Our Journey to Corporate Sanity

What it Means to Be a Conscious Leader: Leading from Within

The Internet can be a gift for humanity, if we choose to use it to pursue our purpose, as it allows us to connect with people around the world and share knowledge instantly. It enables a curious person to have direct conversations with someone they may have never met otherwise, simply by coming across an article they wrote or a tweet they sent. “Brands” can no longer rely on one-way communication and advertising, as people can now openly have conversations about an organization, with or without them. The 21^st century leader uses technology, ideally, as an ally—a way to build trusted relationships and bring people together like never before. The true leaders are not chasing “likes” and wanting to be recognized as “influencers;” they are out there building relationships and unlikely partnerships by creating shared purpose, listening, and building trust.

It is no longer possible to tell people to do one thing while you as a company do something completely different. Conscious leaders understand what this new century of business is about, and they are building 21^st century organizations that thrive. Because of their faith in the value of their business, and by growing their organizations, they bring in people who can provide for themselves and their communities. In the future, we will not need Corporate Social Responsibility departments, because conscious leaders will embed this type of responsibility in their business model by caring deeply about the impact of their work on the world. It will simply be how we do business, regardless of sector. We will recognize how interconnected we are and see new possibilities for taking our businesses to new heights with simplicity and grace.

 In a world where more people of all ages are starting to choose themselves, “command central” organizations will slowly start eroding. Sure, there will be many who will want to stay where they are, as it seems to be working for them, and there will be others who feel they have no choice, as they need to make a living to support their current lifestyles. But there will be an increasing number of people who will want to get off the hamster wheel by changing their relationship with work, and, as a result, shift how business is done.

Being a leader means recognizing that everything you do has an impact on the people around you. The 21^st century leader has high self-awareness and is in tune with their feelings, thoughts, and actions on this journey. Leaders who deal with their fears and insecurities push through to the other side with clarity and confidence to uncover the beauty of bringing people together around a higher purpose. They are guided to serve with compassion, and care about the impact they create by truly engaging and driving shared purpose. They learn to trust themselves and others on the journey as far as possible, and they recognize the need to heal the broken trust in various organizations.

21^st century leaders are the light that shines on others, not to dominate or control others, but to help them ignite their own inner light and become a leader as well, so that they can find their higher purpose that drives connections, communication, and relationships. These leaders go beyond managing people and supervising work. They lead by example, through the alignment of their words with their actions. They also are aware that life requires us to experiment, and to tap into our courage and see opportunities instead of problems. They bring people together inside and outside an organization with the purpose of creating value.

Conscious leaders continuously do work to tap into understanding who they are, and also take care of themselves. They energize people, not burn them out. They understand the importance of their own well-being and respect the needs of others to be whole and healthy people. If you are a 21^st century leader, you have a potent imagination and a desire to explore opportunities. You have a knack for seeing more than others do because you take the time to stop and listen, and you have a  deep knowing that what you do impacts others. You allow yourself to be balanced, joyful, and curious. You feel that investing in human beings is good and sustainable for your business. You learn who to trust, and then get out of people’s way so they can do the work that is aligned with the overall purpose of the organization.