ACTIVATING REGENERATIVE LEADERSHIP CONSCIOUSNESS

This is a book review of NATURE WORKS by @David Lorimer - a visionary polymath who is Programme Director of the Scientific and Medical Network, Editor of Paradigm Explorer, and Chair of the Galileo Commission

?NATURE WORKS - Activating Regenerative Leadership Consciousness, by Giles Hutchins

Wordzworth, 2024, 446 pp., ￡25.99, p/b – ISBN 978-1-78324-31-2

?

Giles has written a series of important books on leadership and consciousness, and this is his most comprehensive, while also remaining accessible. He works as an executive coach, senior advisor and keynote speaker on regenerative leadership and what he calls future-fit business, facilitating formative experiences in nature with his clients.

In one of the four Forewords to the book, Dr. Carolyn Eddleston writes about her own journey and the crucial importance of spending quiet, undistracted, still time in nature that enables real connection to take place. Returning to a business context, this can enable leaders to encourage people to come from the heart and soul rather than simply the mind. They realize that they are ‘part of an intricate web of interconnected living systems; nature becomes their teacher in a living classroom.’

The twelve chapters begin with exploring the worldview shift and the journey towards regeneration, then understanding how Nature works in terms of living systems, and finally journey into right relation. The fundamental need, as many readers will agree, is for a revolution in consciousness that transcends our current limited ways of thinking as well as our sense of separation, ‘which is the very hallmark of the Western mindset that dominates business, politics, and society through much of the world today.’

In addition, Giles remarks that ‘we have entered the area of transhuman materialism and surveillance capitalism, offering counterfeit connection through commercialism,’ meaning that we are sleepwalking into what he calls technospheric totalitarianism – I agree entirely.

With many diagrams and charts, Giles clearly articulates the fundamental shifts required from Mechanistic Materialism to Quantum Complexity, from self as separate to self as participatory, from organisation as machine to organisation as living system, and from a leadership dynamic of control-manage to sense-respond. Hence, our future relies on our capacity to revolutionise our consciousness and adopt a genuinely regenerative view of right relation, including sensing the inner dimension of Nature.

Giles explains the evolution of the western world view, so as to better understand our current situation dominated as it is by Mechanistic Materialism that dispensed with the Anima Mundi that we urgently need to recover – he calls this returning to Inner-Nature, and throughout the book shows an impressive grasp of key thinkers and trends. He argues that the achiever needs to become an awakener and regenerator within the business context, while also explaining the seven levels of leadership consciousness within the spiral dynamics model and drawing on other adult developmental models. We need to see through three lenses – the voice in the head, our deeper nature, and opening into the Field where Nature’s Wisdom can be directly sensed; this involves finding our bodymind coherence and opening the eye of the heart. Giles clearly explains the steps and processes involved, enriching his text with many inspiring quotations and practices.

It is essential, as he argues, that we come to understand how nature actually works, so here he explains the nature of living systems and the three levels of living systems awareness. Nature is in ceaseless transformation and relation, with permeable boundaries as well as diverse rhythms and tensions, from which emergence can arise. Giles has coached many regenerative leaders through death – rebirth metamorphoses, incorporating learning from Nature, participating within Nature, then attuning with Nature – seeing with new eyes. He expounds how we can learn from the logic of life’s seven principles, coining the term ‘panarchy’ to evoke the rhythm of life.

Nature’s Wisdom involves the three esoteric aspects of receptivity, where life is both immanent and transcendent, creativity and the interpenetration of inner and outer, and finally synchronicity where life is working with a correspondence of above and below. Overall, this involves letting go, opening in (surrender) and bringing forth or manifesting in a process or rather a journey of becoming, so that we can truly embrace life and right relation.

This takes us on to the third part of the book, embodying the mythological journey of departure, disintegrate-reintegrate, and return. We not only need an open mind and heart, but also an open will whereby through an alchemical process we can re-emerge to serve the whole – all this corresponds to the passage of the seasons, also explained symbolically. We then come to the 4 D foundational pillars for regenerative living and leading – dedication, discernment, discipline, and devotion. This is followed by the 5 E dynamics of the process of becoming: essence, energy, emergence, evolution, and enthusiasm. Giles also proposes four soul virtues of regenerative leadership in terms of balance, patience, courage, and purposefulness. We also need to cultivate soil conditions involving respect, spontaneity, gratitude, and listening.

It is an epic journey, with Giles acting as an inspirational guide, reminding us that the revolution starts in our hearts and souls, not in our heads, with how we perceive and attend to life. Aspiring leaders in all walks of life will benefit greatly from this comprehensive and very well-informed handbook.

?

Giles' book Nature Works - Activating Regenerative Leadership Consciousness can be found on Amazon here? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nature-Works-Activating-Regenerative-Consciousness/dp/1783243112?? as well as other book providers and all good book shops, and directly from the publisher here: https://www.wordzworth.com/sales/authorbooks?ISBN=9781783243112

?

“Nature Works by Giles Hutchins is a profound journey into the soul of leadership and life itself. With the wisdom of nature as a guide, it invites us to slow down, reflect, and realign with the deeper rhythms of the world around us. This book is more than a read,?it’s a spiritual awakening that transforms how we see ourselves, our work, and our place in the collective whole.”? Veronique Letellier, Co-Founder of Butterfly School, Head of Culture & Innovation, AXA Climate

?Other independent book reviews for NATURE WORKS:

‘This is a fascinating read which will challenge your approach to life and the way you consider every action. I loved reading this because it didn’t just throw out a statement or idea and expect you to merely react. It guides you through each thought, consistently delving deeper… This isn’t a light read, but then I wasn’t looking for that, I wanted my perceptions to be challenged and to expand my mind. This delivered on that front and I cannot recommend this enough. It will change how you look at life.’

‘This book will open your mind and heart and transform the way you live and lead. Giles is a wonderful writer with an ability to weave scientific, spiritual, natural and practical threads into compelling narratives that illuminate a pathway towards the harmonious relationship between humanity and nature that we so urgently need. Underpinned by his decades of real-world experience as a regenerative leadership coach and consultant, this book combines cutting-edge scientific findings with ancient wisdom to show us a path forward that is more integrated, wise and healthy for all the planets creatures and systems. Highly recommended!’

‘The worldview shift described in "Nature Works" invites us all to embark on a profound, personal, and collective transformation, recognising that healing from separateness to interconnectedness is crucial on our pathway. “Nature Works” is not just a book but an experience that will have you thinking, feeling, and most likely challenged. Certainly curious. It is part philosophy, business, and regenerative frameworks and touches the edges of a psycho-spiritual journey. It is a must-read for those committed to leading in harmony with nature.’

‘This is so much more than a book! Its wisdom in text, conveying a richness of life beyond words. Truly profound – in fact, life-changing. Read it!’

NATURE WORKS is available direct from the publisher here https://www.wordzworth.com/sales/authorbooks?ISBN=9781783243112

And from Amazon here? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nature-Works-Activating-Regenerative-Consciousness/dp/1783243112?? as well as other book providers and all good book shops.

?

To sign-up for free content, newsletters & whitepapers go to https://gileshutchins.com/newsletter-subscribe/

To take part in a special 2-day Immersion at Springwood Farm on 12th/13th May with Giles, see https://thenatureofbusiness.org/2025/01/11/future-fit-leadership-for-a-transforming-world-two-day-deep-dive-leadership-immersion-12-13-may-2025/

Feedback from a recent immersion with Giles:

‘The immersion at Springwood with Giles was very powerful, thought-provoking, energising and soul-touching. I’m still strongly feeling the ripples from our time,?many days after, and have already started some conversations which could be life-changing as a result.? Thank you Giles! Highly recommended!’? ?Jules O'Donnell, Founder - talking CAT consulting

About Springwood Farm: a mix of semi-ancient and ancient woodland with wildflower meadows, 60 acres, private and secluded specially designed for advanced leadership coaching work, see some pictures here: https://gileshutchins.com/springwood/

About Giles Hutchins??-Thirty years of professional advisory & leadership experience, formerly Director of Business Transformation & Head of Practice with KPMG, and Global Director of Sustainability Solutions for multinational Atos (150,000 employees across 42 countries), last 12 yrs as Executive Coach, thought leader and advisor on future-fit leadership. Author of six critically acclaimed leadership books and several leadership papers. His coaching work has been called ‘life changing’. Clients include Unilever, P&G, Deloitte, McKinsey, AXA, McCain, Vivobarefoot, Ella’s Kitchen, Pukka Herbs, PwC, Coop, Budgens, Sainsbury, Cook, B Lab, Fairtrade, Rabobank, Impact International, World Benchmarking Alliance, Aviva, BBC, BP, Angel Investments, BNP Paribas, Cap Gemini, Chloe, Richemont, Cambridge University, EQT, INSEAD, Hult Business School, HEC, Lang O’Rouke, IKEA, Bahlsen, BMW, Grant Thornton, HSBC, Sky Media, and many more. Find out more about his coaching here?https://gileshutchins.com/coaching/

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?