Artificial intelligence (AI) is already here. At least in a most basic form. Jobs previously doable only by people can now be automated and the trend keeps accelerating. What passes as thinking machines are replacing human tasks and jobs. They are altering the skills organisations want from their people. […]
Tag: courage
Seven lessons for ethical leaders from Unilever’s recent nasty experience
In some ways it was a classic case of angels versus the bad guys. On one side was Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever—long admired as the closest you get to being an ethical leader while running a huge multi-national. On the other side, a well-resourced group of ruthless deal makers, […]
Profits, performance and ethics: ready for the coming convergence?
“Top executives need to be paid a lot to be willing to do their demanding role. Company performance depends almost entirely on the top leadership’s capability. Ethics doesn’t pay, what matters is short term rewards for stakeholders.” These three widely used assertions about business sound increasingly threadbare, unsupported by credible […]
Speak up, or fail as a leader!
Leaders sometimes speak up. Ethical business leaders most definitely speak up, though not enough do. A sure way to fail as a leader in today’s demanding corporate environment is to keep quiet when you should be doing the opposite. Speak up about what though? How far should progressive business leaders […]
Has technology corrupted leadership?
By Andre van Heerden Our dependency on technology keeps growing. Yet no one seems to understand or control it. This makes us feel powerless and victimised: “We find it more and more difficult to achieve a sense of continuity, permanence, or connection with the world around us.” The Culture of […]
Influence: The Fourth Pillar of ethical leadership in business
This is the fourth in the series on the five pillars of ethical leadership in business Influence The fourth pillar is about Influence. Basically this prompts leaders to ask about any particular ethical concern:[spacer height=”20px”] How can we influence through our ethical actions?” [spacer height=”20px”] In answering this, leaders seek to […]
Commitment–the first pillar of ethical leadership in business
Commitment The first pillar is an essential starting point for any leader wanting to get to grips with ethics in business. This pillar requires you to show a wholehearted and public sharing of your ethical position. Only through a personal willingness to fully engage, can you expect to make an […]