What makes Goodness so compelling today?

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Two weeks ago, I asked for your help in articulating what “goodness in leadership and business” means.  After 116 blog posts requesting your comments, the replies to the Goodness request broke all previous records, jamming my inbox.  Today, I’m pleased to share some of what is brewing…

First, here is the context: recently I gave a speech to a powerful group of executives in an industry robed in skepticism. They routinely feel caught between customers who trust them personally, but are tired of front page industry shenanigans. (And that was BEFORE the Facebook IPO!)  Following the meeting, several people said they were moved by my comments about our obligation to ‘radiate goodness.’ One person shook my hand and said: “you rocked my soul.”  It happened so fast I didn’t get to ask, “why?”  So, I asked you and here is the summary of your responses:

Goodness in leadership and business is compelling when followers see and feel these four concepts alive in thoughts, words and actions: excellence, generosity, fairness and consistency. Here are the words you provided, both synonyms and antonyms:

Excellence — Synonyms: doing things well, skillfully, personally setting a high standard.  Antonyms: cutting corners, doing just enough to get by.

Generosity — Synonyms: external orientation, thinking more about customers and employees than self, giving time and money to those less fortunate, always staying positive.  Antonyms: selfish, stingy, guarded with one’s time.

Fairness — Synonyms: honesty, transparency, clear about expectations, striving to find dignity for all people in tough situations.  Antonyms: favoritism, misrepresentation, avoiding conflict.

Consistency — Synonyms: strong, dependable, reliable, candid, setting a good example.  Antonyms: weak, unpredictable, moody.

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Good Leaders embrace the idea that followers are motivated by the inherent goodness of their leadership: they set the example for excellence, generosity, fairness and consistency in their presence.

Drop me a note: what do you think of how our tribe has defined ‘goodness in leadership and business?’

In the coming weeks, I will dive deeper into these four concepts, and ask you to nominate leaders who radiate goodness.  Seize the day![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]