The Transition Is Screaming Urgency
Incited by these days of global upheaval and transformation, so many of us feel the urgency to embrace change in all areas of life. And our organizational culture and business models must do the same. The present times call for new ways of doing business. The old, competitive way — the hierarchical, linear model — is outdated. We need ambitious social change.
As a civilization, we humans are starting to co-create something new, something with more breadth and life-giving properties, more collaborative, and focused on equality and win-win for all. We are entering into the era of relationships. Partnerships and relationships are vital in fostering the creativity and collaboration needed to bring in innovative approaches to solve our most significant challenges and create a vibrant and regenerative future for all generations to come.
How Do We Activate A Positive Social Impact?
I believe that business is the most powerful vehicle for ambitious social change and cultural revolution. But modern-day companies need to be stewarded by leaders pushing the boundaries, not afraid to go against the old ways of doing business to activate the full potential of a positive impact. We call this emerging leadership field many names, such as transformational leadership, integrative leadership, regenerative leadership, and conscious leadership. The dialogue of how to interpret leadership is expanding.
What Is Needed Of The New Leaders?
The current mainstream leadership theories and MBA training emphasize the “hard skills” and outer perspective, but those approaches come up short for the kind of leaders we need for the future. The leader’s INNER perspectives need integration into decision making as they claim their TRUE Power to meet the current times’ demands.
Are You Cultivating The New Power Skills?
These inner perspectives referred to as the “soft skills” are anything but. I call them “power skills” — skills that the successful leaders of the future will need to master to be comfortable diving into the unknown and, through their role-modeling, inspire and empower others to do the same. And they need to have an expanded worldview and a willingness to be flexible and adaptable. Their focus needs to be on building and sustaining a resilient organization. An organization that elevates its corporate performance while serving all its stakeholders, including the people and the planet. This kind of emerging leadership calls for extraordinary leaders willing to begin the inner transformational journey themselves.
Where Does The Leadership Practice Take You?
Theories and concepts are good starting points, but the leadership practice eventually needs to aim at mastery and full embodiment. As aspiring conscious leaders take on the transformational journey, their worldview and mindset expand. Their empathy and compassion grow, and they open up to embrace new possibilities while committing to walking their talk. As a leader, are you already walking your talk?