By Linda Fisher Thornton On the journey to ethical leadership, we all struggle. We struggle to make ethical choices when there are multiple stakeholders to consider. We struggle to balance competing interests, high expectations, information overload and overbooked schedules. We struggle to be at our best in difficult circumstances.
Tag: Leadership
40 Ethical Culture Gaps To Avoid
By Linda Fisher Thornton Leaders set the tone for how ethical values are applied. They mentor those they lead, and serve as positive role models. It is not enough, though. for them to talk about ethical values and model what they look like in action. They must also fiercely protect the ethics of their organizations. They are the caretakers of ethical culture.
Leaders, Keep Your Sense of Wonder
By Linda Fisher Thornton This holiday season I wish you wonder - the joyful, expectant mindset that comes with not knowing how things will turn out, but thinking they're going to be good. I don't mean the ordinary type of wonder, such as wondering what you'll have for dinner. I'm talking about the magical kind of wonder. This type of wonder refreshes our hopefulness, and keeps us open-minded and expectant. It is positive and exciting. What happens when we lead with a sense of wonder?
10 Things Trustworthy Leaders Know…
By Linda Fisher Thornton This week the Alliance of Trustworthy Business Experts from Trust Across America-Trust Around the World is holding a social media awareness campaign called #Trustgiving2014, In support of that campaign, I am featuring 10 posts about what it means to be a trustworthy leader. They include individual actions and organizational commitments that build trust. I hope you enjoy them!
3 Factors That Numb Ethics Efforts (And 3 That Energize Them)
By Linda Fisher Thornton To build a strong ethical culture, leaders should take a positive, preventive approach to ethics. That would include communicating clear ethical values and expectations and quickly stopping any unethical behavior. But those things are not enough by themselves. There are cultural factors that either enable our prevention efforts or disable them.
In Conversation About Ethics
By Linda Fisher Thornton This week Realizing Leadership: Everyday Leaders Changing Our World published a cover story interview with Laurie Wilhelm. We talked about what ethical leadership really means, how ethics and trust are related, and how leaders can learn to be more ethical from wherever they are.
What is the Ultimate Goal of Leadership?
By Linda Fisher Thornton What is the ultimate goal of leadership? This is an interesting question that seems simple enough at first, and then begins to get tricky as we think more about it. The tricky part is that we can't answer it in one simple statement. Is it to provide direction and show the way? Is it to respect and serve? Is it to support others and remove obstacles? Is it to teach and mentor? Is it to help bring out the best in those we lead as we work toward a common purpose? Of course, leadership is about all of those things and more. So what is its purpose? Here are four very different ways of thinking about the purpose of leadership.
A Learning Journey That Brings Out Our Best
By Linda Fisher Thornton The Manifesto How is ethical leadership a learning journey? "Ethical leadership transforms profits, people, the planet, communities and the world. Ethical leadership is not something on our to do list that we can check off as completed. It is an ongoing individual and organizational journey. This learning journey will bring out the best in all of us." The Leading in Context® Manifesto
Possibility, Service and Making a Difference
By Linda Fisher Thornton Recently, I released the Leading in Context Manifesto, a bold statement of belief 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
How Is Ethical Leadership a Strategic Advantage?
Businesses that are proactive and that make ethical leadership a priority will benefit in many ways. Here are three of the many ways that ethical leadership helps us compete:
Top 12 Reader Favorites 2012
By Linda Fisher Thornton These 12 posts published in 2012 were the most popular with Leading in Context Blog followers. They all provide a context for thinking about how to make ethical choices in a complex world.
100 Trends to Watch For 2013
By Linda Fisher Thornton 100 Trends to Watch For 2013 As we head into 2013, the trend reports at the links below will give you a "business leader's preview" of what to expect in sectors that range from consumer trends,…
Failure is Part of Innovation
By Linda Fisher Thornton To Innovate, Rethink the Blueprint If we just try to make something better using the design blueprint that we've always used, it is very difficult to innovate. Using the blueprint we have used in the past ties us to the assumptions and limitations of those blueprints.
The Leadership Development Advantage
by Linda Fisher Thornton Developing Leaders Pays Off Ongoing development for leaders helps companies. According to several recent reports, businesses that invest in leadership development enjoy clear advantages. These advantages include improved bench strength, improved talent retention and greater market value over time.
150th Blog Post – Learning Out Loud
Humble Blog Beginnings The journey to a 150th blog post starts with a single post. This blog had a very humble beginning back in 2009. I had decided to start a blog and took a WordPress class at the University of Richmond. The possibilities were promising. Then came those nagging thoughts...
Leading in Context 