I recently read Conscious Leadership: Elevating Humanity Through Businessby John Mackey, Steve McIntosh, and Carter Phipps (2020).
This was an excellent read, detailing how leaders can approach the work of influencing others from a holistic mindset of improving the future through a triadic focus on environmental, social, and economic stewardship. JM is the founder of Whole Foods and actively practices/encourages that stewardship perspective, both personally and organizationally.
My top takeaways:
– Conscious leaders are relentless about their own personal learning and growth.
– Conscious leaders demonstrate and embody the “why” while showing us a reasonable pathway to “how.”
– Meaning is a far greater motivator than money (for most people).
– Leading with love means persistent demonstrations of generosity, gratitude, appreciation, care, compassion, and forgiveness.
– Integrity = Truth-telling + Honor + Authenticity + Courage
– Leaders who fail to invest in the development of their team members will most certainly lose the best ones.
– Leaders who fail to engage in systems thinking (i.e., patterns, connections, interdependencies, relationships) are failing to think.
– Effective leaders understand the three prevailing social worldviews – modernism, traditionalism, and progressivism – and seek continually to build bridges between the holders of each.
My favorite quotes:
“The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity.” (p. 53)
“There is nothing that will undermine your culture more than saying one thing and rewarding something else.” (p. 106)
This book is well worth the time for anyone interested in making better futures, for others and for ourselves, a reality.
*If you’d like to read more of nc’s blatherings, go to www.nelsonwcoulter.com.
Nelson Coulter
Nelson Coulter has held a lot of titles: rancher, educator, author, musician, entrepreneur, coach, mentor, consultant, and professor. He has coached, taught, and been published in many settings. He has served in public schools of all shapes, sizes, and contexts. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at Louisiana State University - Shreveport. His most cherished titles, however, are the ones not attached to career identity: son, husband, dad, and granddad.
