You might have formal authority, but do you have “legitimacy?” Legitimacy is one of the things that separates a good leader from an exceptionally effective one. As per a recent article in Harvard Business Review: “A legitimate leader engenders good will and a feeling of personal connection with followers. . . (Leaders) who enjoy legitimacy can motivate loyalty and … [Read more...] about Build Your Leadership Legitimacy
Ethics
Courageous Leadership
Many people still have an outdated idea of what “courage” looks like as a leader. Some of the “old school” ideas of courage include being a “tough guy” (and they mean it in a masculine way) who takes lots of risks, has all the answers, and pursues HIS plan no matter what. Fortunately, more updated ideas of “courage” are emerging – and some of them are discussed in a … [Read more...] about Courageous Leadership
Voice Your Values
The news today is filled with lines being drawn in the sand. While few of us face the terrible decisions our world’s leaders must face, we do all face our own “line in the sand”: witnessing unethical behavior at work. Over the course of teaching ethics in the past seven years, I’ve relied on the work of Mary Gentile, recently retired from the Darden School, and her … [Read more...] about Voice Your Values
Dr. King: “Do What Is Right”
We all know about Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, but here is a lesser known quote that can help guide us: “Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?' But, conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is … [Read more...] about Dr. King: “Do What Is Right”
Creating Your Ethical Laboratory
Most organizations are interested in developing an ethical workforce for a wide variety of reasons – from basic compliance concerns to performance issues. In a recent issue of Harvard Business Review, an article suggests that our development as ethical leaders is a lifelong evolution. Organizations can be very intentional about fostering that continuing development in a … [Read more...] about Creating Your Ethical Laboratory