By Linda Fisher Thornton The first post in this series, “The Missing Domain: Ethical Thinking” explored WHY leaders need to fill the gap and help people develop ethical thinking. This post will begin to unravel HOW to do that.
Tag: ethical thinking
Self-Check For Sharing Opinions (Responsibly)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Lately we’ve been seeing too much content that is not grounded in understanding. Some of it is intentionally misleading and some of it is well-intentioned but misinformed. What this means is that we have to learn how to recognize misinformation, but also, and even more importantly, carefully tend how we convey our own opinions.
Top 10 Posts of 2024: Leading in Context Blog
By Linda Fisher Thornton Of the 52 weekly posts published on the Leading in Context Blog in 2024, these 10 were the most popular. See if you notice a theme that connects these new topics that readers accessed most frequently:
Wishing You Joy
By Linda Fisher Thornton Joy is not something we simply hope for or wait for. It’s something we create through our everyday actions and relationships.
Leading in the “Figure It Out” Space
By Linda Fisher Thornton Leading in the "figure it out" space is one of the most important roles of ethical leadership. When the way forward isn't clear, and there are ethical issues to be considered, the best leaders admit that the next step is not clear cut and will need to be worked through. They start a conversation with their teams to engage them in the messy process of considering the most responsible way forward.
Talking About Ethics (Part 4)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Talking about ethical values engages people, helps them find meaning and improves the organization’s metrics. This week I want to explore what the conversation should include. You may be surprised to learn that it’s not all about what WE COMMUNICATE about values – it’s their questions that will help us bring values to life.
Leaders Make the Ethical Path Clear (Part 2)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Taking the ethical path and showing others the way does not just involve the things leaders do that we can observe. It also involves the hidden things they do, the mental work they do to make good decisions that add value for others and not just themselves. Ethical leaders seek shared value. They look for ways to meet the needs of others while they champion their own projects and ideas. Why? Because they understand that they are responsible for honoring their well-being AND the well-being of others.
Ethical Leaders Adapt (Part 3)
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 learn about how adaptation and ethical leadership are connected and check for learning blind spots.
Ethical Leaders Adapt (Part 1)
By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leadership requires growth, a willingness to acknowledge complexity and an understanding of the broader context in which we lead. None of those are easy. Today I'm sharing resources for understanding the importance of embracing complexity as the world changes.
Adaptable Leaders Manage Their Egos
By Linda Fisher Thornton Ego has a way of undoing even our best intentions as leaders. We have to be aware of our ego and manage it to avoid getting off track. In a world that requires rapid adaptation to changing events and circumstances, ego tries to maintain the status quo and works against our ability to pivot in response to change. Think of the adaptable leader as piloting a boat, able to turn at a moment’s notice as the situation warrants it. The ego-driven leader, in contrast, is living in a fortress with a moat around it, protecting status and the status quo at all cost. The fortress can’t move, can’t pivot, can’t adapt to changing circumstances.
What is (and Isn’t) Leadership?
By Linda Fisher Thornton It occurred to me while pruning shrubs that we have many mistaken
Mental Maps Impact Leader Behavior
By Linda Fisher Thornton This post will explore the interesting relationship between leadership mindset and competency. Which is most important? What happens to our leadership capability when our mindset is out of date?
11 Paths to Mastering Ethical Leadership
By Linda Fisher Thornton Developing competent ethical leaders can be a huge challenge. Why is it so difficult? We live in a globally connected society, and are expected to be globally aware. We are dealing with catastrophic change and uncertainty. We fill many different roles in our organizations, industries and communities. Each role we play and each decision we face has different ethical implications. Ethical competence is definitely not something that “just happens.”
Ethical Leaders: 10 Behaviors to Avoid
By Linda Fisher Thornton In the lifelong quest to become our best selves, we need to stretch and grow and learn from our mistakes. Being a flexible and willing learner, we will more easily stay competent as the world changes. Here are 10 things to avoid if we are to accomplish the elusive goal of becoming our best selves:
5 Compelling Reasons Leader Development is a Strategic Priority
By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leadership learning is an issue that is gaining attention. Expectations of “good leadership” are increasing and leaders and organizations are scrambling to keep up. While sometimes people disagree about implementation, there is a strong consensus among scholars and research organizations that today’s leadership requires broad, high level, inclusive thinking.
Leading in Context 