Leading in Context

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

By Linda Fisher Thornton Beyond complying with laws and regulations, what should C-Suite leaders be doing about ethical leadership and responsible business practices? CEOs, CLOs, CHROs and other C-Suite leaders should be working together to ensure that every leader is doing business responsibly and ethically.

Ethics 238

Ethics Globalization Leadership Development Development 238

Leading in Context

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton In Hallmarks of Ethical Leadership (Part 1) I shared 3 special qualities or behaviors that define ethical leadership. These three additional leadership behaviors even more directly impact others in a positive way.

Ethics 275

Ethics Leadership Quality Positioning 275

Leading in Context

MARCH 6, 2024

By Linda Fisher Thornton I spoke with Human Resource leaders attending a Richmond SHRM Strategic Leadership Conference about The Future of Ethics and Business Leadership. The lens I used to frame the discussion was leadership development – how we can prepare leaders to lead ethically in a highly complex, connected future.

Ethics 246

Ethics Leadership Development Development Human Resources 246

Leading in Context

JULY 24, 2024

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leaders are not easily pulled off course – they stay focused on the values that are important to good leadership. They ask themselves, “In my leadership, am I making the path clear for others to follow?” They ask themselves, “In my leadership, am I making the path clear for others to follow?”

Ethics 319

Ethics Influence Course Leadership 319

Leading in Context

OCTOBER 18, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton In Part 5 of this series on attributes of ethical leadership, I explore the importance of really hearing all stakeholders, including those who are not in the room. Here are Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 in case you missed them.

Ethics 293

Ethics Leadership Leadership Development Development 293

Leading in Context

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton How do you recognize an Ethical Leader? Today I’ll share 3 special approaches to the leadership role that are central to ethical leadership. These are ways that ethical leaders understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to others and world.

Ethics 248

Ethics Leadership Leadership Development Development 248

Leading in Context

OCTOBER 11, 2023

In Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 I explored 9 different traits that help you recognize ethical leaders. One of the hallmarks of ethical leadership is that it is a fear-free zone. By Linda Fisher Thornton This post is Part 4 in a series. In Part 4 I will address the importance of leading in ways that eliminate fear.

Ethics 267

Ethics Leadership Leadership Development Development 267

Leading in Context

MAY 1, 2024

By Linda Fisher Thornton Developing competent ethical leaders can be a huge challenge. Each role we play and each decision we face has different ethical implications. Each role we play and each decision we face has different ethical implications. Ethical competence is definitely not something that “just happens.”

Ethics 233

Ethics Uncertainty Definition Globalization 233

Leading in Context

OCTOBER 25, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton In Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 I shared defining characteristics of ethical leadership. In Part 4 I addressed the importance of fear-free leadership. In Part 5 I explored the importance of listening to all stakeholders, including those who are not in the room.

Ethics 261

Ethics Leadership Leadership Development Development 261

Leading in Context

JUNE 26, 2024

By Linda Fisher Thornton We need to get leadership right because so much depends on it. Many global factors are driving changes in ethical leadership expectations, and in high-stakes times, how we handle ethical leadership development can make or break our success.

Ethics 297

Ethics Leadership Development Globalization Development 297

Leading in Context

OCTOBER 4, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton In Hallmarks of Ethical Leadership Part 1and Part 2, I shared 6 special qualities, behaviors and outcomes that define ethical leadership. These are intentional actions ethical leaders take to stay competent as things change around them. This week I’ll share three more.

Ethics 222

Ethics Leadership Quality Leadership Development 222

Leading in Context

AUGUST 28, 2024

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.

Ethics 219

Ethics Resources Leadership Talent Management 219

Leading in Context

OCTOBER 2, 2024

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. Ethical leaders seek shared value. 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.

Ethics 253

Ethics Project Talent Management Organization 253

Leading in Context

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024

Use these posts about the ethical implications of inclusion to take the next steps on your journey to developing a global mindset broad enough to include all the world's people. By Linda Fisher Thornton We are in the world with others for a reason, and when we embrace the diversity of our global village it makes us all better.

Ethics 229

Ethics Diversity Globalization Development 229

Leading in Context

JULY 21, 2021

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leadership isn't something we can ever say we've fully accomplished. It's not about arriving at any particular place, or about achieving a certain level of knowledge.

Ethics 368

Ethics Development Leadership Globalization 368

Leading in Context

JULY 19, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton Preparing leaders for ethical leadership is a long-term process. For example, what message are we sending when we separate ethics training from other leadership training? It requires careful thought about the messages we are sending.

Ethics 240

Ethics Leadership Long-term Training 240

Leading in Context

DECEMBER 6, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton Discouraging Unethical Leadership One of the most important responsibilities of the senior leadership team is to discourage unethical behavior and build an ethical culture.

Ethics 267

Ethics Human Resources System Resources 267

Leading in Context

JUNE 19, 2024

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical values can drive positive business results, but only if leaders continually learn and apply better leadership, and stretch to grow. With the bar for expected leadership set so high, it will be a continual career-long stretch for our leaders.

Ethics 272

Ethics Career Positioning Leadership 272

Leading in Context

DECEMBER 13, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton The components of an ethical leadership performance management system are mutually reinforcing and must be closely aligned. If just one element shown on this graphic is missing, then the rest of the components will not work effectively.

Ethics 284

Ethics System Examples Management 284

Leading in Context

AUGUST 21, 2024

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.

Ethics 268

Ethics Leadership Course Information 268

Leading in Context

AUGUST 17, 2022

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.

Ethics 269

Ethics Leadership Books Leadership Development 269

Leading in Context

JULY 22, 2020

By Linda Fisher Thornton Pluralism is required in our leadership thinking because it drives how we treat people and make decisions. It's the mindset required for important ethical leadership responsibilities such as respect, inclusion, and cultural awareness.

Ethics 417

Ethics Leadership Globalization 417

Leading in Context

JUNE 12, 2024

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical values are good for business, but only if you keep up as times change. Right now, expectations are high and Ibelieve that values-based leadership is gaining momentum. Recently I was asked to explain why I think so, and I thought I would share my answer in today’s blog post.

Ethics 260

Ethics Trends Blog Positioning 260

Leading in Context

FEBRUARY 2, 2022

By Linda Fisher Thornton Which lenses must we look through to be ethical leaders? That is the important question I answered during a recent talk at the Ethics and Governance Forum at The Saint Anselm Center for Ethics in Society.

Ethics 235

Ethics Leadership Video Organization 235

Leading in Context

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical awareness may have been considered private in the past, but it has become easier to observe in a society that is always socially connected.

Ethics 291

Ethics Reputation Leadership Organization 291

Leading in Context

MAY 17, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leadership is about much more than making good decisions and abiding by laws and regulations. One of the elements of ethical leadership that may be overlooked when we view ethics using a “legal lens” is supporting and developing the potential of the people we lead.

Ethics 238

Ethics Development Leadership Organization 238

Leading in Context

JUNE 28, 2023

This complexity and uncertainty combine to create a "murky uncertainty" that may keep people from giving us their best, most ethical performance. Leaders may intend to create an ethical culture, but may still have difficulty getting past the murky uncertainty about what ethics means.

Ethics 234

Ethics Uncertainty Talent Management Organization 234

Leading in Context

FEBRUARY 28, 2024

By Linda Fisher Thornton Laws serve as he minimum standards for society, but responsible leadership requires that we go well beyond those minimum standards.

Globalization 256

Globalization Leadership Development Ethics Development 256

Leading in Context

APRIL 8, 2020

By Linda Fisher Thornton This post is the first in a Series exploring 5 Ethical Dimensions of IoT Leadership as we approach IoT Day on April 14th. Unlike the software design projects of the past, working in the IoT takes us into completely uncharted ethical territory.

Ethics 375

Ethics Leadership Software Definition 375

Leading in Context

JUNE 2, 2021

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leadership development is the ongoing process of guiding leaders to become ethical people and ethical leaders. This is the human development that happens over time that brings leaders to the point of being able to handle what the world throws at them using ethical thinking and action.

Ethics 222

Ethics Leadership Development Development Compliance 222

Leading in Context

APRIL 28, 2021

By Linda Fisher Thornton Developing an "ethical self" is important for good citizenship and good leadership. 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.

Ethics 339

Ethics Development Leadership Organization 339

Leading in Context

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

This week, in Part 2, I'm sharing my response to the question, "Why haven't people agreed on one definition of ethical leadership?" from my recent talk at the Saint Anselm Center for Ethics in Society. By Linda Fisher Thornton Last week I shared a video clip of an overview of all 7 Lenses.

Ethics 231

Ethics Leadership Definition Video 231

Leading in Context

NOVEMBER 8, 2023

Respecting these (sometimes clear, sometimes hazy) boundaries is an important part of today’s ethical leadership. The 5 phrases below signal that the speaker is ignoring an important ethical boundary: By Linda Fisher Thornton Boundaries can be simply described as lines that we don’t cross when doing business.

Ethics 241

Ethics Leadership Organization Leadership Development 241

Leading in Context

APRIL 13, 2022

This week I’m digging deeper into the multiplying and dividing effects of leader (in)competence, looking at how a leader’s ethical competence impacts trust, people, bottom line results and organizational adaptability: After reading the post, one reader requested that I write more on the topic.

Ethics 249

Ethics Leadership Media Talent Management 249

Leading in Context

MAY 26, 2021

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leaders create fear-free work environments, which are foundational in building and maintaining ethical culture and protecting reputation and ethical brand value.

Ethics 386

Ethics Development Reputation Brand 386

Leading in Context

FEBRUARY 10, 2021

Each day brings new challenges that consume our time and require us to grow into higher levels of ethical awareness to avoid missteps and miscalculations. As we try to find stable footing in unstable times, ethical agility will be a factor in our success.

Ethics 308

Ethics Agility Leadership Globalization 308

Leading in Context

MAY 31, 2023

By Linda Fisher Thornton Demonstrating care is one of the hallmark requirements of good leadership. If leaders don’t seem to care, that numbs the organization’s culture, disabling the natural systems that would prevent and identify ethical risks.

Ethics 261

Ethics Career System Environment 261