Leadership Impacts Lives: A focus for the Business Ethics Alliance

Casey Putney serves as the VP of Leadership Development with the Business Ethics Alliance. He oversees the ethics programming for the Alliance and delivers values-based leadership development solutions for leaders and organizations across the metro. But Putney’s journey to the Alliance and the study of leadership hasn’t been a traditional one.

Putney joined the military at the age of 22, having started and stopped college multiple times. “I was lost,” Putney said. “I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.” Prior to joining the military, he struggled to identify a purpose, and operated from a value system focused on answering his personal needs with no attention on how others were impacted. He knew however, that he wasn’t living to his potential, and needed to change. “I entered military service with a strong desire to reinvent myself. And meeting Rick Rigsby was exactly what I needed,” Putney said.

Rigsby was Putney’s first supervisor in the military. In delivering Putney’s first performance feedback, he wrote, “he’s a leader among his peers.” But Putney struggled with that definition. He had no real understanding of what being a leader meant. Confused, he went to Rigsby and asked for clarity.

“He gave the greatest gift he could’ve given me,” Putney said. “He refused to provide an answer.” Instead, Rigsby encouraged Putney to seek out answers for himself. The two would meet regularly and discuss articles and books Putney was reading. Rigsby gave Putney time. He listened to ideas, and thoughts. Together the two would watch how leaders communicated with their teams and how they handled challenge. They would then gather and talk through what they had seen and how certain behaviors and communication styles impacted team performance. “He sent me on a leadership journey,” Putney explained. “The journey’s lasted well over 25 years and continues to this day. Along the way, I’ve led teams in federal and state government. I’ve developed leaders at a local and global level within for-profit and non-profit organizations. I’ve been able to touch the lives of others, and it all started with Rick caring about me,” Putney continued.

It’s common to hear talk about how leadership can positively impact the organization. And while that’s certainly important and true, leadership means a bit more to Putney and the Alliance. “Leadership changes lives,” Putney says. “Leadership unlocks the potential that individuals have never seen in themselves. It awakens them to a possible life they never thought possible. Leadership changes communities, it builds relationships, and uncovers solutions to problems previously believed too large to solve.” He continued, “leadership, through the efforts of Rick Rigsby, changed my life. I’ve felt it’s power to move us beyond our own limiting beliefs and unveil a life that impacts the lives of others. It’s what we think about with every program, presentation, conversation, and workshop that we deliver at the Alliance. It’s our goal to impact the lives of others, by helping them discover how they can impact the lives of others.”


Save These Dates:

November 10: Nonprofit Ethics Exchange: Making Hybrid Work
November 17: Annual Trustee Meeting: Leveraging Change: A Leadership Conversation with Joe Moglia
December 15: Nonprofit Ethics Exchange: Ethical Fundraising


EthicSpace Conference

The Business Ethics Alliance recently held our annual EthicSpace conference. While feedback is still coming in, we’re comfortable in stating that the event was an amazing success. We wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you.

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To all of the attendees from the Omaha, Council Bluffs and Lincoln business community, we appreciate so much your dedication to ethics and your desire to grow and become a better leader.

To our sponsors, we are fully aware that nothing worthwhile is ever accomplished alone. We simply could not have served our community without your dedication and support.

To our Speaker Sponsors, Bridges Trust and Signature Performance we offer a special word of gratitude. You are the reason we were able to partner with Dr. Erin Bass and Dr. Erika Kirby, as well as welcome Sherron Watkins to Omaha as our keynote speaker.

To our dedicated Mission Drivers, please know that it is an honor to partner with you throughout the year. Together, we form an “Alliance” focused on serving our community, expanding the study of ethical leadership and leading meaningful conversations around the topic of ethics.

And finally, to our steadfast and dedicated volunteers. Your passion to serve and willingness to lift the Alliance to another level directly led to the success of the EthicSpace conference. You mean so much to us. Thank you for all of your help.

Sincerely, The Business Ethics Alliance team


Address: 602 N. 20th Street Suite 3029, Omaha Ne 68178
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