Understanding Transcendental Leadership

Over the last decade, two distinct threads have emerged to define being a transcendent leader. The first thread is about doing and relates to the concept of profits, people, and the planet. The second thread is about being – it’s about transcending from our lower nature (self) to our higher nature (Self, Soul, or essence).?

Everyone has inner wisdom; for some leaders, this wisdom can unlock a powerful new potential that can transform how they lead. We call this transcendental leadership, and it’s all about examining your own and other stakeholders’ inner and outer experiences to gain insights and create positive outcomes. So how do you tap into this power? Let’s take a look at what qualities reflect leading from the Self and how to open up your consciousness to become a transcendent leader.?

What Is Transcendental Leadership?

Transcendent leadership was introduced as a global imperative at Davos's 2007 World Economic Forum. Merriam-Webster defines transcendence as “to rise above or go beyond the limits” and “to triumph over negative or restrictive aspects.” In terms of transcendental leadership, this means that leaders are able to rise above their own limitations, move into their higher Self, and triumph over any negative or restrictive aspects of themselves. This form of leadership involves going beyond individual self-interests and instead focusing on all stakeholders' collective good.??

Leading from Self is all about accepting yourself as you are while also staying open to growth and improvement. It has reverence for yourself and those around you, being present at the moment, having courage when it counts, showing gratitude when appropriate, and always striving for the highest good of everyone involved in any situation. In short, if you want to be a transcendent leader, you must have self-awareness.?

How Can You Use This Knowledge To Become A Better Leader?

The first step towards becoming a better leader is recognizing that you have the power within yourself to make a positive impact on those around you. Once you understand your power, you must strive to understand yourself and others better. Take time each day to meditate and reflect upon your thoughts, feelings, and actions to gain insight into who you are and how you interact with others. Additionally, seek meaningful conversations with colleagues who will constructively challenge your views. Finally, never forget your ultimate goal – which is to create a more equitable world for everyone involved in your sphere of influence.

Leadership requires more than just self-awareness; it also requires multidimensional awareness. This means being aware of not only your own thoughts and feelings but also those of other stakeholders—such as employees or customers—as well as external factors such as cultural norms or the current environment. The more open your consciousness is to awareness at all levels, the more impact you will have on your outer environment—and ultimately on achieving desired outcomes for everyone involved.?

Transcendental leadership requires understanding both doing (profits/people/planet) and being (transcending from lower nature/self into higher nature/Self). Leaders must strive for a balance between these two threads if they want to become successful change-makers in their organization or community. By taking time for self-reflection each day, engaging in meaningful conversations with colleagues, and always keeping their ultimate goal in mind – creating a more equitable world – leaders can use this knowledge to become even better versions of themselves while inspiring those around them at the same time.? As such, transcendent leadership has become an increasingly important tool for leaders looking to make lasting changes within their organization that benefit not just shareholders but all stakeholders involved.??

What Are The Qualities Of A Transcendent Leader?

Being an effective leader today requires much more than just knowledge or experience alone; it takes tapping into one's inner wisdom to gain insights that will lead to better decisions and improved results. Transcendental leadership is all about unlocking the power of your own inner wisdom by examining your own experiences as well as those of other stakeholders so that you can develop empathy with them and strive for positive outcomes. By embracing qualities like acceptance, presence, courage, gratitude, reverence, and aiming for the highest good, transient leaders become empowered with greater insight into their decision-making process, leading to better overall decisions for their organization. ? Achieving these goals starts with becoming aware of yourself - allowing you access to multiple dimensions of thought within yourself which leads to a better understanding of those around you, thus creating a holistic view of things that helps inform decisions better. ? With such great power comes great responsibility.