The Ethics Advantage #69: Self-mastery, self-responsibility, self-direction

What do emotional vs. behavioral conflict, our sense of direction, and a room full of CEOs have in common?

Read on to discover insights into individual nature, leadership dynamics, and practical steps to attain moral clarity.

In this issue:

• The Ethical Lexicon #68
• Vistage vantage points
• Program you internal GPS

Enjoy!

??The first and most dangerous enemy of ethics is rationalization.

It’s one thing we’re all really good at, which makes resisting it an ongoing challenge in our efforts to live ethical lives.

On some level, we know we should change our attitudes in order to improve our behavior.?But that’s usually a losing battle.?Far more effective is committing ourselves to modify our behavior in order to transform our attitudes.

There’s a name for what makes this work.?And it’s this week’s entry into the Ethical Lexicon:

Cognitive Dissonance

The psychological discomfort felt when behavior does not conform with values, feelings, or beliefs.

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??P.T. Barnum famously said, "I don't care what they write about me as long as they spell my name right."In our compulsively attention-seeking society, it's gratifying and encouraging to hear that people are not just talking about you but have found enduring value in your message.

When leaders focus on how to raise the bar, promote accountability, and contribute to building a better world -- rather than on the shortcomings of opponents or competitors -- they set an example that inspires all of us to expect more from ourselves than we expect from others.

I couldn't be more pleased to learn how the CEOs I spoke with this week took my message of ethical leadership to heart and how, even after I had gone, they continued the conversation about building a better business on a foundation of ethical awareness.

It was delightful how receptive and enthusiastic these leaders were about integrating aspirational ideals into a successful business model. I learned from them even as they were learning from me, and the discussions were both insightful and reflective.

Many thanks to Steven Smith for inviting me to present before his #Vistage groups. I look forward to more opportunities to spread the gospel of enlightened leadership promoting a healthy and vibrant company culture.

And thank you to Vistage Worldwide, Inc. for providing the framework that supports such a visionary and supportive community.

??It’s gotten better in recent years. But there was a time when driving in Israel could be reasonably described as a near-death experience.

For visitors from abroad, Israeli roadways could be downright terrifying. And the adventure was made all the more stressful if you were trying to find your way along unfamiliar boulevards while positioning your unfamiliar rental car to make quick turns with little notice.

Thank heaven for Waze.?I just plugged in my destination, followed the directions, and voila!

Then something strange happened.?

#ethics #leadership #culture #perspective #accountability