The Context for Leadership Is Changing

I see the context of our world evolving to Common Sense and Hope. The social context is changing fundamentally, altering the friction surfaces and angles of long opposing forces, slowly relaxing the way to resolution.

This is so, despite the gridlocked U.S. Congress, those still suffering the Great Recession, and the lack of resolution for the Inside Job and Predator Nation so brilliantly reported by Charles H. Ferguson. The context for leadership is changing to Hope and Common Sense.

Two major aspects are changing for the better:

First, the imbalance of masculine and feminine energy is shifting toward greater balance. Feminine energy is becoming more invited, more appreciated, and thus, naturally more influential. As a result, core values are resuming their role, influencing relationships of every description into effective cultural symmetry. Heart and compassion are edging out fear and anxiety in organizations. Nurturing and listening are relieving aggression and reactivity. Kindness and reciprocity are becoming fashionable, again. Collaboration and connection conspire.

Second, consciousness is on the rise among many people in positions of authority. I believe that the principal factor influencing corporate culture is the CEO’s influence. The quality of a corporation’s culture is the direct reflection of the spiritual and developmental maturity of the CEO. Consciousness counts!

Amy Lyman points to the increase in appreciation for leaders who are characterized by personal integrity, honor and honesty. I recommend her book, The Trustworthy Leader: Leveraging The Power Of Trust To Transform Your Organization. The trustworthy leader strives to operate with core values and a healthy social conscience. Dr. Lyman, who was instrumental in bringing us the “Fortune 100 Best Employers List,” has unparalleled qualifications as a researcher and teacher of corporate culture trends.

Today, the Conscious Capitalism Movement is encouraging the change of context. Core to conscious business practices is clarification of a socially conscious business purpose, and the active respect for all business stakeholders – not just shareholders. The best introduction to Conscious Capitalism is Jeff Klein’s small, wise, It’s Just Good Business: The Emergence of Conscious Capitalism & The Practice of Working For Good.

The change in leadership context is magnificent and growing, providing a field for real leadership to emerge. Do all you can to accelerate and amplify the change. The world truly will be better for your compassionate, conscious, trustworthy leadership. May Hope and Common Sense prevail.