By Linda Fisher Thornton Developing competent ethical leaders is a huge challenge. Complexity Context Ethical Leader leadership and management leadership competence leadership skills what is ethical leadership 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. MORE

There is an important parallel we can draw between human health and organizational health - prevention is also the best way to deal with ethics in organizations. Ethical Organization 7 lenses of ethical leadership ethical culture ethical organization ethics leadership developmentBy Linda Fisher Thornton Have you heard the expression "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?" MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton Today I'm taking you inside the mind of the ethical leader to explore ethical thinking. Inside the Mind of an Ethical Leader “I make decisions based on values, not money pressures.” “I I need to constantly learn in order to stay ethical.”. Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Thinking corporate social responsibility define ethical leadership ethical business leadership global leadership ethics what are leadership skills MORE

That''s a shame, because the ethical CEO is a positive powerhouse - devoted to serving employees, customers, and communities. I thought it would be helpful to describe some of the critical functions of the ethical CEO that enable organizational success. Complexity Ethical Leader Ethical Thinking 7 Lenses ethical business leadership ethical CEO leading ethically leading ethically in organizations proactive ethics MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton Leaders and organizations can get into real trouble if they oversimplify ethics. Some examples of what that might look like include lonely ethics statements (that look good on paper but are not brought to life) and grand statements (that are vague and not well understood). MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton My Applied Ethics students asked a great question that I want to answer in today's post: "Which Values Are Ethical Values?" Quick Overview Not all values are ethical values. Some values, such as efficiency, do not have an ethical component. Some ethical values involve qualities of an ethical self (such as honesty and integrity). Others describe positive and ethical behavior toward others, the environment and society. MORE

In spite of all the bad news you see in the media about ethics, we don''t build ethical cultures by focusing on the negative. Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Trends ethical leadership ethics training positive ethical leadership proactive ethical leadership what is ethics Let''s face it - thinking about fraud, embezzlement and conflict of interest won''t make us better leaders. MORE

Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Trends 7 Lenses ethical context ethical leadership leading ethicallyBy Linda Fisher Thornton Consumers expect companies to respect boundaries. That allows them to live happy and meaningful lives without intrusion from companies that want them to "buy right now.". MORE

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. Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking ethical leadership ethics Leadership leadership awareness leadership growth MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton I was asked recently to explain in simple terms how ethics and trust are related. It is a great question, because we define trust and ethics in so many different ways. Here are some observations about how trust and ethics are related, and what their relationship means for us as organizational leaders. MORE

Some unfriendly approaches that I have observed recently include: Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 Lenses ethical leadership ethical selling leadership development proactive ethical leadershipBy Linda Fisher Thornton Unfriendly Sales Techniques. Times are still tight for consumers and salespeople are concerned about their jobs. MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton Last week I blogged about 40 Ethical Culture Gaps to Avoid. This week, I''m sharing a ''What To Do" list of 40 Ways to Build an Ethical Culture. This list includes many ways to incorporate ethical values into daily organizational leadership. Each one of these 40 Ways to Build an Ethical Culture can improve an organization. Use this "ethical to do list" to assess your culture. MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton "Do Laws Set the Standard For Ethics?" Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 lenses of ethical leadership ethical business laws and ethics leadership development leadership skillsmay be a simple question, but the answer is complicated. They do and they don't set the standard. . MORE

This post is by Linda Fisher Thornton the author of 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership. Our understanding of "ethical leadership" has not been clear enough to guide us through today’s complex ethical choices. Ethics MORE

Here are 5 important reasons why fear has no place in our workplaces, our families or our communities: Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking 7 Lenses ethical leadership proactive leadership respecting differences respecting othersBy Linda Fisher Thornton Fear is insidious. It changes how we see the world and how we treat others. MORE

There are some common ways of thinking about business leadership that cripple our effectiveness and undermine our ethics. Complexity Context Ethical Thinking business ethics complexity ethical ethical business ethical leadership context ethical leadership development what is ethical leadershipAvoid These 10 Thinking Traps What are some of the thinking traps that we fall into as leaders? MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton Last week I wrote about how to prepare for leadership future by staying centered in ethical values. There''s much more to being ready for the future of leadership than just staying aligned with positive values. This week I''m sharing a graphic about 5 other variables that need to be in place to build a (positive) ethical culture. MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton "Ethics" Means Acting Beyond Self-Interest Ethics is fundamentally about acting beyond our own self-interests. Can we be ethical without considering others and acting in ways that benefit them? Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Thinking context based mindset ethical leadership ethics ethics training what is ethical leadership what is responsible leadership MORE

The manner my dad handled a Hightower cow invasion and how Mr. Hightower handled the exact same scenario was a powerful lesson in the ethics of service. Ethics is far more than morality—it is the very substance of all relationships. Self Leadership ethics Leadership principles MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton I speak and write about the future of the ethical leadership, and how leaders and organizations can prepare for it. Today, I want to share with you the picture of the future that I see, based on a powerful movement toward positive, proactive ethical leadership. As we head into the New Year, let''s help our leaders be ready for this positive, proactive "ethical leadership future.". MORE

Businesses that are proactive and that make ethical leadership a priority will benefit in many ways. Here are three of the many ways that ethical leadership helps us compete: Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Trends complexity ethical leadership global mindset Leadership trends in ethical leadership what is ethical leadership MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton A new ethical decision-making tool is available for readers of 7 Lenses! Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking 7 lenses of ethical leadership ethical decision-making ethical leader ethical leadership development MORE

Here are 7 different interpretations of what is ethically good, based on the framework in 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership (2013). Which ones are you using in your leadership? Complexity Context Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking Trends complexity developing ethical leaders ethical leadership context ethical thinking leading ethically MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton If you think ethical awareness is about knowledge and learning, think again. Knowledge and learning are only useful in ethics if we are open to receiving them, open to shifting our perspective, and open to changing our minds. Ethical Leader Ethical Thinking ethical business mindset ethical growth ethical leadership ethical learning ethics leadership development MORE

It’s easy to know what’s ethical when your choices are clear-cut. The post Do an Ethics Check to Navigate the Gray Zone appeared first on Seapoint Center for Collaborative Leadership. If you hit a parked car, should you leave your contact information for the owner? MORE

Context Ethical Organization 7 Lenses 7 lenses of ethical leadership define ethical leadership developing ethical leaders By Linda Fisher Thornton We create organizational culture through strategic choices and daily actions. If we imagine building our culture as creating an elaborate painting, what will we depict on the canvas? MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton I blogged a while back about the Critical Roles of the (Ethical) CEO. I realized later that these important ethical roles apply not just to CEOs, but also to all senior leaders in an organization. Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization developing ethical leaders ethical business ethical leadership leadership roles leadership skills MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton Understanding What Causes Ethical Leadership Failures Ethical leadership failures can be caused by different types of problems that may compound. Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 Lenses ethical leadership ethical thinking ethics leading ethically in a complex world MORE

Ethics is about who we are. Ethics is not so much about what is happening around us, it’s much more about what is going on inside of us. Understanding the difference is critical to being a person with good ethics. Ethics are about how we will measure our life. Ethics MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton Dialogue is a powerful tool for developing ethical organizations. Workplace issues are complex and opinions will always vary about what ethical behavior means. This combination creates a kind of "murky uncertainty" that keeps employees from giving us their best, most ethical performance. Ethical Organization complexity ethical leadership development ethical mindset ethics training what is ethical leadership what is global leadership MORE

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. Complexity Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking 7 Lenses of ethical responsibility business leadership what is ethical business what is ethical leadership what is ethics MORE

This week I describe 5 powerful trends that are changing the rules of business, and require a heightened ethical awareness. Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking Trends define ethical ethical ethical leadership development what is ethical consumerism what is ethical leadership By Linda Fisher Thornton If you think your customers are separate from your business, you are behind the times. MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton There are many layers of meaning in ethics conversations. See if you can find your ethics conversations below: Ethical Leader Ethical Organization ethical leadership context ethical leadership development ethics ethics training leadership development leading ethically in organizationsHow far down are you going? Do you stop at surface messages or do you dig into real problems? MORE

Ethics is catching, and leaders set the tone for the ethics of the organization. Would the organization be more or less ethical? What kind of ethics are people catching as they work in our organization? Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 Lenses ethical ethical culture ethical leadership ethical leadership development ethical responsibility ethics MORE

Which levels described in this graphic represent ethical leadership? Is Following Laws Ethical Leadership? Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Trends complexity ethical business leadership ethical leadership ethics training leading ethically what is ethical leadership what is leadership MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton As we head into the New Year, use these questions to plan how you will transform your leadership, your workplace and your world. Ethical Leader Ethical Thinking 7 Lenses business ethics ethical competence ethical leadership dimensions leading ethically MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leadership is a journey, not a destination. The same is true for ethical leadership. Context Ethical Leader Ethical Thinking Imagine walking for hours toward the distant horizon. No matter how fast or how far you walk, the horizon will always be out there, some distance away from you. No matter how far we go, we never "arrive.". MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton The graphics at the links below tell the story of the future of responsible leadership. They describe the kind of leadership that is respectful, caring and ethically aware. This is the positive leadership that engages employees in meaningful work and helps builds an ethical culture. My hope is that you will share this story with your leadership team and plan now for the future, using the questions that follow. MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton This collection from reader favorites on the Leading in Context Blog will help you explore the scope and dimensions of today''s ethical leadership. As you will see, ethical leadership requires much more than following laws and regulations. Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton If we are leading others, we need to be asking the questions of leadership - about our motivation, our authenticity and our ethics. Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking 7 Lenses CSR ethical leadership ethics Leadership leadership development MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton Leaders set the tone for how ethical values are applied. for them to talk about ethical values and model what they look like in action. They must also fiercely protect the ethics of their organizations. They are the caretakers of ethical culture. Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 lenses of ethical leadership ethical culture ethical leadership Leadership leading ethically in organizations what is ethical culture MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton CEOs are in a unique position to make ethics a priority through their everyday actions, but simply modeling ethics isn''t nearly enough. Here is a starting list of 5 actions CEOs can take that move organizations toward an ethical culture. Ethical Organization ethical culture ethical leadership ethical leadership context ethical leadership development ethical leadership in a global society MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton What do Deloitte, Strategy & PwC, Dow Jones, The Ethics Resource Center and LRN have to say about trends in business ethics? Get ready for some good news: Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Trends 7 Lenses business ethics ethical leadership ethical trends ethics blogs proactive ethical leadership MORE