By Linda Fisher Thornton After I published “Prevention or Cure: Your Choice” about reducing ethical risk and creating a positive culture a reader asked for more information about the business case for prevention. Here are some compelling reasons why the prevention approach is a better business decision than waiting for ethical problems and applying a “cure” after the organization is already in trouble.
Tag: leading ethically
Top Post Series of 2022: Leading in Context Blog
By Linda Fisher Thornton The Top Post Series for last year on the Leading in Context Blog reflected the urgent need to move ethical thinking and decision making forward in organizations. It featured specific areas of focus and strategies for improving organizational ethics. Use these posts to identify areas you want to improve in 2023.
Will You Give the 12 Gifts of Leadership This Year?
By Linda Fisher Thornton How do we lead when we want to bring out the best in people? These 12 Gifts of Leadership are on the wish lists of employees around the world. They aren't expensive. They don't require dealing with the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, and one size fits all. Sure, these gifts are harder to give than a fruitcake, but they will be life-changing for those you lead.
Focus on Teaching Students How to Think (Not What To Think)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Have you noticed that the current fray about what to teach about difficult subjects has been focused on teaching "one way or the other?" "Are you for it or against it? and "Which side are you on?" This approach completely misses the point that the purpose of education is not to teach students what to think. It's to teach students how to think, and how to navigate differences respectfully.
Leading the Return to In-Person Work: 5 Perspectives
By Linda Fisher Thornton This week I am sharing 5 interesting articles that tackle the challenge of leading the process of returning to in-person work. They each share a slightly different perspective. As a reminder, there are many human issues to consider beyond just keeping people well as we learn to live with COVID-19, and I discussed some of them in a previous post. Below are 5 additional resources, each highlighting issues to consider as you lead the return to the office this fall.
Recognizing Ethical Issues (Part 6)
By Linda Fisher Thornton In Part 1 of this series on Recognizing Ethical Issues, I addressed the gaps in our thinking that require us to develop an ethical alert system. in Part 2, I explored why some leaders who want to do the right thing still don't "do the work" to learn how to do it. In Part 3, I dug into the importance of ethical awareness as the basis for ethical decision making. In Part 4 I described ways to develop ethical thinking. In Part 5, I shared some recent blog posts about how to recognize ethical issues in current events and make good decisions about them. In Part 6, I provide an overview of each post in the series and an opportunity for you to practice recognizing ethical issues with your teams.
Recognizing Ethical Issues (Part 5)
By Linda Fisher Thornton In Part 1 of this series on Recognizing Ethical Issues, I addressed the gaps in our thinking that require us to develop an ethical alert system. in Part 2, I explored why some leaders who want to do the right thing still don't "do the work" to learn how to do it. In Part 3, I dug into the importance of ethical awareness as the basis for ethical decision making. Part 4 described ways to start developing ethical thinking. In Part 5, I share some recent posts that address current societal issues. Read the ones below that strike you as the most relevant, to learn about how to recognize the nuances of ethical issues in current events and make good decisions about them.
Where Can We Find Ethical Leadership?
By Linda Fisher Thornton While it may be convenient to think about ethical leadership as a task, a program, or a rule book, that’s not where it lives.
Changing Our Mind (It May Not Mean We’re Indecisive)
By Linda Fisher Thornton When we change our position on an issue, sometimes it is because we simply can't decide. But when you look at mind-changing from the perspective of human growth and development, you can see that there is often more to it than that.
Navigating Return to Work Challenges: Virginia Business
By Linda Fisher Thornton Today I'm sharing an article from Virginia Business called Future Shock that includes my recent interview with John Blackwell. His article focuses on how leaders are navigating through the many challenges of returning to in-person work after workers have enjoyed the increased flexibility of remote work during the pandemic.
The Fear Factor
By Linda Fisher Thornton Don't let fear undermine your culture. Review four important reasons why you should create a no-fear culture and 21 things to weed out to build trust.
Seeing The Facets of Facts Part 2
By Linda Fisher Thornton Building on last week's post about Seeing the Facets of Facts, this week I'm digging into the dangers of "Partialized Facts." When I say "Partialized Facts" I refer to treating one perspective on an issue that is only part of the picture as the whole truth. I have seen it happen so many times. It's time to call it what it is. Unethical.
Seeing the Facets of Facts Part 1
By Linda Fisher Thornton Most of the time when we answer a question with a single response, that answer is only part of the picture. We have all seen leaders (who may feel a need to appear decisive) answer quickly without thinking through the implications of their response. When this happens, what they share is oversimplified and "partialized," not a relevant or responsible interpretation of the complex issues involved.
Is Good Leadership Realistic and Optimistic?
By Linda Fisher Thornton Some leaders take the view that it's important to plan for the worst case scenario. Others prefer to keep it positive and focus on the best possible outcomes. Which is better leadership?
What is Ethical Leadership? Part 3
By Linda Fisher Thornton In part 3 of this series, I am sharing a clip from my recent talk at the Saint Anselm Center for Ethics in Society that answers the question "What happens when there is a serious conflict between two ethical values?" As you watch, think about the tradeoffs you and your organization have had to manage as you navigated the global pandemic.
Leading in Context 