Leading in a world of disruptive change – How “Presencing” can help you!

There is no doubt that we live in a world of disruption. Disruptions are often perceived as a threat and we tend to react defensively. But actually, these situations are also presenting unparalleled opportunities — the opportunity “to step into new spaces and to sense and actualize the future that is wanting to emerge” (Otto Scharmer, Leading from the future as it emerges, 2007).

Our usual way in solving problems or to prepare for change is to conduct lessons-learned exercises, gathering a lot of data from the past and applying it to the new situation risking to be on autopilot and repeating past routines.

In today’s world, however, where things are changing rapidly and your whole business model might be at risk, the above mentioned approach does no longer hold water and you may need to apply an additional method to come up with new ideas and strategies; especially when solutions are unknown and new capabilities are needed.

What might help here is “Theory U” described by Otto Scharmer in his book “Leading from the future as it emerges” (2007).

Basically, Theory U requires you in a 5-step process:

• to let go of old beliefs (1), patterns and habits that are no longer valuable and cause an organization to be blind to its own current reality
• to rather observe (2) and connect yourself to the world that is outside of yourself and/or your organizational bubble and start listening and to ‘see with fresh eyes’
• to practice mindfulness (3) allowing the inner knowing to emerge and
• to bring the new into the world (4-5) and to let the best and highest possible future emerge

As depicted in the image below (Presencing Institute; www.presencing.org) “moving down the left side of the U is about opening up and dealing with the resistance of thought, emotion, and will. Moving up the right side is about intentionally reintegrating the intelligence of the head, the heart, and the hand in the context of practical applications.” (Otto Scharmer, 2007)

Presencing

The heart of the process is step 3 – “Presencing”. Otto Scharmer formed this new term by combining the words presence and sensing. This is a particular mindful stage where you need to be fully aware of the presence, let go of what is non-essential, and sense the future that would like to emerge. Instead of clinging to the past, you need to ask yourself how you can become a part of the future.

What does this mean for your leadership role?

According to Deborah Rowland (Still Moving Field Guide, 2021), the quality of your inner state – your being, how you are as a leader – determines the quality of your doing, the actions you take as a leader. In her research she could clearly show that your mental and emotional state will greatly predict how effectively you can lead change.

Mindfulness

First you need to cultivate mindfulness for yourself. Jon Kabat-Zinn has defined mindfulness as a practice that helps you to be more aware of yourself and the world around you through non-judgmental attention to the present moment. On the contrary, being non-mindful would increase the chance that you operate on autopilot – reacting to the current situation based on past experience.

As a leader it is important to pay attention to your inner state, to notice how you respond to the ideas presented, to be aware of your degree of openness and curiosity, and not getting distracted by your own narrative or agenda. If you operate from a place of stillness, you and your team will be able to create a wider range of possibilities.

How do you practice that?

The simplest practice of mindfulness is meditation, helping you to become still and aware of the here and now. Another effect of a regular meditation practice is that you will be able to cultivate compassion for yourself and others. This is a critical capacity supporting your listening skills and being open hearted. Self-reflection via journaling – noting down your inner state of being – has been shown as being helpful too.

Deborah Rowland suggests sitting quietly and allowing yourself to become calm and receptive. Then to think of a difficult situation you are facing right now. As you reflect on this situation, notice how your body reacts, what feelings and thoughts show up. Then ask yourself a few questions. For instance, how have I treated this difficulty so far? What does this problem ask me to let go of? What great lesson might it able to teach me? What is the value hidden in this situation?

Open mind, open heart, open will

In this Theory U process it is of utmost importance to have an open mind, an open heart, and an open will:

Open mind – observing without judgment and letting go of the past

Open heart – connecting and looking from the perspective of your stakeholders

Open will – committing to allow whatever emerges even if you are unsure what it is exactly

How do you support your team?

If you want people to fully show up so that new ideas can emerge, you must be vigilant about creating a culture in which people feel safe, seen, heard, and respected. This means, creating conditions that allow for focused attention and deeper connection between team members by modeling curiosity, and asking lots of questions.

You can also support your team and the creative process by learning to use silence and stillness in meetings. This could be a one-minute meditation or a breathing exercise, or just asking your team to take a moment to pause and notice how they are feeling right now.

Conclusion

Leading in a world of disruptive change is complex, but being aware of your inner state, your being, and how you are as a leader, is an important skill that will greatly affect your ability to lead change.

I hope these tips work for you. Leave a comment of what you are experiencing in your journey and any additional advice you have.

Volker Hack is an Executive Director at one of the largest Contract Research Organizations and dedicated to Improve Health. He is an advocate for incorporating mindfulness into the work life.