Ethical Thinking is Multidimensional

Ethical Thinking is Intentional and Multidimensional

Our brains take shortcuts to save us time. We know this happens. If it didn’t, we’d have to re-learn to drive every time we left for work. But, how can we be sure that we’re thinking things through carefully and not just reacting on autopilot to the crisis of the moment?

Is our thinking on autopilot? Is that autopilot programmed to make ethical decisions?

In the process of writing my leadership book, 7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership, I created a clear framework for learning to be an ethical leader. This framework replaces our autopilot (that will take us “who-knows-where”) with an intentional values-based thinking process. It is based on some powerful ideas and unanswered questions that will change how you think about leadership and learning. Why do even ethics experts disagree about what ethical leadership means? What is the bigger picture that we should be using as our leadership road map? What are the business benefits of intentionally using high-level ethical leadership? The leadership described in the answers to these questions is not oversimplified or one-dimensional. It is the multidimensional leadership we need for successful organizations, thriving communities and a better world.

The 7 Dimensions of Ethical Responsibility

Profit: Making money responsibly.
Law: Complying with laws and regulations.
Character: Staying grounded in integrity and moral values.
People: Respecting and caring about people.
Communities: Building thriving communities.
Planet: Respecting nature and leading sustainably.
Greater Good: Making the world better for future generations.

We must think beyond ourselves in all of these dimensions to make intentional, ethical choices. How many different ways do we need to think about ethical responsibility? These 7 dimensions give us the full spectrum of what thinking beyond ourselves means in a global society.

This post is an excerpt from What Ethical Leaders Believe: A Leading in Context Manifesto by Linda Fisher Thornton.