By Whitney Vosburgh and Ben Gioia

Being Your Own Leader in a Leaderless Era

LOVING LEADERSHIP: More Heart, Less Head—for a happier, healthier and wealthier world

Earth Day, 2018: The great thinker and liberator Nelson Mandela challenges us by asking:

“Who are we, not to shine?”

So in this blog and those to follow, we’re introducing a new, better and more effective way to be a leader, whether you’re leading 1, 10, or 10 million people.

“Who are we, not to shine?”

This is one of the most important questions for all of us today.

Why?

• Because most of our current global leadership is heartless—and their heads don’t seem to work very well, either.

• Because people, organizations, and entire countries are stuck in systems of ego-driven, expired thinking, and action that is jeopardizing our survival.

• Because schools teach memorizing information instead of critical thinking.

• Because so-called spiritual leaders are trying to co-opt, control, and commodify the Earth and the great mystery of which we’re all a part.

This is happening right now, and it’s been going on for millennia.

The paradigm is the problem.

A solely, paradigmatically, one-dimensional economic approach to human organization. That old, rusting, busted, industrial-age, economic paradigm is what’s created the Massive Existential Threats the world faces today. The single-minded pursuit of maximizing short-term income (versus, for example, optimizing long-run well-being) is what’s ignited inequality, stagnation, climate change, and extremism—and the later problems that are likely to stem from them.

And so—it’s no coincidence—here we are. Desperately clutching the controls in a nose dive of human possibility. But the controls don’t seem to work anymore, do they?

Every age has a challenge. Here’s today’s. Crafting a new—perhaps a radically new—paradigm of human leadership and organization that values, represents, respects, celebrates, elevates, and expands life.

The paradigm needs to change, now.

Because much of today’s leadership is built on fear, control, greed, ignorance, hate, privilege, and elitism. And it’s grounded in a systemic misogynistic, patriarchal hierarchy.

“Who are we, not to shine?”

It’s time to transform the failures of brainless, heartless leadership by encouraging and fostering creativity, communication, and collaboration with a big dose of innovation and self-care.

Because the money, resources, and benefits that come from this heartless leadership is “trickling up” toward a global oligarchy: a small number of insatiable billionaires who own and control a significant and ever increasing part of the world economy.

This is not ok.

But there is some good news.

If you take a look around away from today’s headlines—many of which you couldn’t make up even if you tried—you’ll notice that people are shining more and more. A new and remarkable trend is emerging, as a powerful and positive response to the current leadership vacuum and misguided heartlessness that’s running rampant in the world.

More and more visionary leaders, entrepreneurs, and organizations are moving humanity forward and enhancing life for today’s and future generations. To do this, they’re creating and growing amazing businesses and movements, and effecting positive social change.

Why is this happening? Because it’s a must. And because everyone and everything on this planet is interconnected.

So the impact these people are making is both one-to-one and worldwide.

On a global and historical scale, we’re off to a good start. And here are 12 things that need to happen:

1. Shift leadership from command and control to love and liberation.

2. Move organizations and governments from being driven by profit and power to being inspired by purpose and peace.

3. Invite people to shift from knee-jerk mindlessness to mindfulness.

4. Make the longest journey of all—the 18” from head to heart.

5. Recognize that often, a stranger is a friend we have yet to meet.

6. Know that our stories are each other’s medicine, and share them.

7. Embrace that our greatest weakness can be our greatest gift to others.

8. Everyone can be and should ultimately be their own leader.

9. Leaders lead with their ears, not their mouths.

10. Meet people where they are, and treat them as they wish to become—see the unique gifts in others and help bring them to life.

11. Envision a desired future state in your mind and then create it in the real world.

12. Treat earth as a living global system that is a part of a much larger system.

The paradigm is the problem. A solely one-dimensional economic approach to human organization. That old, rusting, busted, industrial-age, economic paradigm is what’s created the Massive Existential Threats the world faces today. The single-minded pursuit of maximizing short-term income (versus, for example, optimizing long-run well-being) is what’s ignited inequality, stagnation, climate change, and extremism — and the later problems that are likely to stem from them.

And so—it’s no coincidence—here we are. Desperately clutching the controls in a nose dive of human possibility. But the controls don’t seem to work anymore, do they?

Every age has a challenge. Here’s today’s. Crafting a new—perhaps a radically new—paradigm of human organization, that values, represents, respects, celebrates, elevates, and expands life.

While it is about survival and sustainability, it’s also about thriving, well-being, and positively transforming the human experience towards prosperity for all.

“Who are we, not to shine?”

Happy Earth Day—every day!

#servantleadership #earthday #sustainability #purpose #prosperity #transformation #mindfulness #innovation #community #fow