By Guest Author Linda Fisher Thornton
In a fast-paced global society, we need a strong moral foundation. That foundation keeps us anchored when we get busy and find ourselves tempted to take shortcuts. It guides us when we face difficult challenges, and when we need to make good decisions. This foundation should be firmly built, or it may not hold up well when we need it most:
“You’ve got to have an anchor already out there…if you don’t have a moral foundation, then the winds assaulting your integrity can blow you off course.” Wharton Leadership Digest, FINDING YOUR MORAL COMPASS: Reflections From General Peter Pace
In my book, 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership, I describe four principles that work together to provide a clear and actionable moral compass:
Principle 1: Demonstrate Personal Congruence
Leaders who demonstrate personal congruence demonstrate it across contexts, applying the highest ethical standards in all of their roles.
Principle 2: Be Morally Aware
Leaders who are morally aware will notice when their choices and the choices of others have ethical implications.
Principle 3: Stay Competent
Leaders who stay competent intentionally work to achieve a high level of competence in multiple dimensions including personal behavior, interpersonal behavior and work and industry best practices.
Principle 4: Model Expected Performance and Leadership
Leaders who model the performance and leadership they expect of others serve as a positive guide for others in the organization. They are willing to do what is asked of others, no matter how difficult those expectations are.
These four principles that form our moral compass are connected and interdependent, with each building on the others in important ways. For example, If I am morally aware, I am more likely to realize that I need to stay competent to avoid ethical problems. If I stay competent, I am more likely to model expected performance and leadership, and so on.
Learning for the Long Run
Leading from a strong moral center requires a deep and ongoing commitment to learning. Each day, the world changes in ways that “move the ethical bar.” Customers, employees, job-seekers, and other stakeholders expect us to demonstrate increasing levels of ethical responsibility. Only by staying in learning mode will we be up to the challenge.
About the Author: Linda Fisher Thornton is one of the 2013 Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior. She is CEO of Leading in Context LLC and author of 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership. Linda blogs at www.LeadinginContext.com.
Linda Fisher Thornton: 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership