The leadership models currently used in most companies enable them to effectively achieve certain goals, such as creating shareholder value, increasing market share, developing new products, beating the competition, or making certain leaders famous. However, such models are almost always unsustainable because they act to the detriment of people's happiness and balance, and lead to distrust and cynicism in the workplace and an approach which is generally too competitive. The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership constitute an effective and sustainable leadership model, based on a radically new paradigm that improves and enriches those who embrace it. Imagine a simple line, and think that every leader is always either above or below it. A leader who is above the line is aware, one who is below is not.
When you are above the line, you are open, curious, and interested in learning rather than always proving yourself right. When you are below the line you are closed, on the defensive, and committed to being right. Many leaders are below the line: millions of years of human evolution have meant that as soon as we perceive the possibility of conflict, our reptilian brain activates, fear and anger increase, and we get on the defensive, working hard to convince others that we are right. But recognising that you are below the line is more important than being there: the first characteristic of conscious leadership is self-awareness and the ability to tell oneself the truth, while distortion and denial are traits of leaders with no self-awareness. The second characteristic is the ability to stop, recognise the negative emotions that have taken over your mental processes, release them, and create the opportunity for change, shifting to an open and curious state, one which is creative and collaborative, and this is where the best ideas spring forth. Additionally, leaders who choose to stay above the line experience sustainable happiness, which is essential to long-term personal and business health and success.
