This document discusses preparing organizational leaders for an uncertain future. It notes that leaders will shape the future success of their organizations by removing obstacles, mentoring employees, and solving complex problems. However, organizations may only prepare leaders to handle current challenges, leaving them unready for future changes. To assess leadership readiness, the document poses three questions: Are leaders capable of handling complex work and making ethical decisions? Are they clear on ethical leadership requirements? And do they bring out the best in their teams through positive values and trust? It concludes that leaders face increasing complexity and information overload, so organizations must prioritize helping them be ready for an ethical leadership role in the future.

1. Three Questions – Are Our Leaders
Ready For The Future?
By Linda Fisher Thornton
Our future success is in the hands of our leaders. They will
be the ones to notice and remove roadblocks, mentor
employees and foresee future opportunities. They will be
the ones to tackle the seemingly unsolvable problems of
the future. Are they ready?
“Your organization’s future success depends on
identifying and developing the next generation of its
leaders.”
Harrison Monarth, “Evaluate Your Leadership
Development Program,” HBR.org, January 22, 2015
Do they know how to think through complexity? Can they
deal with it effectively while also making ethical decisions?
Organizations may prepare leaders to handle the
challenges they face now, but that approach leaves
them behind the curve of change.
These three questions will help you consider how ready
your leaders are for the future:
Three Questions– Are Our Leaders
Ready For The Future?
1. Are leaders capable of handling the complexity of work life and meeting ethical expectations?
If so, how can we build on what they know in mentoring leaders across the organization?
If not, is our approach to leadership development too oversimplified to be helpful?
2. Are leaders crystal clear about what ethical leadership requires of them in a global society?
If so, how are we sharing that knowledge at every level?
If not, is our ethical leadership information too vague to be actionable?
3. Are leaders bringing out the best in those they lead by leading with positive values and building
trust?
If so, how can customers, partners, suppliers & other stakeholders benefit from what we’ve
learned?
If not, how can we intentionally build a high-trust culture where people can do their best work?

2. Your leaders face information overload, globalization and increasing complexity. And they hold the key to
your organization’s future. Make it a priority to help them be ready.
Prepare Leaders For Ethical Leadership Future.
7 Lenses is a positive solution – providing 7 Lenses and 14 Guiding
Principles for leading responsibly in a complex world (Foreword by Stephen
M. R. Covey)
LeadinginContext.com
Unleash the Positive Power of Ethical Leadership™
©2015 Leading in Context LLC