CHAPTER 7
Leadership
When we motivate, we serve ourselves first.
In highly adaptable organizations, everyone plays a leadership role from time to time. However, certain competencies are essential for those in key leadership roles, especially when an organization is seeking a higher level of adaptability.
THE CONSCIOUS LEADER
To become a leader, you must first become a human being.
A conscious leader is best described by defining what it is not. According to leadership consultant Lance Secretan, consciousness is the opposite of rationalism:
The rational mind believes that:
• Success is always measured in material terms.
• Self-worth is measured in comparison to others.
• Feelings are private and should not be expressed in the workplace.
• The single bottom line is the main arbiter of success.
• Anything that cannot be scientifically proven is not real or valuable.
• We are each separate and must compete.
• The world is dangerous and we must always protect ourselves.
• Violence and aggression are necessary for survival and safety.
• Notions like love, eco-interdependence, spirit or soul, absolute truth, and the divine are the province of philosophers, idealists, and the naïve—not business people.1
The rational mind is firmly entrenched in the Newtonian model of science, which is insufficient when it comes to thriving in a volatile economy. As Secretan puts it:
The rational mind describes compassion and caring for people as touchy-feely ...
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