What does it mean to “do the right thing”? Why do people disagree widely about what ethical leadership looks like in action? These questions have been the focus of leadership author Linda Fisher Thornton’s research and writing since 2009. There are hundreds or even thousands of different ways to interpret ethical leadership and the array of varying definitions muddies the water.
Imagine you are a leader who wants to understand the complexity of doing the right thing. You want to make good ethical decisions so you can become a role model for others. Where will you turn for practical guidance?
Thornton will describe the “murky uncertainty” about ethics that led her to focus on decoding ethical leadership. She will share practical insights from her research and her book 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership. Leaders need a new way to “see” ethical issues and constituents to make good decisions. It may be easier to make a decision when we ignore the complexity of an issue, but those “shortcut” decisions are often unethical. Thornton’s 7 Lenses provide a kaleidoscopic perspective on the complexity of ethical responsibility and an eye-opening picture of what it means to “do the right thing.”