Ethical Leaders Care

Many Programs Focus on Risk While many ethics programs focus on the risk side of ethics - compliance with laws and regulations, avoiding lawsuits, etc., there is an equally important side of ethics that involves helping others develop their own skills and abilities in ways that support the organization's mission. One important aspect of ethical leadership that may be overlooked when we view ethics using a "legal lens" is developing the performance potential of the people we lead. If we only think about following laws and avoiding legal problems, we may miss the important aspects of care that are part of ethical leadership.

Leading Ethically is the New Leading

All of us who lead and develop leaders need to be tuned in to the "New Leading." To embrace the "New Leading," we need to realize that leadership and ethics are joined in important ways. Many leaders have traditionally thought of ethics and leadership as two different things. That fragmented way of thinking is part of why we've reached a point where there are so many examples of ethical violations in the news. What Really Happens When We Separate "Leading" From "Ethically?"?

Shared Ethical Values Part 2

Shared Ethical Values Part 2 - A Reader Asked for More! At the request of a reader via a comment on Linked In (thanks for the suggestion Jan!) this post features more sources and more recent sources of information about shared ethical values on a global scale. The Names Vary, But it's All About Ethical Values While the titles may vary, including "corporate social responsibility" or "global business" they are all addressing shared values and principles of responsible business in a global economy.

Ethics Training Shouldn’t Be Boring

Ethics Training Shouldn't be Boring Keeping people engaged in the process of learning about ethical leadership is important. I see so many tweets from people attending ethics classes about how bored they are and how they already know the material that's being reviewed. Are these participants learning? Or are they being given information that covers some area of perceived risk but has no value to them in their day-to-day worlds?

Disposable Marketing Freebies: What Message Are We Sending?

Consumers Want Sustainable Marketing Many consumers now shop around for "ethical" companies and those consumers expect a new kind of business marketing - the kind with a long-term view and a sustainable approach. When we decide what to hand out to customers that will help them remember our company, we need to consider the unintentional messages our choices may be sending.

Top 10 Leading in Context Blog Posts

As of today, after over 100 posts, these are the  Top 10 Most Popular Leading in Context® Blog Posts: Planned Obsolescence: Is it Ethical? No. Can We Still Have the Newest Gadgets? Yes! Case Study: Is Withholding Information From Other Leaders…

Leadership and…Sleep Ethics

Sleep and Ethical Behavior Besides the fact that mistakes and accidents may increase at work due to lack of sleep, there is evidence that lack of sleep also contributes to the likehood of unethical behavior and to serious physical and mental harm. Here are some of the questions that this post will explore: 1. Is it ethical to force people to become sleep deprived? 2. Is it ethical to promote "wakefulness" in ways that interfere with natural sleep cycles? 3. Is it ethical to schedule work in ways that prevent people from getting regular sleep?

People-Based “Ethics”: The Mindset Behind it

The Trouble With Using Only People-Based "Ethics" Being concerned about people is a very important aspect of ethical leadership. The trouble with using only a people-based definition of "ethics" is that by using the impact on people as the only way to make decisions we may be ignoring these other variables: The impact of our business operations on the planet The long-term unintended consequences of our choices The changing consumer mindset toward sustainable business and avoiding harm

Leadership and…the Cascade Stress Effect

If we use fear-based leadership, bullying, command-and-control leadership, belittling, sabotage or other forms of psychological violence, or allow them to be used by others in our organizations, we create the opposite of a supportive, productive learning organization. We create an environment of toxic stress that harms people and the organization. LeadinginContext.com

Ethical Businesses Prevent Workplace Bullying

There is a growing body of research across disciplines that shows that the impact of our interpersonal behavior as leaders is important than we ever imagined. The ways that we can help or harm people as a leader directly relate to the health of our businesses, and the well-being of our employees and co-workers.

Curiosity and Imagination Necessary Ingredients in Ethical Business

What happens in business environments where curiosity and imagination flourish? How are curiosity and imagination related to ethics and business leadership? How are curiosity and imagination important in today's business environment?