21st Century Leadership
...incorporating the spiritual dimension
In her book Megatrends 2010, Patricia Aburdene claims that...
"What business leaders need more than anything else is exactly what Spirit offers: the power of self-mastery. Self-knowledge and personal mastery, the fruits of spiritual practice, are also key to the worldly pursuits of leadership, high performance, power. Yet self-mastery is sorely missing in business (not to mention politics). The failure of self-mastery is often the downfall of leadership. And the most reliable route to self-mastery is personal spiritual discipline -- reflection, journaling, meditation -- the sort of activity designed to force busy, stressed-out, Type A people to sit still and simply be." (p. 131)
For the past 7 years we at azzur have been researching, exploring and developing the capability to help leaders in organisations to discover the power of Spirit...to truly embrace self mastery - not simply for personal benefit, but for the benefit of their team, their organisations and ultimately the wider human race.
Getting Past No
An article by Roy Howells first published in The Training Journal June 2003
A recent report commissioned by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Centre for Management and Policy Studies (CMPS) drew attention to the adverse effects that large-scale change programmes can have on public sector employees and their attitudes to work. Irrespective of sector, change can take a lot of coping with, and it would take a supreme optimist to expect staff to agree wholeheartedly whenever a new way of doing things is proposed.
Emotional Intelligence and Team Roles
An article by Roy Howells originally published in the TMS Research Manual Third Edition 2003
This paper examines data relating to the Emotional Intelligence (EQ) scores of 180 individuals who were then categorised by the Team Management Profile (TMP). The purpose is to establish if there is a relationship between the two and if so, what the implications are. The subjects were primarily drawn from the upper middle ranks of the UK Civil Service who had applied for a training course on EQ.
Style Matters in Leadership
Style Matters in Leadership
2005-09-08 11:00:00.0 CDT
By Levy Rivers and Marcello Bondurant
Extract..."The very scope of such a program requires the board to think about transforming both themselves as well as the organization.
One of the consequences of making this shift is more exposure and transparency. Access and openness make it harder to get away with unethical behaviour, which the board and the public both demand. Job descriptions are being tuned, with a view to the type of person rather than simply the tasks. It is not just what the employee can do, but the kind of person he or she is, ethically and morally."
Key Attributes
At azzur we have identified the following attributes to be significant in the expression of the spiritual dimension of leadership...
A thorough, honest and objective view of one’s own personality, behaviours, strengths, skills, vulnerabilities and potential
Clarity about one’s own values and how they inform attitudes and behaviours
Understanding the belief systems that have historically driven one’s behaviours and attitudes. Challenging inherited belief systems and establishing one’s own inner guidance
Recognising the connection between all things – thoughts, words, actions, people, systems, kingdoms of nature – and the impact that one has every second of every day
Valuing relationship with others based on a healthy relationship with oneself. Establishing emotionally mature relationships based on respect for each other
Exploring and supporting the development of a powerful spirit – within oneself and amongst groups and teams. Acknowledging the inner voice, the force for good that exists in all people
Expressing one’s personality THROUGH the soul with the consequence that all actions are taken with high regard for the soul and well-being of another
Willingness to take responsibility for every action, thought, choice, consequence within one’s life. Absence of blame and victim behaviour
Building one’s inner, core strength and making choices based on that strength. Not being buffeted by external circumstances and events
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