Leading in Context

Unleash the Positive Power of Ethical Leadership

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10 Things Ethical Leaders Believe (Part 3)

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Our moral grounding is more important than our goals and opinions. When we let our goals and opinions drive our thinking, we begin to believe that “anything goes” in the quest to meet those goals or defend those opinions. When our moral compass drives our thinking, we will question any goals that benefit us at the expense of others. Everything we do needs to be morally grounded. We need to assume that every issue is an ethical issue and approach it accordingly.

Ethical Thinking is Multidimensional

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Our brains take shortcuts to save us time. We know this happens. If it didn’t, we’d have to re-learn to drive every time we left for work. But, how can we be sure that we’re thinking things through carefully and not just reacting on autopilot to the crisis of the moment?

Is our thinking on autopilot? Is that autopilot programmed to make ethical decisions?

In the process of writing my new leadership book, 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership, I created a clear framework for learning to be an ethical leader. This framework replaces our autopilot (that will take us “who-knows-where”) with an intentional values-based thinking process.

How Do Ethical Leaders Think?

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By Linda Fisher Thornton

Today I’m taking you inside the mind of the ethical leader to explore ethical thinking.

What do ethical leaders think about? How do they make decisions?

They are guided by a desire to have a positive impact.

They think about what’s best for others, and seek mutual benefit. 

They think about ways to demonstrate their values in day-to-day leadership, even when faced with difficult challenges.

Ethical Thinking, Ethical Self: 5 Things You Need to Know

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By Linda Fisher Thornton

Developing an “ethical self” is important for good citizenship and good leadership. But what does it involve? There’s more to developing and maintaining an ethical self than trying to make good choices. Making ethical choices isn’t easy, and while we’re struggling, our brains are actually working against us.

Insights for the Class of 2025

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By Linda Fisher Thornton

As you begin to build your image of your future plans, I have 5 pieces of advice to share that may be useful. I wish someone had shared these life insights with me when I was a new graduate beginning the next chapter of my life.

Leader Mindset And The Ethical Use of Power

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By Linda Fisher Thornton

Ethical leaders understand that their role revolves around adding value for others, not for themselves. They are careful to avoid taking advantage of situations for personal gain or for the gain of their colleagues or friends. This other-centered focus keeps them thinking about how what they do will impact those they serve and others in the community.

Mindset or Competency: Which is More Important?

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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? 

How we think about something impacts what we do about it. Nick Petrie, Center For Creative Leadership, writes in Vertical Leadership Development Part I that “In terms of leadership, the stage from which you are thinking and acting matters a lot. To be effective, the leader’s thinking must be equal or superior to the complexity of the environment.”

Ethical Leaders Adapt (Part 4)

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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 understanding how learning and ethics are connected and how to learn ethical leadership.

Ethical Leaders Adapt (Part 3)

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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 2)

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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 and learn about the importance of staying on…

Ethical Leadership: Adaptability is Essential

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By Linda Fisher Thornton

Ego-driven leaders want to be “right” even when the evidence shows otherwise. They see rightness as something fixed that they can control. Of course, it isn’t fixed and they can’t control it, but they may not want to be confused with the facts. Conversely, when ego is not driving the thinking process, leaders can adapt to changing information and circumstances and change their minds.

Mental Maps Impact Leader Behavior

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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?