Why do we need conscious leaders now and how can you become one

Professor Vlatka Ariaana Hlupic • September 19, 2024

Organisational culture is a reflection of leader’s consciousness. Leaders with the right mindset, with ethical, conscious, caring, compassionate and authentic behaviour will help create psychologically safe caring culture that will easily attract talent and grow profit. Autocratic, egoistic, toxic leaders will create an organisation with unhealthy culture, and not many people would want to work in such organisation unless they are desperate and have no other choice.

With all the changes and disruptions going in the world, increasing uncertainly as well as an emergence of new opportunities to co-create a better new world, many people are looking for leaders who can show them how to navigate through these unprecedented times.

With ‘Great Resignation’ looming where many people are likely to leave their jobs, increasing competition for talent and resources, increasing drive for meaningful lives as well as an increase in mental health and well-being issues, the role of leaders has never been as important as it is now. Humanity needs conscious leaders to survive and thrive through global transformations that are taking place.

During this critical period of change, here are some tips to assist leaders in getting started on the path of conscious leadership:

Increase your self-awareness

The capacity to self-reflect and comprehend one's thoughts, behaviours, and intentions is referred to as self-awareness. Developing self-awareness is about looking at oneself on a frequent basis and determining if your thoughts, feelings, words, and actions are in sync. It is about examining yourself — your unconscious biases, ego, default thinking patterns that may be self-serving — and asking yourself how you might become better for yourself and people around you. Without self-awareness, changemakers and inspirational leaders cannot lead effectively, comprehensively, or impactfully. Leaders should constantly attempt to remain unbiased and endeavour to comprehend various points of view outside from their own.

Develop empathy for others and seek to understand

Empathy and self-awareness frequently act in unison. Even leaders might suffer from a lack of empathy. According to a recent survey[1], 31% of employees felt their bosses lacked empathy. A leader must be self-aware to recognise whether they are deficient in empathy or might be more empathic at times. Your peers will not inform you that you lack empathy (unless you roll out an anonymous survey).

Pay close attention when listening, observing, and communicating

Conscious leadership relies heavily on communication. A conscious leader that is dedicated to being a part of the change and empowering their followers does not make decisions for them. They do not presume to understand their people's experiences, nor do they presume to understand how they feel and what they require. Even though a leader seeks to put oneself in the shoes of another, they will never truly comprehend another's life experiences or challenges with, say, prejudice or inequity until they have lived it themselves. They must learn from the source, provide their people with a voice, and then listen, observe, and communicate in a way that benefits everyone.

Surround yourself with individuals that inspire you

The people you associate with have an impact on how you think, feel, and conduct. If you're surrounded by people who have detrimental attitudes and, in essence, are impediments to your goal (they would normally operate from Levels 1,2 or 3 of The Management Shift framework[2]), you might want to reflect on bringing developmental programme for your team. Again, awareness is critical in this situation. Before asking what kind of leader you are, first ask what kind of person you are, and seek to change the areas of yourself that could get in the way of how you lead others. Think about how you show up as a leader and create ‘to be’ list not just ‘to do’ list.

Lead your team with integrity

To put it simply, integrity means having your ideas, feelings, and behaviour 'integrated,' or aligned. Integrity is about never deviating from your essential views and principles; it is about sticking to them in any scenario, no matter what is going on or who you are working with. A leader who lacks integrity is a poor leader because they are easily influenced by others. A leader with integrity always stays loyal to their views and ideals.

In addition to the conscious leadership tips listed above, my 5-level The Management Shift framework depicts the five levels that individuals and organisations must go through in order to attain the greatest degree of conscious leadership. Each level is distinguished by its attitudes, behaviours, emotions, language utilised, leadership behaviour, and organisational outcomes.

The 'Big Shift' occurs when individuals and organisations transition from Level 3 to Level 4 mindset and culture. This results in a significant increase in performance, fulfilment, and profit. Leaders operating from Level 4 (and occasionally Level 5) embody the traits of conscious leaders. Humanity needs more of these leaders now!

If you are ready for your own ‘Big Shift’ and want to move up to the next level of conscious leadership, please contact me for a free one-on-one session to explore the next steps.

Click here to set up an appointment: https://managementshiftsolutions.com/book-a-time

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[1] https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/content/other/leaders-and-managers-lacking-crisis-evasion-skills

[2] https://managementshiftsolutions.com/the-management-shift-1

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How To Measure Your Company's Culture For Success

By Vlatka Hlupic • September 27, 2024

Over the past years, companies have made a unified effort to change their culture, to improve employee productivity, wellbeing and revenue. However, determining whether or not the culture change has been successful, can be difficult. Business leaders are now realising that they must readjust their company’s culture in order to survive in a drastically changed world, since the outbreak of COVID-19. Many organisations continue to have issues comprehending the significant connection between corporate transformation and culture. Acknowledging that a cultural framework is essential for holistic transformation does not come naturally for the majority of leaders. It is important to remember that ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast’, as Peter Drucker famously said. If your company’s culture is resistant to change, no amount of top-down strategy will make a difference. The only way to achieve lasting success is by transforming the culture along with the business. Traditional ways of thinking and working need to be replaced by new, more innovative approaches. This can be difficult, as old ways are often comfortable and familiar, however it is necessary if the organisation wishes to grow and thrive in the future. There are five levels of company culture, as identified in the 5-Level Management Shift Model . At Level 1, the culture is static, toxic, and inflexible. Employees are disempowered and scared. This can not only stifle creativity and innovation, which are essential for success in today's economy, and it is also detrimental for wellbeing of employees. At Level 2, employees do the minimum they can get away with, just to for a paycheck. At Level 3, the culture is controlled and inflexible. Employees can make some decisions on their own but must still follow the strict rules set by management. A company that is stuck at Level 3 or lower is unable to adjust quickly enough to changes in the market or society. As a result, it may become obsolete or irrelevant. A positive, adaptive company culture would be operating at Levels 4 and 5. This type of culture is characterised by trust and respect amongst employees, as well as a focus on results rather than procedures. Employees can make decisions quickly and efficiently, without having to go through multiple layers of management. This allows the company to be more agile and responsive to changes in the market. There are a few diagnostic tools that can help you measure the culture of your organisation. One such tool is the 6 Box Leadership diagnostic tool, also known as an organisational MRI. The 6 Box Leadership diagnostics tool was created by Professor Vlatka Ariaana Hlupic, CEO and Founder of Management Shift Solutions Limited . Based on more than 20 years of research, the (120 question) 6 Box Leadership model measures hidden strengths and weaknesses in the areas of Culture, Relationships, Individuals, Strategy, Systems and Resources, shown in 43 pages long pdf report. The 6 Box Leadership Diagnostics Tool is utilised by global enterprises for cultural transformation, from FTSE 100 companies, the NHS, to the UK Government. ROI figures include a 213% increase in profit over three years by a FTSE100 retail company, 100% growth in headcount in 18 months in a US-based consulting organisation, as well as improved staff wellbeing and retention in an NHS Trust. Examples of other application areas for this diagnostics include designed of customised executive education programmes, strategy elicitation, due diligence for VCs, risk management and improving employee engagement. The diagnostic tool enables organisations to understand how their culture is impacting performance, as well as the key strengths and developmental opportunities that would secure the business’ future. An Action Plan followed by a robust implementation strategy, are crucial for successful cultural transformation, with many expected and unexpected benefits emerging from this process. To learn how to get the most out of your employees and maximise your resources, visit the 6 Box Leadership page where you can also take a free sample test with 20 questions from this diagnostic tool.