One of the most challenging aspects of leadership is inheriting the problems of your predecessors. Great leaders, though, always look at the bigger picture – so they take responsibility for these problems they didn’t create and forge solutions for the organization’s greater good. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun embodies this: he wasn’t at the company when the 737 went into production, but he takes accountability to fix its very public and dangerous issues, like a door popping off in flight.
This same leadership trait is even more important with climate change. Oil company C-suites learned of fossil fuel impacts on global warming as far back as the 1950s. Seven decades later, today’s C-suites must live with the consequences. And those economic consequences are billions of dollars worth of harshness that will drain bottom lines more and more.
Dan Mushalko, Executive Producer at the Innovative Leadership Institute, shared this article as a companion to the podcast with the Right Honourable Kim Campbell, 19th Prime Minister of Canada, Climate Change: Leaders in the Hot Seat. This episode was produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association as part of their 25th Annual Global Conference held in October 2023.
So, what’s a business leader to do? Former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell shared some actions in this week’s podcast:
1. Watch insurance companies.
“Insurance is the lubricant of business,” Kim says. Their actuaries don’t mess around, making decisions on cold, hard facts and stats. When you see them pulling out of certain geographic areas or particular types of business lines, you’ll know they see long-term climate impacts. Steer your organization clear of those, too!
2. Dig underneath the headlines to see the more profound impacts on your company…and its people.
Media reporting on climate change spills the spectacular. Blazing forest fires and pop-up category-five hurricanes make the headlines, but your work team suffers from subtler effects that don’t hit the news. For example, our new record-setting summer heatwaves impair cognitive capacities, leading to more workplace accidents. In one study, that led to over $1 billion in extra costs in California alone. Excess heat exposure can also exacerbate heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and other health issues.
3. Help your company be the example instead of the victim.
Unless you work for a very small business, your organization consumes a lot more energy and resources than your home. Spearheading climate-healing initiatives – whether it’s as simple as switching to all LED lighting or as large as powering the building with solar panels – sets an example for the community, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and (after the upfront investment costs) decreases your long-term operating expenses. Several of us at the Innovative Leadership Institute recently saw directly the green initiatives Amazon is implementing…initiatives that, because of Amazon’s scale, will have definite environmental impacts while also creating long-term savings. But you don’t have to be a giant operation to see these benefits; Andrew Lessman’s Procaps Laboratories has been all-solar for decades.
4. Help your board see their role.
Boards have an outsize ability to move the needle for both for- and non-profit organizations, yet many just rubber-stamp one or two C-level executives’ desires. (How that leads to many recent CEO controversies is the subject of another article!) As a stakeholder, urge your board to ask tough questions about the company’s strategic plans in general and energy use and sources in particular. For example, switching to renewable energy sources is a true investment: there may be up-front costs, but they result in long-term savings. In the bigger picture, reducing climate change means less risk to company property, infrastructure, and thus profitability.
5. Take the moral high ground.
While the bulk of this article focuses on the business side, climate inaction has a moral aspect that we can’t responsibly ignore. We mentioned the health effects above; Kim Campbell points out we’re beginning to see these real-world climate impacts in our healthcare systems. Less obvious is the growing number of climate refugees: people forced to leave homes and jobs due to rising sea levels, droughts, floods, and more. And we’ve long known of the correlation between heat and boosts in violence. Your company’s decisions impact your community!
Directly and indirectly, extreme heat has chilling business consequences. But take hope: you can alter the course of climate change’s impact on your company. Just step up and take the lead.
Thank you for reading the Innovative Leadership Insights, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week. The Innovative Leadership Institute strives to elevate the quality of leadership worldwide.
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Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Former Member of Parliament for Whitby, author of Can You Hear Her Now?, Senior Advisor, Cultural Transformation and Strategic Initiatives, and Adjunct Lecturer at Queens University joins the ILI podcast, Can You Hear Her Now?, This episode was produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association as part of their 25th Annual Global Conference held in October 2023. Dan Mushalko, Executive Producer, shared this article as a companion to the podcast.
“Oh, my God: look at all the baggage I’m carrying!”
With that realization, Celina Caesar-Chavannes began rediscovering her true self – an authenticity buried under layers of external expectations and stereotypes laid on by society, by culture…and by leaders. Even as a high-ranking member of the Canadian parliament (Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, no less!), the -isms continued.
With that personal experience, she knows first-hand how much of our own potential we lose in trying to be people we’re not. For leaders, it means our teams can’t perform at their peak when our coworkers can’t bring their best selves to the office.
What can you do to uncover the potential of your “real” team? These steps will get you started:
1) Embrace your own authentic leadership.
Remember the proven maxim that your team watches you, copying your behavior as their real guide. Start by looking at yourself. Are you comfortable being and expressing yourself openly with your staff, or do you play a role or don a metaphorical mask when you’re in charge? Society and corporate cultures have various pressures for all of us; which do you have to deal with? Start looking inward, and you’ll be able to reach outward to appreciate the individuality of your team members, fostering even greater collaboration among them. You’re always a work in progress; so is your team. Grow together!
2) Navigate the inevitable power dynamics.
Power dynamics exist wherever humans gather. They’re not inherently bad; they can actually help us organize, problem-solve, and figure out who is genuinely best in which roles. They can also be leveraged to do great good! So, take a nice, hard look at your organization’s dynamics; knowing how to navigate them helps you create the inclusive, transformative environment that lets your team thrive.
3) Create inclusive practices.
Celina calls this the praxis of humanization – of moving from theory to the actual practice of humanizing your workplace. You’ve seen plenty written about inclusivity, including in this newsletter. The reality is that many businesses tout inclusivity and hold up its trappings but often have no meaningful metrics, follow-through, or buy-in from the C-suite. Yet, from morale to the innovation boosts diverse perspectives bring, the benefits are bountiful. The practical ROI question is: how much talent have you missed by excluding certain groups of people from your organization?
4) Cultivate emotional intelligence.
Re-read the very first line of this article. Then consider this: we ALL carry baggage. Developing your empathy and other forms of EQ allows you to see when people are dealing with a personal trauma, extra pressure, or just having a bad day. Shining EQ on yourself is important in developing your authentic leadership, too – when leaders don’t unpack their own baggage, they often cast it upon their teams. Those consequences are very real; last week’s podcast interview on law enforcement leadership pointed out that nearly all police chiefs bring major baggage to the job stemming from buried traumas experienced in their rookie days…which then contribute to some of the negative issues police departments are facing.
The importance of humanization in leadership can’t be overstated. At work, an inclusive and transformative environment is essential in today’s professional and societal settings, especially if you want to attract and retain top talent. By implementing these practices, you can significantly enhance your leadership skills and bring about positive changes in both your personal and professional lives.
Thank you for reading Innovative Leadership Insights, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week.
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Ready to measure your leadership skills? Complete your complimentary assessment through the Innovative Leadership Institute. Learn the 7 leadership skills required to succeed during disruption and innovation.
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The tech industry painted a stereotype of a play-filled office with air hockey and ping pong or calming communal workspaces with sleep pods and yoga mats. For most of us, that remains a dream. For police and other first responders, it can’t even be a fleeting thought: from “Karens” to crooks, it’s a high-stress day every day.
Rob Elkington, Assistant Professor, Trent University, and Les Sylven, a Leadership Studies PhD candidate in the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria. His doctoral research project explores police leadership with senior Canadian police officers who regularly practice meditation and mindfulness. Les was a police officer in Canada for over 30 years, on the ILI podcast Law & Order…& Leadership. This episode was produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association as part of their 25th Annual Global Conference held in October 2023. Dan Mushalko, ILI Executive Producer, shared this article as a companion to a podcast.
Let’s face it: high-stress jobs aren’t disappearing anytime soon.
In reality, plenty of jobs still put people under high pressure. As their leader, you may not be the one putting the pressure on them, but you can provide a little relief – and lead them more effectively. Our latest podcast guests – researcher Rob Elkington and retired police chief Les Sylven – have five tips to improve stress under police leadership…tips that you can adapt to your work environment, too!
1) Embrace Servant Leadership (and other new leadership approaches)
A leader’s job boils down to one critical element: providing the resources and guidance for the team to succeed. That’s really the crux of servant leadership. This principle obviously applies to any sector, but there’s an added irony for police leaders. Officers swear an oath “to serve and protect.” That oath doesn’t disappear when they’re promoted into leadership positions! From sergeant to chief, the job now is to serve the officers under their command. Add to that the copycat concept: just like kids watch their parents and imitate their behavior, so do teams watch their bosses. “Do as I say, and not as I do” doesn’t cut it anymore. Your team does as you do. In police leadership, if you want your officers to truly serve the community, model it by truly serving them.
2) Lean Into Emotional Intelligence
Simply put, lead with compassion. Heaping stress on top of someone who’s already stressed out clearly doesn’t help. Quite the opposite: it eventually leads to breakdown and failure. More than ever, people across industries are coming to work with stress and trauma on their shoulders. Realize that, show a little empathy, and you’ll figure out the best practices to motivate each individual to attain success. For first responders, in particular, the job means facing life-threatening trauma every time they clock in. As a leader, are you helping…or pushing your team closer to the edge?
3) Practice Mindfulness
Mental health issues have been rising at work across sectors. Is that really a surprise in high-stress environments? Mindfulness practices can significantly reduce the impact of stress on both mind and body. In fact, former chief Sylven is currently doing research on the benefits of mindfulness for law enforcement as part of his PhD studies, and the results are pretty clear. It enhances present-moment focus, self-awareness, and mental resilience in the face of trauma. From simple deep breathing to full-on meditation, mindfulness helps you and your team.
4) Mentor and Coach
This is another step that applies to leaders in any sector; ironically, old-school policing understood this: that’s why cop shows have the stereotype of the new rookie being assigned to the seasoned old veteran on the force! Whether it’s a mentor’s wisdom from experience or a coach’s objective perspective, getting guidance from others helps us better analyze ourselves – to build on our strengths and bridge our weaknesses. Stress creates a kind of tunnel vision, restricting your team’s view; solutions slip by unseen. Receiving that outside perspective helps broaden their view, encouraging reflection and, often, self-care. As a leader, you can be a mentor and coach yourself…but also look to other leaders, consultants, and professional programs who can resonate well as guides for your team’s members.
5) Make Debriefing Routine
As with the military, any major incident in policing is followed by a full debriefing – an analysis of what happened, why it happened, and what can be learned from it. It’s a wise route to take in any business sector, yet surprisingly few leaders take the time to do this. Without it, though, no wisdom is gained. To maximize wisdom, make debriefing routine: on a regular basis, meet with each person on your team to go over the events of the week, month, or quarter (Annual reviews, frankly, are nowhere near frequent enough to be of any real use in improving performance). You may be surprised at the gains you’ll see in both performance and morale over time!
Each of these steps is more about practice than price. They won’t require huge budget boosts – the big change rests in how you see your role as a leader. It takes personal effort, but the benefits begin to show rapidly, and their effects can last a lifetime.
Thank you for reading Innovative Leadership Insights, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week.
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Ready to measure your leadership skills? Complete your complimentary assessment through the Innovative Leadership Institute. Learn the 7 leadership skills required to succeed during disruption and innovation.
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Forging new territory is always hard. Forging it as a leader is even harder: your team, stakeholders, and critics are all watching you.
Now, imagine you are in new territory! For women entering the still-heavily male-dominated C-suite ranks, scrutiny and pressure are extra intense. Any stumble prompts mutterings of “What do you expect with a woman?”
Dr. Martha Piper, the first female president of the University of British Columbia, and Dr. Indira Samarasekera, the first female president and former vice-chancellor of the University of Alberta, share their experience on the podcast It Takes Nerve. This episode was produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association as part of their 25th Annual Global Conference held in October 2023. Dan Mushalko, ILI Executive Producer, shared this article as a companion to the podcast.
You’ve Got a Lot of Nerve! (And That’s a Good Thing)
Our guests in this week’s podcast heard that kind of feedback. Martha Piper (University of British Columbia) and Indira Samarasekera (University of Alberta) learned to navigate such resistance and obstacles as the first female presidents of their respective universities. Those lessons can benefit all innovative leaders!
The Key:
It takes nerve, grit, and grace.
Nerve and Grit
These are two sides of the same coin, whose currency is determination. We all face obstacles, especially when we try to make an impact. When those setbacks happen, focusing even more sharply on your goal is important. It’s all too easy to be blinded by the emotions of the situation, but remembering the importance of your goal helps you see that your work is bigger than you. That can energize you to move forward. Staying on target despite disruptions, simple stumbles, or outright attacks is nerve in action. Your authenticity, courage, resilience, and personal experience all help fuel your innate grit. And the more you exercise your grit, the stronger it becomes.
Grace
There’s a myth that grit and grace are mutually exclusive – that graceful leadership is synonymous with weakness. That myth arose from outdated machismo in the executive gym. In reality, losing your temper is far easier than to muster the strength to maintain grace under fire. The ability to retain your internal balance: to express gratitude to your team, to see the opportunities in apparent failures, and to forgive; all these elements of grace create loyalty, authenticity, and true problem-solving. In short, grace makes your leadership stronger.
Upholding Principles
Here’s where utilizing your nerve and grit comes into play at each leadership level. When you’re in the spotlight, the temptation to cave under external pressures can be substantial. But truly effective leaders don’t lose sight of their values; that’s a significant factor in their long-term success. Hold on to your principles, filtering your decisions through that lens. Whether you bend to external pressure or not, you’ll face criticism and backlash – so you might as well stay true to your principles regardless. When your team sees this, it has the added benefit of boosting your authenticity and enhancing their trust.
Thank you for reading Innovative Leadership Insights, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Ready to measure your leadership skills? Complete your complimentary assessment through the Innovative Leadership Institute. Learn the 7 leadership skills required to succeed during disruption and innovation.
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The world has changed dramatically in the last few years. That’s a given. But too many of us don’t realize that effective leadership has changed dramatically, too.
While leadership development is crucial for organizational success, many programs fail to catalyze real change. They’re too often based on old concepts that focus on the individual rather than the reality of the workplace having multiple leaders who must work with each other and lead their teams.
Dr. Nicole Ferry, assistant professor of the Department of Management, Society and Communication, Copenhagen Business School, and Dr. Nathan Eva, associate professor, Fulbright Scholar (2021), and the Co-Director of Engagement for the Department of Management at the Monash Business School, join the podcast to discuss Non-Traditional Leadership Models for Our New Era. This episode was produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association as part of their 25th Annual Global Conference held in October 2023. Dan Mushalko, ILI Executive Producer, shared this article as a companion to the podcast.
Leader Development and the Need for New Leadership Models
What you learned from that MBA program 20 or 10 (even 5!) years ago probably doesn’t apply anymore. So, what does a solid modern leadership development program contain? Look for:
Collective Leadership
No single leader possesses all the skills to manage crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These issues require more than one leader. We need groups of leaders who can lead collaboratively in different areas. Collective leadership facilitates cooperation – handing off the leadership baton between team members or working closely towards common goals. After all, leadership fundamentally involves relationships and interactions. An overemphasis on the individual misses crucial power dynamics in organizational spaces – and underdelivers on success.
Learning from Nontraditional Sources
Old-school top-down leadership no longer fits every circumstance. To paraphrase a wise saying, “The leadership style that got us to the problems isn’t the leadership that will solve them.” New and effective ways of leading can be found by looking at unexpected sources. Indigenous worldviews are just one example. First Nations cultures in Australia are the longest continual-running societies on the planet; what’s different about how they’ve been successfully led through literally thousands of years? One possible key is that they don’t rely on a single leader but focus on the group looking after one another – caring for people professionally and personally. To start, see what you can glean from your family heritage: Italian, West African, Okinawan – all have distinct ways of leading and doing business.
Leadership Alignment
With multiple leaders and styles in any organization, it’s vital that everyone is aligned toward the same goals and overall mission. Communication from the very top is fundamental. Any leader who isn’t fully and openly sharing the company’s quarterly, annual, and long-term objectives automatically limits success.
Adapt to the New Worker
The post-COVID struggle of return-to-office versus work-from-home is one symptom of old-school bosses not recognizing that workers themselves have changed: their expectations, their priorities, their most productive work styles…all of these are vastly different now. That means effective motivation has changed, too. Maximizing your organization’s success depends greatly on how well you change to meet today’s workers.
Two core leadership qualities we develop in the Innovative Leadership Institute‘s programs are resiliency and the mind of a scientist (i.e., always learning and willing to experiment with new techniques). Those traits will amplify all of the points made above and help you continue your leadership development no matter what new changes the world throws your way!
Thank you for reading the Innovative Leadership Insights, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Ready to measure your leadership skills? Complete your complimentary assessment through the Innovative Leadership Institute. Learn the 7 leadership skills required to succeed during disruption and innovation.
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What does it take to rise from humble beginnings to the highest judicial office in Canada? For trailblazer Beverley McLachlin, the first female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, the journey was filled with unexpected turns guided by insightful mentors.
“I never dreamed of being a lawyer, much less a judge,” McLachlin remarks. Yet this small-town Alberta native ascended to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada — and became a quiet leader along the way.
Her story holds invaluable lessons for anyone aspiring to lead, whether or not the law is your calling.
McLachlin credits her unquenchable curiosity to understand the world as a skill that helped her as a judge. An early love of philosophy led her to ponder teaching, but something didn’t feel quite right. At her fiancé’s suggestion, she took a chance at law school and found her life’s passion.
Though the legal profession was dominated by men at the time, she persevered thanks to mentors who nurtured her talent and gave her a fair shot. Once appointed to the bench in her 30s, she rapidly rose through the courts.
For McLachlin, leadership isn’t about raw speeches or rhetoric. “It may be quiet leadership,” she explains. “What is it? Well, I think it’s the leadership of ideas and decision-making.”
Crafting sound rulings means deeply considering all sides of complex issues — and having the courage to take principled if unpopular stances. She’s proud of helping expand equality rights and shape new Indigenous legal frameworks during reconciliation efforts.
Vital qualities for judges also apply to leaders everywhere: seeking out different views humbly and openly before making decisions. “You have to have this ability to look at different aspects and perspectives and weigh them up,” McLachlin advises.
By sharing the inside story of her barrier-breaking legal career, McLachlin provides wisdom from a unique vantage point for anyone aspiring to lead — or make difficult decisions soundly.
McLachlin’s key insights on effective leadership elements as learned through a career in the law:
Curiosity. McLachlin’s natural curiosity and hunger to learn drove her to study philosophy in college, use that analytical thinking, and apply it to real-world situations in her law career. Stagnant thinking and a lack of interest in learning will defeat a leader before they even begin! By being continuously curious, leaders can set themselves apart as just and fair, willing to constantly take in new information (even when it may compete with their own assumptions).
Considering diverse perspectives. As a judge, McLachlin had to consider both sides of every case before her court. This means that she had to listen carefully and respectfully to each party. Like a judge, leaders must remember that every person on their team comes with their perceptions and perspectives. Though those perceptions may not always be productive, it is essential to understand them to improve your organization.
Leaving one’s preconceptions at the door. Leaders need to be able to identify their own biases and separate them from their decision-making process. Biases often lead to decisions that are ill-informed and exclusionary. Remember that to know our biases, we have to have humility and be willing to analyze ourselves.
Courage. Leaders must have the courage to follow their convictions and make unpopular decisions. Rarely will a decision ever please every party. In the case of the courts, judges are tasked with making decisions based on the law and the information they are given. Similarly, leaders have to work within certain parameters and with the knowledge they have. A key component of an innovative leader is understanding that leaders must have the courage to make a fair and just decision with the parameters they are given and the knowledge they have at the time of the decision. This also means having the courage to admit that your decision may need to change when you have more information.
Which leadership insight from McLachlin resonates most with you?
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Beverley McLachlin was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada from 2000 to 2017. She is the first woman to hold that position, and the longest-serving Chief Justice in Canadian history. In 2018, McLachlin became a Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest honour within the Order. She is also the #1 bestselling author of two novels, Full Disclosure and Denial, and a memoir, Truth Be Told, which won the prestigious Writers’ Trust Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing and the Ottawa Book Award for Nonfiction.
Thank you for reading Innovative Leadership Insights, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week.
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Ready to measure your leadership skills? Complete your complimentary assessment through the Innovative Leadership Institute. Learn the 7 leadership skills required to succeed during disruption and innovation.
https://www.innovativeleadershipinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ILI-Anniversary-Logo.png00Jenna Reikhttps://www.innovativeleadershipinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ILI-Anniversary-Logo.pngJenna Reik2023-12-15 14:26:032024-11-04 16:04:46Trailblazing Chief Justice Reveals Her Surprising Path to the Top
Maureen Metcalf, CEO of the Innovative Leadership Institute, shared this article as a companion to her podcast with Dr. Mike Hardy, Board Chair of the International Leadership Association, Chair of Intercultural Relations, and a founding Director of the Centre for Trust, Peace, and Social Relations at Coventry University and Hyppolite Ntigurirwa, Ph.D. Candidate at Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, focusing on preventing conflict and building resilient and peaceful societies, Nurturing Peace from the Ashes of Violence. Hyppolite survived the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. He later started a foundation for peace in Rwanda. He traveled to America to deliver a series of lectures at universities using theatre to address issues of hatred and racism being transmitted from one generation to the next. This episode was produced in partnership with the International Leadership Association as part of their 25th Annual Global Conference held in October 2023.
In today’s increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, fostering peace and creating positive change is not just a noble aspiration, it’s an absolute necessity. Leaders, in particular, have a crucial role to play in shaping a more empathetic and inclusive world. In our rapidly changing world, cultivating a culture of empathy and love can be a strategic advantage, enhancing social cohesion, boosting productivity, and fostering innovation.
1. Addressing Inequality
Differences in socio-economic status create a divide amongst individuals and communities across the world. These inequalities can become a breeding ground for despair and conflict. So how do we bridge this gap and promote a peaceful co-existence? By cultivating societies that allow for all voices to have influence, we foster an environment of inclusion and equal opportunities, creating a ripple effect toward peaceful co-existence. Mike Hardy, speaks about the importance of dismantling existing resource distribution models, believing firmly that these challenges are surmountable through dialogue and a people-centric approach to negotiations. In fact, the key takeaway here ties in remarkably well with the role each of us can play in our individual capacities. The value of approaching others with empathy and understanding facilitates the creation of peace on a micro level. This practice, multiplied numerous times over, can serve as a catalyst for change on a broader scale. When we look beyond our personal gains and losses and prioritize collective growth, we’re laying down the groundwork for a peaceful society — and that’s what truly matters.
2. Resource Distribution
The world we live in is shaped by the distribution of resources. Whether we’re aware of it or not, the systems we’ve created, the power dynamics that govern us, all trace back to how we allocate and manage our resources. As we face escalating global challenges from climate change to social inequality, it’s clear that the models we have in place are not sustainable. The conversation with Hyppolite and Mike brought forward this critical issue, emphasizing the need for reform. It expressed the urgency to challenge our existing resource distribution models and advocate for a more equitable, sustainable approach where everyone can live dignified lives. Achieving a more equitable resource distribution model requires not just financial investments but emotional support, education, and a change in societal attitudes. Empathy, understanding, and a collective approach can help rectify systemic imbalances. The unsustainable resource distribution models we have in place fuel conflict, perpetuate inequality, and violate human dignity. By rethinking and challenging these models, we have the opportunity to create a more equitable, peaceful world. It will be a monumental task, involving not just governments and businesses but each one of us. It will require us to rewire our attitudes, our ideologies, and question our complacencies. But it is an urgent and necessary pursuit if we yearn for a more inclusive, sustainable, and just world.
3. Power of Education
Education has an undeniable transformative power. It not only equips individuals with knowledge and skills but also imparts values that form the bedrock of one’s character development. In our rapidly evolving world, the significance of education transcends academia, contributing to the broader dynamics of societal progression and change. Growing up in post-genocide Rwanda, Hyppolite saw firsthand how education and supportive systems could be instrumental in healing and rebuilding a society torn apart by conflict. It was education that steered his journey from a genocide survivor to a peace advocate, shaping his worldview and equipping him with the necessary tools to catalyze positive changes. Hyppolite echoes the same sentiment when emphasizing the importance of what we give, rather than what we ask for. He strongly advocates for emotional support and empathy in our interactions with others. This form of education offers a twofold benefit. Firstly, it cultivates a deeper understanding of the surrounding world and its complexities, fostering critical thinking and informed decision-making. Secondly, it nurtures a sense of empathy and humanity that humanizes the ‘other’. The world today is fraught with divisions and conflict, often stemming from deeply ingrained prejudices and a lack of understanding. But, leaders armed with an empathetic and human-centered approach to education can spearhead positive change, bridge divides, and foster sustainable peace.
4. Emphasizing Empathy
In a world that is becoming increasingly divided and polarized, it’s more important than ever to promote an atmosphere of empathy and understanding, fostering a sense of peace and compassion in our immediate and extended communities. Empathy isn’t just about understanding another’s point of view, but feeling with them and acknowledging their experiences, emotions, and realities. It goes beyond mere tolerance and acceptance, requiring an active step towards understanding and sharing the feelings of others. During our conversation, Hyppolite highlighted the power of empathy by sharing his own experiences. A child survivor of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Hyppolite’s journey has been shaped by unimaginable hardships, but he is a testament to the power of empathy, love, and kindness. Hyppolite believes that through empathy, we are able to create spaces for dialogue, understanding, and, ultimately, peace.
Today’s leaders are at the helm of navigating the complexities and challenges faced by societies and communities across the globe. Leaders who incorporate empathy into their leadership style cultivate a culture of understanding, respect, and open communication. Empathetic leaders foster trust and collaboration, which can lead to more sustainable and constructive solutions for the challenges we face. Moreover, an empathetic approach enables leaders to recognize and appreciate the diversity and individual experiences within their teams, thereby promoting inclusivity and equity. Emphasizing empathy, therefore, goes beyond individual relationships and has the potential to transform organizational cultures and societal dynamics at large.
5. Unconditional Love
As we navigate through life, we often ‘box’ love and its outpouring into segments, allocating it where we see fit or where we deem it’s deserved. However, within the context of leadership and fostering peace, setting boundaries and unwavering commitment calls for the practice of unconditional love. Unconditional love helps leaders see beyond initial judgments, nurturing an environment that flourishes on honesty, compassion, and shared humanity. Mike Hardy places emphasis on approaching others with an unyielding commitment to humanity without surrendering oneself to hate or antagonism. Meanwhile, Hyppolite stresses the reciprocal importance of emotional support, epitomizing the heartfelt connection that underlies unconditional love. Through a practice where humanity is cherished and people are encouraged to invest their efforts into the welfare of others, it demonstrates how unconditional love intertwines with the endeavors of empathetic and progressive leaders.
Unconditional love allows you to perceive individuals beyond their flaws, offering a clear insight into their struggles and hopes. It propels you to lead with compassion, to understand even when you disagree, and to hold space for growth — for yourself and for those you guide. Implementing this learning bolsters your interpersonal relationships and enriches your leadership drive resulting in a more positive, encouraging environment for growth, prosperity, and peace. It’s what transforms you from being a leader to an inspiring agent for change and harmony.
The crux of our dialogue couldn’t be more relevant in today’s swiftly evolving global landscape. As leaders, it’s critical to recognize the role we play in shaping society, especially when it comes to fostering peace and driving positive change. The key takeaways from our conversation, namely addressing inequality and challenging existing resource distribution models, are pivotal in creating societies where every voice matters. Moreover, the power of education serves as a cornerstone for social change. But what truly binds these elements together is the emphasis on empathy and unconditional love — the propellers of understanding, compassion, and unwavering commitment. So, let’s make a conscious decision today to model these principles in our leadership. Let’s be the change we wish to see; one decision, one action at a time.
ABOUT THE GUESTS:
Mike Hardy is Chair of Intercultural Relations and a founding Director of the Centre for Trust, Peace, and Social Relations at Coventry University. He is an adjunct professor of leadership at the LSPR Institute of Communications and Business in Jakarta, Indonesia. Mike has been twice honoured in the UK, awarded the OBE in 2001 for his peace-building work in the Middle East, and appointed a Companion of Honour of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the HM Queen’s Birthday Honours June 2010 for his work internationally in Intercultural Dialogue.
Mike is a Board Director and Chair of the International Leadership Association (www.ila-net.org), Chair of Trustees of The Faith and Belief Forum (http://faithbeliefforum.org) the leading interfaith charity in the UK, and life-fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts.
Hyppolite Ntigurirwa survived the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. When he was seven years old Hyppolite, lost many members of his extended family and witnessed the murder of his beloved father. He struggled after the genocide to gain an education and to learn to forgive the killers.
By the age of thirty he had graduated from university in Rwanda and worked as a journalist and radio presenter, a playwright and a theatre director. He raised enough money to travel to England and achieved a Masters Degree in Sociology from Bristol University. He started a foundation for peace in Rwanda, and travelled to America to deliver a series of lectures at universities using theatre to address issues of hatred and racism being transmitted from one generation to the next.
In 2019, Hyppolite became an international news item when he performed a hundred-day walk across 1,500 kilometres of Rwanda to mark the 25th anniversary of the genocide, inviting people to join him and to share their stories of peace and forgiveness.
Thank you for reading Innovative Leadership Insights, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week.
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Ready to measure your leadership skills? Complete your complimentary assessment through the Innovative Leadership Institute. Learn the 7 leadership skills required to succeed during disruption and innovation.
https://www.innovativeleadershipinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Hardy-Hippo.jpg17132449Jenna Reikhttps://www.innovativeleadershipinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ILI-Anniversary-Logo.pngJenna Reik2023-11-17 19:15:512024-02-28 14:56:08Nurturing Peace from the Ashes of Violence
In a rapidly evolving world marked by technological advancements and constant innovation, the role of leadership has taken on a new significance. As we stand on the brink of an era filled with uncharted possibilities and formidable challenges, we must delve deeper into the critical aspects that shape leadership in this changing landscape. A storm is brewing, a flurry of change that promises to revolutionize the world of work as we know it. The scene is set for a transformation that demands a fresh understanding of leadership.
The Fading Value of Skills
Think back to a not-so-distant past when businesses depended heavily on specialized skills, each carefully crafted and aligned like the components of a complex machine. Employers sought out professionals with specific abilities, matching them intricately with detailed job descriptions. The outcome of this approach was a landscape of skills-based organizations where employees fit into precise moulds, each contributing to the corporate machinery. This method fostered a rigidity that made companies resistant to change. Specialized skills led employees into a comfort zone, and they became resistant to alterations in their roles. The fixed nature of these roles meant that companies found it difficult to evolve, and this resistance developed within the workforce. Consequently, it required considerable effort and innovative leadership to break free from this inertia, introduce new directions, and guide employees out of their entrenched positions.
But the winds of change do not respect tradition. As they began to blow, they slowly eroded the once impervious structure of skills-based architecture. Today’s highly prized skills are facing a short shelf-life, threatened by the relentless pace of innovation. Tomorrow’s world might consign many of today’s talents to the annals of history, leaving a crumbling façade where a formidable structure once stood. Consider a highly trained and specialized individual, perhaps an expert in their assigned role, but would prefer to keep their job description and resulting work unchanged. As the tides of business shift and new strategic priorities surface, this individual becomes an anchor weighing down the ship rather than a sail propelling it forward. To be a leader in this environment requires a new set of competencies to move the organization forward to take advantage of opportunities or avoid problems.
The New Horizon: Competencies
These changes, technology, labour market expectations, and ever-evolving regulation will force leadership to acknowledge the shifting paradigm to develop new competencies to survive, and is not merely a rhetorical proposition but a profound prediction. The dawn of a new age is upon us, marked by the need for flexibility, creativity, and readiness to navigate uncharted waters. The birth of new competencies, like the ability to identify opportunities and exercise creativity, heralds a radical departure from the norms of past leadership theories.
Take the ability to identify opportunities, for instance. It requires absorbing multifarious information, identifying patterns, and discerning potential opportunities at the intersection of these patterns. It requires a flexible and nuanced approach, blending critical thinking with intuitive insight.
Creativity, too, takes on new meaning. No longer a trait attributed solely to artists or designers, creativity emerges as a symbol of innovative thought and adaptation in a world where change is the rule, not the exception. It reflects a capacity to think outside the box, conjure inventive solutions to problems, and continually adapt to ever-shifting landscapes.
Consider that employee who clings dearly to their entrenched job description, refusing to take on new challenges or responsibilities. Adaptability becomes essential when the business landscape shifts, yet the person who remains anchored to the old ways is an obstacle rather than an ally to change. This behaviour prompts reflection on leadership’s role: What qualities must leaders possess to encourage flexibility and foster these essential new competencies?
The Emergence of Rapid Learners
The transforming landscape requires more than just a shift from skills like typing to competencies. It demands a new breed of professionals characterized by their ability to learn swiftly, assimilate new concepts, and apply them effectively. These “rapid learners” can skillfully navigate a volatile landscape, handle uncertainty, and maintain equilibrium amid chaos. Such people will survive and thrive, leading their organizations toward success. They will embody resilience and adaptability, flourishing in an environment where others falter. But what guides them? What nurtures these traits, and how can they be cultivated within the broader workforce? Leaders will need to foster a culture that emphasizes continuous learning and development. Employees must feel encouraged to explore, experiment, and even fail without fear of reprisal. Employees need the autonomy to make decisions, take risks, and learn from their experiences. Leaders who empower their employees can foster a sense of ownership and personal investment in one’s growth and the organization’s success.
The Evolution of HR
This profound transformation extends beyond individuals and influences the core of human resources practices. Hiring professionals must embrace a new perspective, shifting focus from what a candidate can do today to what they can potentially achieve tomorrow. Qualifications and experience, while still essential, must be augmented by assessing resilience, curiosity, adaptability, and a propensity for rapid learning.
In essence, the era of skills-based organizations is fading into obsolescence. The future demands an adaptable, flexible approach, where the ability to quickly handle change, spot opportunities, and learn becomes paramount. These new competencies, rising like a phoenix from the ashes of the old, herald the arrival of a new epoch, one where those equipped to harness the winds of change will lead the vanguard into a brave new world of work.
The Symphony of Leadership
We return to the question: What does it take to be a leader in this shifting landscape? The answer lies not in clinging to the old but in embracing the new. Leadership today requires a delicate balance of being anchored in core values while embracing the fluidity of change. It calls for wisdom to recognize the winds of transformation and the courage to set sail, riding the waves of innovation and adaptability.
In the wake of this storm of change, leaders must become the conductors of a new symphony, where the music continually evolves, and the melody resonates with the new world. It’s a symphony yet to be entirely composed, and it demands leaders who are both composers and performers, skilled in creating harmony amid uncertainty. It’s a grand composition that captures the essence of our time and sets the tone for the future. In this world of constant flux, leadership is not just a role but an art, the mastery of which will become the decisive factor in navigating an ever-changing landscape, enabling businesses and individuals to adapt, innovate, and succeed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr. Cameron Stockdale, an executive leader and scholar in the fields of leadership, innovation, technology, law, and organizational behavior, brings his extensive experience to bear in guiding positive change within organizations. Emphasizing an approach of ongoing growth and refinement, his work focuses on increasing efficiencies and bolstering team performance. Drawing from a substantial background in emergency services, including over 25 years of hands-on experience, Dr. Stockdale’s research is rooted in its practical applications. As the CEO of the Work Wellness Institute, a non-profit research organization dedicated to conducting global research and disseminating knowledge that fosters a positive workplace environment, Dr. Stockdale’s goal is to make research more accessible for workplaces and employers, with a focus on workplace health, wellness, and performance issues.
Besides his undergraduate education in Recreation Management and Paramedicine, Dr. Stockdale holds a Doctor of Education degree in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University, a Master of Laws degree in Innovation, Technology & Law from the University of Edinburgh, a Postgraduate Certificate in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University Extension School, and a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from the University of Guelph.
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Thank you for reading the Innovative Leadership Insights, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Ready to measure your leadership skills? Complete your complimentary assessment through the Innovative Leadership Institute. Learn the 7 leadership skills required to succeed during disruption and innovation.
It’s a well-established fact – when women prosper, societies flourish. Yet, the vast potential of women-owned businesses in Africa remains largely untapped due to an imbalance in investment opportunities. It’s a crucial issue that begs our attention – an issue that we, as socially conscious investors, have the power to change. By investing in these women-owned businesses, we’re not only boosting the African economy but also making a meaningful impact on countless lives, communities, and generations. This is more than just an investment opportunity – it’s a chance to be part of a transformative narrative.
Pauline Koelbl is addressing the gender funding gap in Africa through her impact investment firm, ShEquity. Pauline, a refugee from Rwanda turned successful businesswoman, shares her unique perspective on empowering African women entrepreneurs and the vital role they play in driving sustainable economic change.
1. What steps are needed to close the gender funding gap for African female entrepreneurs?
Addressing the persistent gender funding gap in African entrepreneurship requires an extensive and holistic approach. Initially, the key priority must be to foster an equitable investment culture that genuinely acknowledges the equally weighted value of female-led businesses. This means dispelling the misconceptions that often identify female entrepreneurship as high-risk or low profit.
Improving accessibility to financial resources and investment opportunities for African female entrepreneurs remains another key priority. These accessibility improvements include establishing dedicated funds targeted towards women-led businesses and imparting the knowledge and skills required to navigate the investment landscape.
2. How is ShEquity helping address the gender funding gap for African female entrepreneurs?
ShEquity’s focus is primarily set on designing and cultivating an ecosystem that understands, values, and supports the unique challenges of women entrepreneurs in Africa. Women in Africa often lack access to the resources and opportunities they need to grow their businesses. SheEquity works to rectify this issue by making direct investments, providing skill-building opportunities, and cultivating an ecosystem of support for these entrepreneurs. They help women become ‘investment ready’, breaking down barriers for minority businesses to access funding. The ShEquity Business Accelerator (SHEBA) is one such initiative that has already assisted three cohorts of women entrepreneurs in becoming prepared for investment and proficient in negotiation. The program includes important guidance in areas businesses often struggle with, such as team management, deal negotiation, navigating the business world, and financial management. They have also created a pilot fund that is directed toward demonstrating the impact and scalability of women-owned businesses.
3. How does ShEquity assess potential investments and manage risk in the African market?
The process by which ShEquity approaches potential investments and risk management is both unique and meticulous. For starters, emphasis lies heavily upon de-risking businesses by conducting full business evaluations and gaining insights into founders and their business models. A crucial factor is assessing not just the potential risk but understanding how founders react and handle those risks. This often crafts a solid prognosis of their aptitude and potential for success. ShEquity then probes business strategy and assesses operational risk management plans.
4. How can potential investors get involved and support women-owned businesses in Africa through ShEquity?
Investing in and supporting women-owned businesses in Africa is not only a venture that yields financial returns but also has social impact potential. Platforms such as ShEquity provide necessary assistance to women entrepreneurs, who might lack specific tools and resources to grab investors’ attention.
Understanding why investing and supporting women-owned businesses in Africa is a worthy cause forms an indispensable part of the narrative. It ties the factual complexities with the emotional threads, giving the investors a clear vision of the broader picture. They are not just investing in businesses but in a more equitable economic environment that fosters growth and sustainability.
The accomplishments these women-owned businesses achieve further creates a ripple effect, benefiting their immediate communities and even the continent at large through job creation and solving pertinent issues. Therefore, it goes beyond the individual profitability of companies, leading to mutually beneficial alliances and collective societal progress.
CONCLUSION:
The need for gender equity in Africa is not just a social issue but an economic imperative. Through her work with ShEquity, Pauline Koelbl is paving the way for a more equitable future by investing in and supporting female entrepreneurs, a chance to be part of a transformative journey that promises to redefine the investment landscape in Africa and, ultimately, the world.
Increased funding for women entrepreneurs promotes a broader distribution of wealth, which in turn accelerates economic growth and social stability. It allows women-led businesses, which have been largely untapped and marginalized, to merge into the mainstream economy. This integration affords the opportunity to exploit their potential to its fullest, leading to more innovative solutions, job creation, and overall prosperity. Moreover, bringing more women-owned businesses into the fold can amplify diversity in leadership, a trait known to foster creativity, resilience, and broader perspectives in problem-solving and decision-making. It’s a step towards fostering an inclusive and vibrant entrepreneurial environment that nurtures growth on multiple fronts.
ABOUT THE GUEST:
ShEquity’s Founder & Managing Partner, Pauline Koelbl is a gender-lens/impact investor and a leading innovation expert in developing & emerging economies with over 20 years of experience in international affairs and venture philanthropy. ShEquity provides smart investment to impactful and scalable African female-led and owned businesses. Pauline also has 11+ years of experience catalyzing innovation and supporting SMES/startups across Africa. Her passion lies in innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment of youth and women.
A double Fulbright Scholar and Fellow, Pauline holds an Executive Education in Innovation for Economic Development from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government; a Master’s Degree (MA) in Poverty and Development, Institute of Development Studies (IDS) from the University of Sussex, United Kingdom and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in International Studies (Honors) from the University of Arizona (UoA), USA. In 2022, Pauline was recognized as one of 100 Leaders building ‘Meaningful Business’, combining profit and purpose to help achieve the UN Global Goals.
Thank you for reading Innovative Leadership Insights, where we bring you thought leaders and innovative ideas on leadership topics each week.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Ready to measure your leadership skills? Complete your complimentary assessment through the Innovative Leadership Institute. Learn the 7 leadership skills required to succeed during disruption and innovation.
https://www.innovativeleadershipinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-9.png15452000Jenna Reikhttps://www.innovativeleadershipinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ILI-Anniversary-Logo.pngJenna Reik2023-08-15 18:35:512024-02-27 22:14:41Unlocking the Potential: Investing in Women-Owned Businesses in Africa
Chris Nolan is a multiple Emmy Award-winning director, creative director, marketing strategist, branding story expert, and author who provided this article as a companion to his podcast Using Storytelling to Elevate Leadership.
IN A CHAOS. THERE IS CREATIVITY. WELCOME TO VUCA MAX… PART 2.
In the last article, we discussed why we must reverse the normal business tendencies with innovation and creativity. And why there is a great deal of frustration and failure that exists in organizations.
In this article, we attempt to bridge the gap between creative and non-creative universes, or those people who view themselves as more rational, left-brain non-creatives.
Many times, leaders who don’t know how mysterious and serendipitous and unpredictable the creative process is—and they can make too hasty a judgment about the value of ideas or who should contribute to ideation.
People in non-creative universes have exactly the opposite relationship to ideas—they immediately say “Is it relevant to what we’re doing?” It’s as if you’re the head of Ivory soap: your job is to sell more soap bars and if you get distracted by someone saying “How about liquid soap?”—you say, “Can we stay on topic? How do we sell more bars?”
Below Malcolm Gladwell weights in on many of the arguments we discussed in the last article such as “embracing chaos” and “awkward strangers” on innovation teams.
I think that innovation and creativity flourish in environments that are messy, that permit mistakes that allow people to step outside of their roles that involve people who wouldn’t otherwise be thought of as natural teammates… Just when there is an acceptable level of chaos, I think that good things happen. The trick in encouraging creativity is being willing to tolerate chaos and that’s very difficult for us to do. It’s not first on our impulse. – Malcolm Gladwell
In a world moving faster than we think, and disrupting business overnight, every new idea demands focus. Not just marketing. We must cultivate messiness and be comfortable with the unknown.
THE FUTURE IS MOVING FASTER THAN YOU THINK
According to Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler in their book, The Future Is Moving Faster Than You Think, every major industry on earth is going to be reinvented over the next 10 years. Furthermore, we’re going to see more wealth created over the next decade than ever before in history.
In just a few years, all 8 billion of us on the planet will be connected. Just imagine the innovative potential of that mind meld.
Needless to say, it’s a critical time in business when we desperately need to energize our innovative assets and tap into our creative brilliance—right now!
Which is why the most important skillset, according to almost any study of the most important 21st century skillsets, is innovation.
In fact, an IBM study ranked it higher than global thinking and integrity.
A McKinsey & Company survey found that more than 70 percent of executives anticipate innovation will be a top driver of growth for their companies.
Yet, McKinsey also found most of these executives have been disappointed by their companies’ innovation efforts.
The reasons according to management consultants are: one, they aren’t utilizing the full power of collaboration within their whole enterprise, and two, as Gary Hamel says, leaders have ADD: Ambition Deficit Disorder. “They are too conservative, too risk adverse in their vision and innovation.”
Which brings us back to creative blocks. And the fact that a VUCA MAX world calls for counterintuitive, creative thinking. Which means doubling down on ideation even during downturns. (For more information on VUCA MAX, refer to part one of this series).
After all, we need bigger thinking to overcome bigger challenges. That calls for what business expert Jim Collins calls BHAGS, Big Hairy Audacious Goals. Or what Google calls Moonshots.
BLESS THE MESS
I was fortunate enough to consult on several moonshot projects for Google, which is when I first heard of the concept of VUCA and learned about X, Google’s Moonshot Factory.
Astro Teller is the current CEO of X, Captain of Google Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory, and really the dominant thought leader in the field of moonshot breakthrough ideas.
He offers compelling reasons why we should both champion moonshots and celebrate the mess.
Teller says, “We spend most of our time breaking things and trying to prove that we’re wrong. We run at hardest parts of the problem first. Get excited and cheer. Hey, how are we going to mess-up our project today?”
Teller’s visionary leadership is also coupled with strategies to make them real. That’s why they are a called a Moonshot Factory.
A great book that delves into research from neuroscience and psychology on the benefits of messiness, disorder and even confusion to produce extraordinary creativity is Tim Hartford’sMessy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives.
EFFECTIVE SERENDIPITY
Additionally, the chaos of creativity calls for being aware of what AI and Neuro-evolution expert Ken Stanley calls Effective Serendipity.
In his AI research, Stanley determined that serendipity plays a much deeper role in innovation than we think, which has implications for human innovation over artificial intelligence.
This concept of evolutionary innovation is especially important during this age of machines and technology. Machines are tasked with a single run, based on past data and knowledge, that has a sole objective.
But true innovation is about creating things that don’t exist. In other words, you can’t really have an objective for something that doesn’t exist. And, in many cases, past data can’t predict foresight.
For example, some of the greatest human discoveries were serendipitous like penicillin, radioactivity, the telephone, plastic, anesthesia, rubber, and even rock & roll—the list goes on and on. Yes, there were stepping stones leading to these revelations, but in the end they were their own Blue Ocean.
Effective Serendipity is not quite controlled chaos, but a more intuitive view of the creative enigma. It’s an acknowledgement that happenstance, randomness, coincidence, accidents, and experimentation are part of the process. And like evolution, disruption helps you get there.
It’s also understanding of why exercising non-linear Human Agency in a technological world is so important. As the astronaut in 2001: A Space Odyssey found out when HAL, his ship’s main supercomputer, went bonkers: there are often times consequences and limitations to relying on technology to determine our future.
Like nature, creativity evolves and is messy. Recognizing how it works frees you up to experiment, to take risks, and overcome fear.
YES, AND
Another great example of chaos, adversity immersion, and messiness in action is improvisation.
“Yes, and…” is the first rule of improvisational comedy. The central idea being, regardless of what you may think about what someone states, you accept the idea and say “Yes, and…” and keep riffing on the idea, versus saying “No, but…” which would kill the collaborative jam.
This technique was used on Second City stages where some of the most inventive comedians (Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Tina Fey, Mike Nichols, and Amy Poehler to name just a few) honed their improv chops.
Eventually, innovation gurus began incorporating the formula into business in order to improve the brainstorming process. And when you think about it, improvisation is actually an intense version of the Adversity Immersion exercise.
Why? Because improve is a hot seat of chaos and messiness. First, you are thrust on stage while a random action, subject, or theme is thrown at you (by the awkward stranger in the audience) and then the troupe bats around discordant non-sequiturs that they try to make sense of by riding a roller coaster of “Yes, ands…”
The whole process is a fishy stew of messiness, chaos, and uncertainty that must be made into a tasty bouillabaisse.
Furthermore, by embracing chaos, disorder, and uncertainty, you not only become more creative, but you begin to develop antifragile resilience to change and the unknown.
FUTURE MINDSET MASTERY
All of which leads us to the ultimate creative goal: Future Mindset Mastery. The future demands that we embrace chaos, awkwardness, adversity immersion, and the uncomfortable, and celebrate the amazing opportunities in the disruptive process.
To get there, one of the things our VUCA MAX Future Mindset Mastery coaching program stresses is Future Back Storytelling. We want to get you from the possible to the impossible.
We do this through Future Scenario, Foresight Maps, and Story Ladders to create a mosaic of future ideas and actualize them into movie-like scenarios. The result is a portfolio of ideation from mutations to 10x moonshots.
In the age of machines, information knowledge will be the domain of computers and bots. Now, data is tremendously valuable, but computers don’t “think” the way humans do. Machines generate knowledge which they cannot explain and work by eliminating choices until there is the best choice.
Human beings—like nature—evolve. We compound and converge concepts. We kluge choices and mutate ideas. That’s why it takes a chaotic process to discover the unexpected discovery and create impossible breakthroughs.
In his book Beyond Knowledge, George Washington University professor William Halel tells us technology is driving a new age of higher consciousness. This calls for a Future Mindset Mastery that accesses our higher faculties and human agency.
It requires fostering key value shifts that catalyze the next stage of human evolution: an expanded focus on creativity and imagination, bolder vision, intuition, wisdom and exponential empathy for all—not just humanity, but animals, plants and the whole planet.
Future Mindset Mastery is how we reach the upper limits of human potential in an increasingly accelerating, complex, uncertain, and chaotic world.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Chris Nolan is a multiple Emmy Award-winning director, creative director, marketing strategist, branding story expert and author. He brings 25 years of branding, writing, directing and production experience in both entertainment and marketing to his content production company, 90,000 Feet, working for clients such as Disney, Google, and Toyota.
He recently directed and co-wrote with Mike Schindler, the documentary “It’s VUCA: The Secret to Living in the 21st Century”. Chris and Mike have followed up the film with a book and an extensive leadership and executive coaching program called VUCA MAX.
To preorder the book or for more information on the VUCA MAX program go tohttps://itsvuca.com or contact Chris at Chris@itsvuca.com.
RESOURCES:
Ready to measure your leadership skills? Complete your complimentary assessment through the Innovative Leadership Institute. Learn the 7 leadership skills required to succeed during disruption and innovation.
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