2006 1

Conscious Leadership

Creating Workplaces That Work!

Anna Pollock

2006 2

Does this sound familiar?

Recruitment, retention and engagement are the key issues affecting government today

2006 3

Does this sound familiar?

Overall less than 25% of employees are fully engaged at work

2006 4

But Have You Heard This One?

What managers need now, above all else, is to slow down, step back and reflect thoughtfully.

Henry Mintzberg

2006 5

Isn’t This More Like It?

80% of managers get less than ½ hour of time to think and reflect on the job

2006 6

Again, have you heard this before?

Individuals join organizations and leave managersGallup

Which makes it all your fault!

2006 7

Ever felt like you were trapped?

In a box, perhaps?

2006 8

The Big Squeeze!

Shareholders

Executives

Supervisors

Frontline Staff

Analysts, Politicians Media

Customers

2006 9

How Do we Move Outside the Box?

2006 10

What Do Bosses Want?

In short: MORE!– Productivity – Profits, market share, share price, ROI– Creativity– Efficiency– Collaboration– Retention– Flexibility– Adaptability

2006 11

What Do Your Team Members Want?

• To be rewarded commensurate with effort • Recognition for my contribution, my talents• Relationships with co-workers• Meaning & fulfillment & a sense of purpose• To be told the truth, kept informed• To feel Involved• Respected• Trusted

2006 12

Some Observations

• “No one, apart from investment managers, goes to work early because he is eager to make shareholders wealthy.” Michael Hammer

• Working together can be a deep source of life meaning. Anything less is just a job.” Peter Senge

• Man’s search for meaning is his primary motivation in life.” Victor Frankl

2006 13

What Do Employees Want of their Leaders?

“Not financial acumen. Not vision. Not creativity. What employees want most from their business leaders are basic principles in practice such as honesty, integrity, ethics and caring”

Right Management Consultants, UK

2006 14

So What Else is Working?

• How Many of You Volunteer?

• Why?• How does it feel? • You are not alone!

45-56%of UK and US residents volunteerUS volunteers contribute $280 billion to the economy!

• Growth of Social Entrepreneurship

2006 15

• Re-organize• Tighten up processes and job

descriptions• Business process re-

engineering• Bonus and incentive schemes• Penalties and punishments

How do organizations fix the problem?

2006 16

Where & Why Are We Missing the Mark?

We’re Focusing on the BRAIN versus the HEART!

2006 17

Mind Your Language!

2006 18

From Engagement to Passion

2006 19

From Motivation to Inspiration

2006 20

From Motivation to Inspiration

2006 21

How did Gandhi inspire a nation?

2006 22

How did Rosa change a nation?

2006 23

Let’s Put the Human back into HR

We’re Human BEINGS not DOINGS

2006 24

Soft is the New Hard!

Everyone Wins!

2006 25

How do you “do” Conscious Leadership?

2006 26

1. Take Responsibility

2006 27

2. Pay Attention

• What kind of box are you in?

• How well do I know myself and others?

• What stories do I tell myself and others about me?

• Am I internally in alignment?

2006 28

How do I do “Self Reflection?”

• Move out of the head!• Awareness of body,

feelings, • Use mirrors – movies,

heroes, imagery, animals, archetypes

• Paint, draw, sing, journal • Story writing• Dream & Visualise

– Awake or asleep

2006 29

What Kind of Box are you in?

2006 30

Each Box an Organization, Country

2006 31

Conscious Leadership isn’t Easy!

There are three things extremely hard:

steel, a diamond, and to know one's self.Benjamin Franklin

2006 32

The Three Most Powerful Questions

• Who am I? IDENTITY

• Why am I here? PURPOSE

• What’s my contribution? ROLE

Works for Individuals, Companies, Nations

2006 33

Defining the Core

INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATION

IDENTITY Character Culture & Brand

PURPOSE Vocation, Passion

Cause

ROLE Contribution, talents

USP, core competencies

2006 34

The “Box” of “who we are”

PARADIGM

PASSION & VALUES

PERSONALITY

PURPOSE

PRACTICED SKILLS

PAST EVENTS

But is that all? Is this a prison?

2006 35

Moving out the Box: Two Exits

Focus on service

Focus on personal growth, and development

2006 36

By Sharing a Common Purpose

• There’s one phrase that shows what it takes to unify a group and focus attention

• One phrase describes our common destiny and a cause that inspires

• One phrase that can be applied to what we want as individuals, as companies and as community

• One phrase that describe why we’re here

• Dixon’s $20,000 challenge

2006 37

BUILD A BETTER WORLD

2006 38

So conscious leaders are:

• Awake & Aware• Accountable• Attentive• Authentic• All aspects – hold holistic

perspectives• Alive• Accepting• Attractors• Altruistic• Able to ACT!

2006 39

So conscious leaders are:

• Alive• Attract• Able to ACT!