- ISBN13: 9780132349864
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
“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 produc… More >>
Moral Intelligence: Enhancing Business Performance and Leadership Success
Tags: Business, Enhancing, Intelligence, Leadership, Moral, Performance, Success
#1 by Craig Matteson on April 6, 2010 - 2:03 pm
One of my arguments about the nineties’ bubble and the crooked management at some big name companies is that they were hired by crooked shareholders. Shareholders wanted to believe they could get 30% returns easily and forever and they hired management who would not only tell them they could deliver on that lie, they lied to deliver it.
This book, however, is not my cup of chowder. It is very soft, full of illustrative but unconvincing anecdotes, and provides nothing concrete. There is encouragement and fuzzy notions about community and so forth. But this isn’t business. It may be marketing, and positioning in the PC political world. It may even represent the way some folks actually feel and behave, but there is nothing in this book you can use as a real tool or measurable yardstick. Some folks will make claims about their own moral superiority, but it can’t be demonstrated in any objective way.
There are a few decent worksheets to help you think through your own moral compass, but I don’t find them all that impressive. One of the worst things in the book was the notion that all cultures and belief systems end up encouraging the same values and that demonstrates how people behave unless they are corrupted. That is hogwash. One reason honesty, fair dealing, integrity, responsibility, and fidelity are always emphasized is that we humans are quite willing to be dishonest, unfaithful, irresponsible, and so forth. We need to be reminded and taught the right ways to behave. And we often need to have penalties imposed if we choose not to conform.
This book may sell well. Certainly, the notion of emotional intelligence appeals to some. I have no idea why. This book is similarly weak, in my view. But if you like EQ and believe in it, then this will probably be a good book for you, as well.
However, I think a simple notion of being honest, responsible, and faithful stewards is sufficient and that rewarding those who exhibit those behaviors and not working with those who do not is simpler and sufficient.
Rating: 1 / 5
#2 by F. Lawless on April 6, 2010 - 3:29 pm
bought this book for a class at nearly half of what my bookstore was selling it for. i’ve read parts of it, and it’s not bad, as far as ethics textbooks go. the purchasing process was simple. no problems at all.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by Manuel W. Padro on April 6, 2010 - 5:49 pm
If your looking to increase your personal level of joy and harmony in life, implement the teachings of the 3 frames in this book.
Manny Padro Salt Lake City, Utah
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by John Matlock on April 6, 2010 - 7:07 pm
There are always choices that are faced in business, in families, and in the world and it often appears that the bad behaviour will pay undue dividends when compared to taking a higher ground. This seems particularly true right now with the Muslim Jihads being countered by the prison at Guantanamo and the Patriot’s Act. Behind the taking of life, the loss of dreams, possibilities, and spirit affects those caught in the web, and it affects us all. Most of us know right from wrong, but we are captured, hopefully just for the moment by a sense of urgency, of revenge.
In this book the authors present a case for individuals and for businesses to maintain the highest level of morality. They define a Moral Intelligence as the ability to differentiage right from wrong as defined by universal principles. Their specialty is the business world, and they use numerous examples of where doing the moral thing was the right thing from both a moral and a business standpoint. Their teachings though carry forth into our lives outside the business world. They can help our home lives, they can help our communities, and they certainly could help our Government.
This is not a complex book, but it kind of brings us back home in a sense. Following a set of precepts like this gives a foundation to ones life that makes many otherwise difficult decisions quite easy. Highly Recommended! It’s not that big a book, nor is it that expensive, it can help in a lot of ways.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by K. Johnson on April 6, 2010 - 9:35 pm
Based upon the current corporate and political climate in the USA,
many probably agree that books like these are important and
necessary. But is society any different today in certain respects
than it was say, 2000 years ago? Humans are human. Always have
been, always will be.
As for a “moral compass” discussed in this book, we can simply
look at the actions of individuals, corporations, and governments
dating back before Roman times, to today. The concept and discussion
of morality and ethics go back thousands of years. Yet it is of
course, no less important today. Currently, ethical concepts are
taught and discussed in business, MBA, and law programs. These
programs have to most dishonest students of all departments
at universities in the USA, in study after study. Some of
these students will become influential members of our society
in the future.
It must be noted that many parts of the world at times completely
lack a “moral compass.” Corruption, dishonesty, and out-right theft
are the basic functional foundations in many nations of the world.
The United States has its flaws, but is way ahead of hundreds of
other nations when it comes to business moral and ethics.
(Admittedly, due in part by the existence of laws and regulations).
Yet a lack of this morality has a deleterious economic impact upon
many countries of the world. Another point that is central to the
concept of business morality is: thinking long-term. Not the myopic,
short-term business horizon where someone cheats or cuts corners to
gain a small amount in the short term, but loses potentially much
greater gains over the long term. South East Asia is notorious for
this short-sighted thinking and behaviour at all levels of society
and business.
This mentality can change. It will take time, education, awareness,
and the realization of the positives. Once those in business realize
the benefits of being honest and ethical, they often (but not always)
change their business practices. This is simply, Common Sense.
Author Doug Lennick and Fred Kiel categorize this book into three
portions: Overview, Developing Moral Skills, and Moral Leadership.
In addition there are four concepts noted for moral leadership:
Integrity, Responsibility, Compassion, and Forgiveness.
Several real-life examples are presented in this book.
Citing the innateness morality is mostly, idealism. Doing something
“because it’s the right thing to do” does seem a bit idealistic. This
OK. But we must recognize it for what it is.
It takes an ethical upbringing *and* laws and regulations to keep
people and organizations in line.
History tells us the answer. Humans are humans. And no, I’m not a
Hobbesian. :)
Rating: 5 / 5