PCI is a servant leadership organization. We have been practicing servant leadership for more than 20 years.
Dr. Danny Friedland believed there is a higher and better way of leading: Conscious Leadership, which he described as “servant leadership inspired by purpose.”
Conscious Leadership is “leading from your highest self in service of something larger than yourself,” he wrote in his book Leading Well from Within.
“Conscious Leaders focus on ‘we,’ rather than ‘me.’ They inspire, foster transformation, and bring out the best in those around them,” states the Conscious Capitalism organization. “They understand that their role is to serve the purpose of the organization, to support the people within the organization, and to create value for all of the organization’s stakeholders. They recognize the integral role of culture and purposefully cultivate a Conscious Culture of trust and care.”
Danny contrasts this style of leading with what he calls “low-performance leaders.” These leaders “tend to lead with ego and intimidation, are territorial, micromanage, judge, criticize and blame others, and may be wishy-washy and expedient,” he writes. “They are driven to get ahead, primarily for personal gain.”
Rather than leading from their highest self in service of something larger, these leaders lead “from ego in service of themselves,” he notes.
The style of leadership practiced at the top sets the tone for the entire organization. “Leaders, and their ability to be aware of and navigate stress, uncertainty, and self-doubt in any given situation, can profoundly influence which mindset dominates,” Danny observes.
These week we will be exploring these contrasting leadership styles and how we can show up more often as a high-performance, conscious leader.
How?
Brain science plus understanding Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
More tomorrow!
Reflection: Consider different leaders or managers I have worked for in the past. Who brought out the best in me and why?
Action: Journal about it.
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