Add a Comment

Comment by Nick Potter on November 29, 2011 at 11:20

Here's an interesting perspective on leadership in the Occupy movement...

What are leaders really for?

Leaders are necessary, but not because they are the source of social change. Rather their real function is to occupy the role that allows the rest of us to make sense of what is happening

Comment by maya nova on September 9, 2011 at 16:59

here is the correct link:http://www.leadershipnz.co.nz/Our-Events/2011-Workshops/default.aspx

Comment by maya nova on September 9, 2011 at 16:45

Hi everyone,

I am facilitating the Leadership New Zealand workshop in Mindful Leadership entiteled "Cultivating Leadership Presence" in Wellington on Friday September 30th

Please feel free to share with those you think maybe interested.

Here is more info:

http://http://www.leadershipnz.co.nz/Our-Events/2011-Workshops/defa...

Comment by Fanny Toorenburg on December 17, 2010 at 16:58

Hi everyone!  If you are interested in strategy and the sustainable future of NZ, have a look at http://strategynzsite.info/.  This is a promising workshop and conference organised by the Sustainable Future Institute for the end of March.  You can register your interest on the site :-)

Comment by Skye Isabelle Chadwick on November 25, 2010 at 21:28

Wow! im so excited and inspired to read the thoughts that have been shared here!
In answer to the question of what is a calling-i agree with Joanna and think that a calling should come out of deep listening and presence-being aware of what the needs of the world are but also listening to yourself and being awake to your own potential and passions! Somewhere your own passions meet a unique need of the world-and perhaps there is where you find your individual calling!

Also on leadership-
Ive been discussing what kind of leadership the world needs with a group of friends and we felt that a leader should be a host-to hold a space that supports humanity to co-create in a positive direction! A leader should not stand above others-but hold them and in turn be shaped by the procress of co-creation that emerges. Further we felt that a leaders role is to host meaningful conversations and listen deeply to connect and harmonise the diversity in the world rather than obliterate it. The world needs moving--and it takes everyone in conversation and connection to create this movement and create a better future.

These are just some thoughts and im not sure if they are very comprehensive-i would love to hear some feedback though!

Comment by Joanna Morton on October 19, 2010 at 21:42

What is a calling?

This is my answer (from circa 1940s via my mum! but I think it's elegantly simple):

If you can see something that needs to be done and you have the ability to do it, then you have a calling.

Comment by Davina Hunt on October 4, 2010 at 9:32

Wow - I've always avoided this group due to the title with a great big capital "L". Now I see there's some great discussion going on and I'm in...

I'm not talking leadership here but Facilitation to Empathise and Empower the Disempowered or Directionless. People come to my house, I feed us all together, I meet them through work I FEED us all together. We grow food at home, we grow ideas at work and imaginations at play but our skills are applied across all those barriers ...

Growing leaders is what plants have done for years ... the key ingredient is acknowledging the constraints put upon us, but going beyond this and applying the water & nutrients ... thats what true leaders do in my mind - focus the inspiration & abilities and break new ground.

Comment by maya nova on April 1, 2010 at 16:22

To follow up on your comment Carl, I am also very influenced by Otto Schamers work.
In his new book Theory U: Leading from the future as it emerges, Otto Scharmer introduces readers to the concept of “presencing”. A blend of the words “presence” and “sensing”, presencing signifies a heightened state of attention that allows individuals and groups to shift the inner place from which they function. When that shift happens, people begin to operate from a future space of possibility that they feel wants to emerge.
Being able to facilitate that shift is, according to Scharmer, the essence of leadership today.
I wrote a blog on Mindful leadership, feel free to check it here: http://mayanova.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/mindful-leadership/

And I really appreciate your point of view Megan.
Leadership is a funny word and as you say our Egos love latching on.
But leading from a place where we feel interconnected, deeply and profoundly, with orselves, with our environment and those around us, and listening, attending to what wants to emerge, that is not of the Ego. That is what creates people like Ghandi, Julia Butterfly Hill, Mandela, and those more invisible ones; people commited to caring and contribution whilst honouring their deep inner authentic calling.

Comment by Carl Chenery on March 28, 2010 at 11:24

Here is a link to an important paper for anyone thinking about leadership development and social change by Otto Scharmer- Field Based Leadership Development
"Leadership development is not about filling a gap but about igniting a field of inspired connection and action- Ten propositions on transforming the current leadership development paradigm"
For more info on Otto's work at www.ottoschamer.com or this conversation in Intersect's social processes group

Comment by Megan Salole on March 22, 2010 at 17:18

I wonder if throwing oneself in front of the train is a way for it to stop, thus saving all the kids. I guess in my head that would be what I would go for. But who knows how i might react making that decision on the spur of the moment.

In terms of the definition of leadership - it has always been a word that my ego likes (bad sign!) and I notice that I spent my late twenties aspiring to be a leader of one sort or another. But more recently I am enjoying the term 'being leaderful', full of the sense of importance of doing things in service of the whole. And enjoying being able to utilise the leaderful qualities of a whole group or core team.

This means I don't have to lead all the time, only when my skills or unique perspective is called for. I can step powerfully into that moment, and recede back when I am done.

Sometimes people move with great courage. Like Julia Butterfly Hill:
http://intersect.ning.com/video/julia-butterfly-hill-pro

I'm sure if you asked her, she wouldn't have been striving for the position of leader, and yet she was extraordinarily influential through her actions. She reached into herself and did the thing that she was being called to do. And it was totally authentic and the only thing that she could do if she were being true to herself.

So is leaderfulness being true to that 'calling'. What if we haven't felt our calling yet? What is a calling? Now that's a conversation I'd like to have...

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page