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

By Linda Fisher Thornton I was originally going to used the words "ethics-infused leadership" in this post, but I realized that would treat ethics a little bit like a lime twist in a cold drink. So I chose to use "ethics-rich" leadership instead. I think you may already be looking for the ethics-rich leadership I'm talking about. . 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

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethical leadership is evolving, and expectations are increasing. As we go into the New Year, here are some questions we should be considering: Context Ethical Leader Ethical Thinking 7 Lenses ethical ethical leadership ethical leadership context ethics ethics and complexity leading ethically what is ethical leadership MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton Ethics and detachment don't mix well. In fact, combining high ethical expectations with an aloof stance can lead to trouble. Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 Lenses ethical leadership development learning ethics positive ethical leadership positive ethics MORE

Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking Trends ethical leadership ethical thinking ethics leadership skills thinking context vertical leadership developmentBy Linda Fisher Thornton Using the commonly-taught types of thinking is very useful in life, and helps us be better professionals and business people. But there's a catch. 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

By Linda Fisher Thornton Leadership is not a position or a task. It is a complex array of roles, relationships and processes, and yet we use one term, "leadership," to talk about it. What Then is Leadership? Complexity Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking 7 lenses of ethical leadership ethical leadership ethical leadership development ethical thinking ethics Leadership leadership development what is ethical leadership 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 Ethics has a compounding effect on culture, and our leadership choices determine whether that effect will be positive or negative. Being diligent about ethics in every decision brings the culture ethics dividends. Being careless about ethics brings ethics penalties. The tricky part about managing ethical culture is that every leader decision and action throughout the organization is changing the equation. 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

Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking Trends 7 Lenses of ethical responsibility ethical leader ethical leadership ethical thinker ethical thinking thinking ethicallyBy Linda Fisher Thornton We all need better ways to deal with difficult situations. Thinking on autopilot won't guide us through the grey areas. MORE

By Linda Fisher ThorntonMSJ-160130-08 This week Leaderonomics.com published "Understanding and Preventing Ethical Leadership Failures" as its Hard Talk Leadership Pick of the Week. This article explores ethical failures and their individual and organizational causes. It answers these leadership questions: What are the intentional and unintentional causes of ethical failures? What do you do when a senior leader isn't meeting ethical expectations? MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton We are expected to make ethical decisions in a rapidly changing global society, where there is increasing awareness of what "ethical" means. The question of where ethics is headed has been the focus of my research over the last four years. I have learned that to be considered ethical, we must consider more constituents, honor more dimensions of ethics, and lead ethically through higher levels of complexity. 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 is the first post in a special series focused on Why Ethical Thinking Matters. Ethical thinking drives ethical choices and behavior. I believe that leadership development efforts must address the values-based thinking behind good leadership, or it will not lead to good leadership. By Linda Fisher Thornton To celebrate 7 Lenses going into its second printing (big news!), 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

Obviously, ethical decisions must be based on better thinking than "RUN" and "HIT THEM FIRST." Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking CSR ethical leadership ethical leadership development ethical thinking ethics and culture leadership development thinking MORE

These four ways to Change the Ethics Quo (For Good) focus on MANAGING THE SYSTEM. Complexity Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 Lenses ethical context ethical leader what is ethical leadershipBy Linda Fisher Thortnton The first post in this series addressed ACCOUNTABILITY. The second asked you to evaluate your IMPACT. MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton To celebrate 7 Lenses going into its second printing, this is the third post in a special series focused on Why Ethical Thinking Matters. In case you missed them, take a look at Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 1) and Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 2). You may already realize that ethical thinking is important, and if you do, I ask you to spread the word. MORE

I wonder what values are at the center of that kind of leadership? Context Ethical Leader Ethical Thinking 7 lenses of ethical leadership business ethics what is an ethical leaderBy Linda Fisher Thornton I was noticing how many drivers seem to be in a hurry, and I realized that some people are rushing so quickly that they don't stop to consider their impact on others (on the road or elsewhere). MORE

Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking 7 lenses of ethical leadership business ethics blogs complexity and ethics ethical leadership behavior ethical thinking Leadership leadership contextBy Linda Fisher Thornton In a previous post, I addressed some of the risks of not taking time to THINK before making decisions. MORE

T HE BOTTOM LINE is that there is no “good leadership” without ethical thinking. The thinking that powers leadership choices must be grounded in ethical values or the impact on important constituents will be overlooked. 7 Lenses™ of Ethical Responsibility. MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton When we think about ethical leadership as a performance system, we get a higher level view of what it takes to develop ethical leaders. This graphic shows what an integrated ethical leadership performance management system might look like. Ethical Organization Trends ethical leadership ethical performance ethical performance management ethics what is ethical leadership MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton I am delighted that Shane Green, author of Culture Hacker, invited me to be a guest on his podcast to talk about ethical leadership and culture. As leaders, it's our job to make it an engaging, ethical, high-trust environment where people can do the very best work of their lives. Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization culture building ethical brand value ethical business culture ethical culture what is ethical leadership MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton This week I'm looking at what it means to be a "smart" leader through the 7 Lenses (introduced in the book 7 Lenses) to get the full ethical context. Take note: You can do this with any idea, concept or project to better understand the ethical nuances. Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking Trends 7 Lenses 7 lenses book ethical leadership ethical leadership development ethical thinking Leadership leadership development MORE

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. I included this guidance on ethical thinking in a previous post: Ethical thinking means we never lose sight of our positive purpose. Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking 7 lenses of ethical leadership business ethics ethical leadership values leadership values MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton This week Realizing Leadership: Everyday Leaders Changing Our World published a cover story interview with Laurie Wilhelm. We talked about what ethical leadership really means, how ethics and trust are related, and how leaders can learn to be more ethical from wherever they are. Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 Lenses ethical ethical leadership context ethics Leadership seven lenses what is ethical leadership MORE

It is simultaneously a burden and an opportunity for us as leaders to model ethical behavior. It is a burden in that we must work hard to ensure that we are using the highest ethics. it is an opportunity in that by using ethical behavior brings out the best in us and those we lead. Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 Lenses ethical ethical business leadership ethical leadership in organizations leadership skills Responsible Leadership 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

These four ways to Change the Ethics Quo (For Good) focus on MANAGING THE SYSTEM. Complexity Ethical Leader Ethical Organization 7 Lenses ethical context ethical leader what is ethical leadershipBy Linda Fisher Thortnton The first post in this series addressed ACCOUNTABILITY. The second asked you to evaluate your IMPACT. 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

By Linda Fisher Thornton To celebrate 7 Lenses going into its second printing, this is the fourth post in a special series focused on Why Ethical Thinking Matters. In case you missed them, here are the previous posts in the series: Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 1),Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 2),and Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part […]. MORE

In the UNESCO report "The Media: Operation Decontamination," Aidan White notes that "Today, it’s not just journalists who need to watch their language and show respect for the facts; everyone with something to say in the public information sphere needs to show some ethical restraint." Today, I'm sharing resources for understanding the ethical responsibilities of media leadership. There are many variables complicating media ethics. 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 To celebrate 7 Lenses going into its second printing, this is the second post in a special series focused on Why Ethical Thinking Matters. In case you missed it, last week's post was Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 1). . Complexity Context Ethical Leader Ethical Organization Ethical Thinking Trends ethical leadership development ethical leadership model ethical thinking ethical thinking model ethical thinking skills MORE

By Linda Fisher Thornton By Linda Fisher Thornton It's easy to understand that ethics has various "requirements." What isn't as obvious is that it takes effort on all of them to maintain the ethical well-being of people and organizations. Just as we need to eat from a variety of food groups to get balanced nutrition, we need to honor more than one ethical dimension to get balanced ethics. 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 To celebrate 7 Lenses going into its second printing, this is the fifth post in a special series focused on Why Ethical Thinking Matters. In case you missed them, take a look at Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 1), Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 2), Why Ethical Thinking Matters (Part 3) and Why Ethical Matters (Part 4). MORE