Every day in all of our roles, who we are and how we show up makes a difference in how well we execute our roles, how others are impacted and how we create good and bad narratives about ourselves. Who we are has many complexities but is essentially made up of our personality characteristics, attitudes,…
Childhood lessons can help you make the most ethical decisions as an adult. Q: I need to write a report for the investors of a privately held company. My boss asked me to “do some creative accounting” to make it look like the company made a profit. Any advice? – Concerned worker A: When faced…
Q: When dealing with an ethical dilemma in my organization, should I gain input from others first? A: I would highly suggest gaining additional insight from a variety of organizational stakeholders before making any ethical decision. My father gave me excellent advice years ago: You must seek and consider all sides of an argument in…
Q: How can we grow and maintain our culture? We have a strong company culture. We are growing regionally. How do we grow and stay who we are? A: Culture is sometimes referred to as the soul, character, or personality of the organization. It is a system of shared values, meaning, and behavioral norms or…
Perhaps the most important caveat is to avoid making excuses. Q: How do companies that have shown consistent declines communicate positive messages that don’t feel hollow both internally and externally? A: The messaging will be distinctly different if market changes primarily caused the decline than if there have been failed initiatives by management. Only after…
Managers can serve their employees as a positive guiding influence, or they can function as a source of disengagement and unethical behavior. Q: Should managers be accountable for unethical behavior of their employees? A: While I don’t think managers can or should be held personally liable for independent unethical actions of their subordinates, I do…
Businesses Need To Nurture Leaders Who Know The Right Thing To Do — And Do It Companies need to cultivate “moral champions” – employees who defend key values within the organization. Companies also need to weed out “moral sinners and neutrals” – employees who know right from wrong but don’t act on it. Businesses should…
What makes a “good” or “principled” leader? This question has occupied philosophers, scholars, and practitioners for centuries, and it is not likely that even five books will scratch the surface of the complexity of this question. Nevertheless, we have to start somewhere! I take a strategic approach to this question, one that synthesizes these centuries…
Q: How do leaders find satisfaction in each workday and create an environment conducive to employee satisfaction? A: When employees feel they are secure in their basic needs and wants, they aspire to a sense of shared governance with the leader. This recognition of their time, energy and effort produces a state of contentment, possibly…
There are more options than you might expect for leaders looking to improve their game. Q: When you are the boss, where do you go for coaching? A: There are more options than you might expect for leaders looking to improve their game. Assessments, peer circles and one-on-one coaching all can be valuable resources to…
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