DMNSF – April 29

You are invited to a luncheon presentation of the Des Moines National Security Forum.

In this presentation of the forum, Trent J. Lythgoe, Ph.D., an associate professor of military leadership and the Fox Conner Chair for Leadership Studies at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, will discuss building ethical organizations. Although a leader’s personal integrity and ethical example matter, they are not enough to create an ethical organization. Leaders must also build an ethical culture — a system of shared beliefs and values that drive ethical behavior. Leaders design ethical cultures by aligning formal systems, such as policies, training, and incentives, with informal systems, such as rituals, stories, and heroes. When formal and informal systems align around ethical values, ethical behavior becomes embedded in the culture.

Trent J. Lythgoe, Ph.D., is an associate professor of military leadership and the Fox Conner Chair for Leadership Studies at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He teaches courses on organizational development, leadership ethics, decision-making, and professional writing. His research interests include adaptive leadership, civil-military relations, and learning organizations.

Lythgoe’s writing has been published in both civilian and military journals, and he is the lead author and editor of Professional Writing: The Command and General Staff College Writing Guide.

Lythgoe earned his doctorate in political science from the University of Kansas. Outside academia, he enjoys reading, ballroom dancing, and serving as his golden retriever’s personal concierge.