Moral Intelligence: Enhancing Business Performance and Leadership Success

by Doug Lennick, Fred Kiel

"The authors offer a timely, important, and practical personal guidance system that anyone in the business world would do well to adopt. The world of business would be vastly improved if Moral Intelligence became required reading."-Daniel Goleman, Author of "Emotional Intelligence" "Lennick and Kiel are consulting masters who guide us the way they live-with moral intelligence. They prove that you don't have to sacrifice your soul to lead productively."-Richard J. Leider, Founder, The Inventure Group and bestselling Author of "Repacking Your Bags "and "The Power of Purpose" "We live in an increasingly competitive and global world. Increasingly, 'the end justifies the means.' This often results in the loss of our moral compass. Lennick and Kiel show usthat the truly great business leaders never sacrifice moral integrity for financial goals and that maintaining the highest ethical standards is not only the 'right' thing to do, it produces the best companies and the best results."-Paul Fribourg, CEO of Conti-Group Companies and Chairman, Lauder Institute, Wharton Business School ""Moral Intelligence "demonstrates compellingly that doing what is right morally and doing what is right for your business are inseparable. Lennick and Kiel cite numerous business cases where the moral decision was also the smartest strategic decision. Importantly, they provide practical advice and exercises to help readers assess and strengthen their own moral competence and effectiveness as leaders. For CEOs and other decision makers, Moral Intelligence makes good business sense."-Dick Harrington, CEO of The Thomson Corporation "It should be obvious by now-our private enterprise system needs to revisit its role in our society. The questions What changes are in order and how can they be achieved? "Moral Intelligence "addresses these questions and provides tools to implement the answers."-Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr., President/CEO-Hallmark Cards, Inc. (Ret.) "Moral Intelligence is the foundation of moral authority, which alone enables formal authority to work-sustainable over time. This conscience-challenging book drills deep into both the science and the practical how-tos in building universal principle-centered values into our lives and cultures. A motivating and inspiring read!"-Dr. Stephen R. Covey, Author, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People "and "The 8th From Effectiveness to Greatness" ""Moral Intelligence "is excellent reading for new entrants to the business world as well as experienced managers. I found numerous examples that were right on point with actual events that I have experienced in over 40 years of managing. It was also helpful to have the topics presented in the context of current events that hold the readers' interest. This book should be on the reading list of every student regardless of their career choice."-Larry Pinnt, Chairman, Cascade Natural Gas "At a time when capitalism faces questions of legitimacy brought on by poor leadership behaviors, this book provides a healthy way of thinking of the internal compass that can avoid corporate atrocities."-Mike McGavick, CEO & Chairman of Safeco Corporation "This book identifies the traits which identify value-oriented corporate leaders and provides a practical primer to a business person to identify and emulate these critical traits. It is essential reading for anyone who believes that this is the way the world is going."-Mike Phillips, Chairman, Russell Investment Group "In their new book, Doug Lennick and Fred Kiel bring to the business world a much needed moral guidance system. Given the worldwide erosion of trust in American business, the authors' user-friendly tools and concepts arrive not a moment too soon."-Keith Reinhard, Chairman, DDB Worldwide and President, Business forDiplomatic Action www.moralcompass.com This new, paperback version contains a new Epilogue with updated information on many of the companies and case studies discussed in the original hardback version. There is a powerful correlation between strong moral principles and business success. In this book, two globally respected leadership experts illuminate that connection, define the specific competencies that comprise "moral intelligence," and show exactly how to promote it throughout your organization. Drawing on extensive original research, Doug Lennick and Fred Kiel demonstrate how the best performing companies have leaders with a strong moral compass "and the ability to follow it"-even in a world that may reward bad behavior in the short run. Lennick and Kiel identify and help you build the moral skills leaders need most, including integrity, responsibility, compassion, and forgiveness. They offer realistic guidance on being a moral leader in both large organizations and entrepreneurial guidance reflecting decades of experience coaching executives at the very highest levels. "Moral Intelligence "also introduces the breakthrough Moral Competency Inventory (MCI): an indispensable m...

Genres: Business, Leadership, Self Help, Management

Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Wong]

Moral Intelligence is as important as cognitive and emotional intelligence

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could’ve been at least 100 pages shorter and been a “good stuff version”. As it stands it’s repetitive, dull, and not particularly insightful. That being said there’s nothing objectionable about it except that it’s like most self help books: it’s only helpful in that it reinforces what you already think. This book will not change your life, but it’ll make you feel smarter about the way you’re already trying to live it.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moral Intelligence speaks to a core set of values that leaders should have and how to align their professional goals with their morality in order to be more successful. It was a bit repetitive at parts - I was disappointed that it didn't provide more practical ways to integrate the values into your professional self - but it did provide many anecdotes of how highly successful CEO's and other leaders in the business world found and used integrity, responsibility, compassion, and forgiveness in their rise to the top .. and continue to use them today. Although some of the ideas in the book may seem like common sense, it definitely made me take a step back and evaluate my professional self and think critically about how to reach my ideal professional self.

There is also a Moral Competency Inventory at the end to help the reader scale their moral strengths and weaknesses based on the core values that the authors presented in the book.

[Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid book that discussed having moral intelligence in business. It basically means doing the right thing in all your business decisions. The four key principles the book encourages us all to strive for are the following:

*Integrity
*Responsibility
*Compassion
*Forgiveness

I have much to do to gain true Moral Intelligence in my personal and work life, but I will continually strive to do the right thing. It definitely pays off in the long run. A worthwhile read.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

While most of the concepts are common sense, the book is great because it forces you to think about yourself and your values, goals, etc. It gives a good framework to help focus your professional and personal life and has great suggestions for leader-constituent interactions.

[gramakri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A landmark book in which the authors have put forward convincing arguments that business and ethics do go well together. It is a moral science lesson for the business leaders. A MUST READ !
More details about this book at
http://bookwormsrecos.blogspot.in/201...

[John Lawless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book...

[Michael Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought-provoking stuff presented in a very accessible fashion.

[Ivory · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and inspiring book.