WHY IS FAITH & LOVE NOT INTEGRAL TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT?

I find it ironic that every organisation on the planet, every government establishment is a make up of human beings.?Two of the most important aspects of human existence is LOVE and FAITH, so why are LOVE and FAITH not readily accepted, embraced, integral to leadership development globally??You mention the word faith in the corporate context and it immediately evokes a negative reaction for it has a religious context.?Now, the purpose of today’s article is NOT about talking the pro’s and con’s of religion, it's about why in the 21st century we do not talk about the importance of love and faith in the leadership context.

I came off a conference interview last night in Italy with the amazing @Angela Santi of Dolce Vita Leadership, phenomenally inspiring thought leader in the Italian Dolce Vita way…and we were discussing this very topic.?She asked me ‘What is the most critical priority for leaders in the new era, and why??My response, the urgent need to evolve the consciousness of those who lead.?Traditional linear style of leadership as we know it is DEAD we will not be returning to what was.?Albert Einstein was quoted to say:?We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.?We will not be able to solve the new world problems if we do not URGENTLY evolve the level of consciousness of those who lead.

When operating from the traditional linear way of operating this is humanistic in nature and limited, yet the non traditional non linear approach of the co-creative realm is unlimited in nature. To access the co-creative realm one needs to be open to explore what faith means for them.?It is not a voodoo subject it is an imperative subject for most leaders (generalising here) are not competent at navigating uncertainty.?Most leaders are used to being in control.?Covid has changed the leadership landscape to an unprecedented degree and my concern is the level of disassociation evident for there does not seem to be a sense of urgency to change.

Where faith is concerned I have coached the full spectrum, leaders with strong religious beliefs, leaders with strong spiritual beliefs, leaders who were complete atheists, I am not attached to what you call it, higher power, universal force, god, buddha, what I am committed to is evolving those who lead to access their co-creative ability to operate at a higher level of consciousness to achieve the unfathomable.?Co-Creation is the word I use in corporate to get away with talking about faith.?Faith to me is THE most importance aspect of leadership for it enables a leader to operate at a level that is limitless.?It is this realm that will pioneer new solutions to the problems this world will surely face moving forward.

It saddens with me to see CEO’s I have coached in the past who hide their faith in the work environment for it is not the acceptable norm.?Why on earth is it not part and parcel of every leadership development plan on the planet.?We can all learn from each others disciplines.?To me it should be celebrated for if one has faith they have EVERYTHING.

Don’t even get me started on the topic of LOVE in the work place.?LOVE is the most primary emotion for a human being and yet LOVE also is something this is not openly expressed, shared or vocalised – LOVE is integral to emotional connection.?How do we expect to evolve leadership cultures when LOVE is avoided, rejected or invalidated?

The main benefits of Covid is that is brought humanity together, the level of disconnection created unprecedented CONNECTION. This is a good thing and I doubt if Covid had not happened whether humanity would ever have got with the program of its own accord.?Example:?To have ‘working from home’ now be an acceptable norm is revolutionary for pre-Covid this was never fashionable due to a lack of trust. Now companies globally are making the decision to let go of their office premises and be completely remote, how extraordinary!?

Major changes in the world never take flight unless modelled by leading influencers, so what is it going to take I ask to have leadership truly evolve to the dimension that is required??The fact that soft skills (which are not new people) are the latest buzzwords in corporate is humorous at a level.?The fact that it took an epidemic for leaders to embrace compassion, empathy, interpersonal relations etc is mind blowing…it will take more than an openness to adopting softskills to transcend the leadership divide.

Whilst we stay with the education system the way that it is teaching the same things we did over 50 years ago, do nothing to stop the monetary wheels of corruption, ie wars and big Pharma, ignore climate change, we will not evolve beyond the standard norm.?It will take the pioneering thinkers, the rebel rousers, the innovators, the change makers, of the world to disrupt status quo…for to not change is asking for the inevitable… food for thought today…