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The State of Moral Leadership in Business 2026

The 2026 State of Moral Leadership in Business report is the latest in an ongoing study that measures “the how” of leadership. The new report finds the demand for moral leadership among U.S. workers is at an all-time high. In fact, 94% of employees believe the need for moral leadership is more urgent than ever, up from 86% in 2020. Yet only 6% of CEOs and 9% of managers consistently demonstrate behaviors associated with top-tier moral leadership.

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AILeadershipTechnologyTom Friedman Column

Let’s Not Move Fast with A.I. and Break Things

Let’s face it, we did not understand how much social networks would be used to undermine the twin pillars of any free society — truth and trust. So if we approach generative A.I. just as heedlessly — if we again go along with Mark Zuckerberg’s reckless mantra at the dawn of social networks, “move fast and break things” — oh, baby, we are going to break things faster, harder and deeper than anyone can imagine.

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Tom Friedman Column
One World signage

We Are Opening the Lids on Two Giant Pandora’s Boxes

Let’s face it, we did not understand how much social networks would be used to undermine the twin pillars of any free society — truth and trust. So if we approach generative A.I. just as heedlessly — if we again go along with Mark Zuckerberg’s reckless mantra at the dawn of social networks, “move fast and break things” — oh, baby, we are going to break things faster, harder and deeper than anyone can imagine

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AIBehaviorCapitalismCommunityCultureEconomyFrameworksHumanityInnovationJourneysLeadershipMetricsMission and PurposeTechnologyTrustValues

Why We Need Moral Leadership Now More than Ever?

Human systems can’t function without formal authority, whether it’s the President of the US, a CEO or a school principal, but what makes organizations really work is when leaders occupying those formal positions have moral authority too. While formal authority can be seized, won, or bestowed; moral authority must be earned by who you are and how you lead.

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Tom Friedman Column
man wearing Donald Trump mask standing in front of White House

Trump’s Not Superman. He’s Superspreader.

The big things Trump got wrong were twofold. The first was how to lead in a pandemic. The quality of our leadership in general is always a serious business, but in a pandemic, it becomes a matter of life or death. Leaders at every level — teachers, scientists, principals, presidents, school superintendents, hospital directors, C.E.O.s, mayors, governors, media, parents — are all being looked to for direction today more than ever because so many people feel disoriented and unmoored.

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CrisisLeadership
red and black abstract art

Why the coronavirus crisis makes moral leadership more important than ever

The coronavirus pandemic has created a moral crisis, in which we face profound dilemmas and painful tradeoffs—even the ultimate tradeoff between saving lives and returning to normalcy. Only one kind of leadership can successfully respond to a moral crisis: moral leadership. It’s especially in times of crisis that people naturally look to authority for truthful answers, wise guidance, courageous action, and hope.

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Trust

Trust me, It’s Time to Fill the Certainty Gap

The global economy has been paralyzed by a widespread lack of certainty -- about the value of assets, the trustworthiness of borrowers and the outlook for the economy as a whole. I call this the Certainty Gap.

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InspirationLeadershipWAVE
CBS News

How Great Leaders Motivate Through Inspiration

On October 15, 1981, professional cheerleader Krazy George Henderson realized a vision for an unbroken wave of human energy, which would give his team a sustained competitive advantage. In a playoff game between the Oakland As and the New York Yankees, he inspired more than 40,000 fans to join together, rise out of their chairs in unison, throw their arms up in the air and lend their voices to one, thunderous and perpetual cheer.

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BehaviorCapitalismEconomyLeadershipSocietyTrust

Activist employees: A price worth paying

When employees go public with objections to the perceived moral shortcomings of their companies, most executives react with a sigh of relief — glad it wasn’t their company. In the past year, employees at organizations ranging from Google and Amazon to Deloitte and McKinsey have protested the handling of sexual harassment allegations and petitioned management to stop working with customers that they consider unethical, immoral, or damaging to society.