successories.com

As we approach 2017, be sure your leadership team is ready for what’s ahead.

Learn how to adapt your leadership to global trends: Read 7 Lenses (preview below).

Top 100 Leadership Blog

axiombronze

 

 

Prepare Your Leaders For Ethical Leadership Future – Help Them Learn To See Through The 7 Lenses®. 

Includes case examples and questions.

Click the book cover for a preview.

 

 

LeadinginContext.com  

Unleash the Positive Power of Ethical Leadership®

©2016 Leading in Context LLC

Filed under Complexity, Context, Ethical Organization, Trends Tagged with , , , , ,

Is Our Ethics Who We Are Or What We Do?

September 21, 2016 3 Comments

 

By Linda Fisher Thornton

This week’s question is about what defines our ethics – “Is our ethics based on who we are or what we do?” Some people would argue that we have a persona, a manner, that is either ethical or not. Others would say that it is our decisions and actions that define how ethical we are, and therefore our ethicality changes from moment to moment.

Instead of trying to decide which perspective is right, we would be well advised to take our lead from Aristotle. He conveyed in his famous quote “we are what we repeatedly do” that our ethical persona and actions cannot be separated. 

Top 100 Leadership Blog

axiombronze

 

 

Prepare Your Leaders For Ethical Leadership Future – Help Them Learn To See Through The 7 Lenses®. 

Learn how ethical expectations are increasing, and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve.  

Click the cover to read a free preview!

 

LeadinginContext.com  

Unleash the Positive Power of Ethical Leadership®

©2016 Leading in Context LLC

 

Filed under Ethical Leader Tagged with , , ,

Advice For Leaders: John Mattone Blog Interview

March 2, 2016 Leave a comment

022516JoOhnMattoneBlog_Page_1

By Linda Fisher Thornton

This week I am honored to share with you an Expert Interview that I did for the John Mattone Blog at JohnMattone.com. This interview explores my business journey and includes advice for leaders about learning and applying ethical leadership.

It addresses issues that concern leaders including:

  • qualities of ethical leaders
  • the multidimensional nature of ethical leadership
  • learning ethical thinking
  • identifying ethical leaders, and 
  • measuring leadership success.

Check out the article at the link below!

Expert Interview With Linda Fisher Thornton on the John Mattone Blog

 

 

Top 100 Leadership Blog

axiombronze

 

 

Prepare Your Leaders For Ethical Leadership Future – Help Them Learn To See Through The 7 Lenses®. 

Includes how ethical expectations are increasing, and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve.

Click the cover to read a free preview!

 

LeadinginContext.com  

Unleash the Positive Power of Ethical Leadership®

©2016 Leading in Context LLC

Filed under Ethical Leader, Ethical Thinking Tagged with , , , ,

Top 10 Leading in Context Posts of 2015

January 6, 2016 Leave a comment

 

By Linda Fisher Thornton

Of the 52 posts published on the Leading in Context Blog in 2015, these 10 were the reader favorites. See if you notice a theme that connects these topics that readers accessed most frequently:

1. Imagining the Future of Leadership

2. Just Say No to 10 Behaviors That Kill Competence

3. 40 Ways to Build an Ethical Culture (An Ethical To Do List)

4. Why Do People Lead?

5. What is Authentic Leadership?

6. 7 Questions For Ethical Culture Building

7. What is Positive Leadership?

8. Trust is a Relationship (Not a Commodity)

9. Helping Young People Become Ethical Leaders

10. 11 Paths to Ethical Leadership Competence

If I had to pick a theme that incorporates all of these favorites, I’d choose the theme “Becoming Our Ethical Best.” If there are ethical leadership topics you want to learn more about in 2016, let me know! Post a comment here or include @leadingincontxt in your Tweet.

 

Top 100 Leadership Blog

axiombronze

 

 

Prepare Your Leaders For Ethical Leadership Future – Help Them Learn To See Through The 7 Lenses®. 

Includes case examples and questions.

 

 

LeadinginContext.com   Unleash the Positive Power of Ethical Leadership®

©2016 Leading in Context LLC

Filed under Ethical Leader, Ethical Organization Tagged with , , , , ,

Want To Thrive in Leadership Future? Tether Yourself To Values

November 5, 2014 1 Comment

ethical values

By Linda Fisher Thornton

It would be “easy […] for organizations and leaders to become frozen by the magnitude of the changes under way” (McKinsey & Co., Management Intuition For the Next 50 Years). Success in future leadership requires being nimble and adaptive, flexing with constant change, and being ready for anything. 

How should we stay grounded as we avoid crises and manage our way through a maze of increasing expectations?

Without  a place to stand where we know what we believe, without a center to which we can return, we are adrift and at risk from the strong winds of short-sighted opportunism and unethical leadership.

Our center needs to be firmly grounded in values.

Without attaching ourselves to ethical values, we risk being swept toward the next shiny, compelling opportunity that presents itself (but is ethically the wrong thing to do).

We are assaulted with information (overloaded doesn’t begin to describe it) and desperately searching for meaning. 

To thrive as leaders in this unpredictable future, we need to create meaning for ourselves and those we lead in the form of ethical values. Those values which we hold tightly will guide us as we make difficult decisions. They will help us avoid mistakes.

Values will guide us and those we lead through difficult times. 

Without ethical values to guide us, we can forget who we are creating value for, and what our responsibilities are to our constituents. To thrive in leadership future, we need to tether ourselves to ethical values and hold on for dear life as the storm rages on.

7LensesStanding

 

We believe that ethics, integrity and trust are critical to our success.

…But what are we doing to clarify them, to tether our work to them, to teach our organizations how to apply them?

…Are we doing enough?

 

7 Lenses™ Workshops Engage Organizational Leaders in Learning:

  • what it really means to lead with “integrity”
  • how to center daily work in ethical values
  • what is means to be morally aware and ethically competent
  • how to lead in ways that bring out the best in others
  • how to use clear ethical thinking and decision-making
  • how to build lasting trust
  • how doing all of the above transforms organizational results

Scheduling Now for 2015:  Info@LeadinginContext.com

 …Are we doing enough?

 

 

FisherThorntonLinda_07_What_Is_Ethical_Leadership-522

 

7 Lenses is a Bronze Axiom Business Book Award Winner in Business Ethics41cEVx-Tu4L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_
2014  Bronze Axiom Business Book Award Winner 
About 7 Lenses
 
 
 Info@LeadinginContext.com  @leadingincontxt  @7Lenses

© 2014 Leading in Context LLC 

Filed under Context, Ethical Leader, Ethical Organization, Ethical Thinking Tagged with , , , ,

Making a Difference in the World

September 11, 2013 2 Comments

Making a DifferenceBy Linda Fisher Thornton

One Person Can Make A Difference

I believe that there is much more to leadership than going through the daily tasks and assignments on our to-do lists. In my Manifesto about ethical leadership, this is how I defined the importance of leaders making a positive difference:

“We make a difference in the world. We realize that the planet, our communities, and the long-term good of world are also our constituents. We know that our role is to think and act in ways that honor our planet, our communities and our world. We do good without doing harm.”

The Leading in Context® Manifesto

There is More to Leadership

There is much more to leadership than just being at the front of the room during a meeting, or working with the team to make the big decisions. I find that the most rewarding part of leadership is making a difference – in people’s lives, in the community, or in the world. While making a difference may seem like a lofty goal, consider these examples of how much difference one person on a mission can make:

How ‘Difference Makers Think’ — The Single Greatest Secret to Personal and Business Success, David Sturt, Forbes.com

How to Change the World, John-Paul Flintoff, in Utne Reader

I can think of several leaders who changed the course of my life through their support, example and teaching. Today, in your daily leadership, choose to be that kind of leader – the kind who makes a lasting difference.

 

522

For more, see Linda’s book 7 Lenses and the 21 Question Assessment: How Current is My Message About Ethics?

7 Lenses is a Bronze Axiom Business Book Award Winner in Business Ethics41cEVx-Tu4L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_
2014 Axiom Business Book Award Winner 
About 7 Lenses
 
 
Info@LeadinginContext.com  @leadingincontxt  @7Lenses

© 2013 Leading in Context LLC 

Filed under Ethical Leader, Ethical Thinking Tagged with , , , , , ,

Possibility, Service and Making a Difference

July 31, 2013 3 Comments

By Linda Fisher Thornton

The Manifesto

Recently, I released the Leading in Context Manifesto, a bold statement about the kind of ethical leadership  that I believe we need to use every day. Today, I want to explore the mindset behind the Manifesto. It opens with this statement about our purpose as leaders:

“We are here to focus on what’s right and what’s possible, not on what’s historical or convenient. We are here to serve others, not to profit from their vulnerabilities. We are here to make a positive difference, through intentional leadership and responsible choices.”

The Leading in Context® Manifesto

Possibility, Service and Making a Difference

The Mindsets

How do these three important mindsets move us toward our goal of being a great leader?

Possibility

Service

Making a Difference

How do they inform our choices?

What is their effect on our teams and organizations?

The Impact

When we lead for possibility, we reach for the potential of people and organizations. We expect the best of ourselves and others. We accomplish more than we thought we could.

When we lead for service, we see ourselves in a role of making life better for others. We look for ways to do that every day. We lead in ways that improve lives and communities. We do more than we have to do.

When we lead to make a positive difference, we believe that one dedicated leader can have a positive impact, and we continually look for ways to make a difference through our leadership. We think about the legacy we are leaving for future generations.

There’s another important concept mentioned in that statement that cannot be overlooked – doing what is right. It doesn’t stand alone. It’s reliant on the strength of our moral center, and embedded in how we think about the purpose of leadership.

Questions to Ponder : Are we more likely to do what is right when we intentionally Lead For Possibility?; When we Lead For Service?;  When we Lead To Make a Positive Difference?;  How do these mindsets help us make more responsible choices?

522

For more, see new book 7 Lenses and the 21 Question Assessment: How Current is My Message About Ethics?

7 Lenses is a Bronze Axiom Business Book Award Winner in Business Ethics41cEVx-Tu4L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_
2014 Axiom Business Book Award Winner 
About 7 Lenses
 
 
Info@LeadinginContext.com  @leadingincontxt  @7Lenses

© 2013 Leading in Context LLC 

 

Filed under Ethical Leader Tagged with , , , , , ,

100 Systems Thinking Resources for Leaders

April 6, 2011 Leave a comment

 

Why is Systems Thinking So Important?

People are made up of systems (circulatory, respiratory, etc.).

Organizations involve people (who are made up of systems) and organizations themselves are systems.

Organizations (which are systems) themselves work within systems (regulatory, legal, etc.).

Those systems that organizations operate within also work within larger societal and global systems.

Thinking in Connections

…Systems and connections are the stuff we and organizations are made of.  To begin to solve today’s complex problems, systemic and connected thinking is the kind of thinking we need to use.

Resources for Learning About Systems Thinking

Becoming a Strategic Thinker on a Daily Basis by Stephen Haines

Resources, Pegasus Communications Inc. Pegasuscom.com

Systems Thinking and Practice The Open University

10 Favorite Systems Thinking Books of the Past 10 Years (Or So) Pegasuscom.com

Systems Thinking and Systems Tools Managementhelp.org

Socio-Technical Systems anniversary and Systems Thinking Resources argentaeurop.wordpress.com

Systems Thinking Elementary School Resources FacingtheFuture.org

Systems Thinking and Dynamic Modeling Books iseesystems.com

 

522

For more, see Linda’s book 7 Lenses and the 21 Question Assessment: How Current is My Message About Ethics?

7 Lenses is a Bronze Axiom Business Book Award Winner in Business Ethics41cEVx-Tu4L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_
2014 Axiom Business Book Award Winner 
About 7 Lenses
 
 
Info@LeadinginContext.com  @leadingincontxt  @7Lenses

© 2011 Leading in Context LLC 

Filed under Ethical Thinking Tagged with , ,

Redefining Ethical Leadership in a Global Society

March 30, 2011 Leave a comment

Doing business ethically is difficult in a complex, interconnected world. Leading others ethically is even more difficult. Leading a company ethically is the ultimate challenge. Wouldn’t it help to have context tools for leading ethically? Tools for leadership development. Free resources for leaders. Leading in Context Blog Posts. Trends in Ethical Leadership and Changing Consumer Expectations. Relevant business information that helps leaders handle complex issues and make more ethical decisions. Practical, affordable learning materials.

© Microsoft

As a society, we are beginning to redefine ethical leadership. The change started quietly, fueled by a web of linked communication channels and a desire for a more civil way of dealing with each other. We are collectively making progress toward thinking of ourselves as a global society, and our instant communication channels enable us to talk with others anywhere in the world who are concerned about the same things that we are concerned about.

The New Connectedness Illuminates Issues…

The new connectedness that we enjoy illuminates issues. As we see things more clearly, our standards for how we need to treat each other change.  For example, we have been concerned about bullying and disrespectful behavior in the workplace for many years.  These negative behaviors interfere with business and make it difficult for people to do their best work. When we step up several levels in view and see these dysfunctional work behaviors from a global perspective, it becomes clearer that we are all connected and that how we treat each other matters a great deal more than we had realized. At this level, how is workplace bullying really different from other behaviors that we consider to be “crimes against humanity?” How much harm is acceptable?

…and Our Standards for Ethical Leadership Change

As we better understand how we are connected as a global society, and our thinking about ethical leadership evolves, our standards of  expected behavior begin to change.

We don’t accept treating people disrespectfully or abusively.

We tolerate less harm.

We think of harm more broadly.

We expect leaders to be inclusive.

We think of inclusion more inclusively.

…It raises the stakes for all of us.

 

522

For more, see Linda’s book 7 Lenses and the 21 Question Assessment: How Current is My Message About Ethics?
 
  7 Lenses is a Bronze Axiom Business Book Award Winner in Business Ethics41cEVx-Tu4L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_
  2014 Axiom Business Book Award Winner 
  About 7 Lenses
 
 
Info@LeadinginContext.com  @leadingincontxt  @7Lenses

© 2011 Leading in Context LLC 

Filed under Complexity, Context, Ethical Leader, Ethical Organization Tagged with , ,

%d bloggers like this: