Leadership for a "better world"

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of participating in the European Leadership Platform's annual gathering. The theme was: Leadership for a better world. I was asked to read an opening statements to get the conversation going.

Here it comes. Let me know what you think about it.

For over 30 years I have been active in helping individuals, teams and organisations to define their purpose. The first part of my carrier as a director of a communications agency by telling stories and create campaigns for organisations that want to make a difference, and the last few years by empowering individuals and organisations to take on a leadership role to change the organizations and systems they work in from within.

I belief in creating this ‘better’ society by bringing in new perspectives, compassion, and a systemic view. Take a moment, look at your neighbors, and think about all the systems and inter-connected networks that are present in this room.

The past years I trained young professionals to become employee activist and internal changemakers through the Undercover Activist. My lessons learned by working with this age group are part of what I share here. Besides bringing in the voice of next generations I also want to honor the rights and interests of 7 generations into the future, by adding their voices to governance and juridical structures (Lab for Future Generations). I advocate for bringing nature on the board (through Earth Law Center) and give nature real representation by setting up nature and eco-system constellations.

So these are already my first principles for leadership going forward in the 21st century:

-              We are entering the age of listening and observing, we cannot design purpose in isolation.

-              Youth, nature and future generations should become active parts in the conversation.

-              Systems thinking and a holistic approach is crucial.

Creating a better world, just a little bit better, well that should not be too difficult. Potentials for improvements are all around us. Are they not? Let’s go to work! Action.

Or should we first define how we think a better world would look like, and for whom this world should become a better place to live?  I do not think we should think to long about this ‘better’ world. I do not believe in tweaking and optimizing the present systems, we need more radical change, social, ecological, ethical. This needs collective intelligence and courage to first acknowledge the urgency, co-create and then act.

Let’s start the conversation about what world we want and how this world would look like. Because leadership without a common focus and purpose is a complete disaster.

And if we engage in this exercise of a good world what will be the role for Schiphol, the Port of Rotterdam, social foundations like the street doctors and sustainable fashion brands like Patagonia? For me the leaders with power, money and access to talent, are the once who have to open up this space and make the conversation real, transparent and inclusive. So that brings some more principles for 21st century leadership:

-              Leaders need courage and become the space-holders for conversations.

-              Leaders who recognize and trust the wisdom of the collective intelligence can lead the process not the content

And what if I tell you that the whole idea of leadership is so ‘90s? It is hard for leaders who are trained in the old ways to recognize leading is not about taking decisions but about facilitating a process.

Let;’s stop defining what is good for the world from our own narrow perspectives. The world is too complex. Leading is about taking all people on a journey, leaving no-one behind and asking others what they want.

The Next generation of GenZ-ers and Millenials are populating the workplace. They feel a strong connection with self and with the planet, and are Tech-savey. They are uber-aware. They value leadership on the ability of people-with-power to create; purpose, safety, mindfulness, balans, a healthy planet, ethical structures.

They feel present generations of managers are blocking progress. Not only because they are less fluent in using IA, Chat-GPT and digitalization. They are blocking progress foremost because they have a hard time to brake old patterns, change their worldview and ways of deciding. And yes we need technology to transform industries and companies. But tech without ethics and purpose will not save us.

So that brings me to another set of 21th century leadership principles;

-              Willingness to master a new definition of leadership

-              Know how to take the next gen on the journey

-              Including the importance of purpose, safety, mindfulness, balans, health, ethics

-              Guiding, not blocking, the next generations by giving responsibilities, power and budget to lead the change.

I answered the question, ELP asked all participants to the gathering, about what I did last year to make the world a better place with the answer; I loved myself just a little bit more. This brings me to my 10th principle. I am convinced self-love is important to create this good world. And if all leaders would really love themselves and act with compassion for self and the other this would make a real difference.

In my good world Schiphol would be cleaning the air instead of polluting it, Port of Rotterdam would be part of a system that saves the oceans instead of destroying it, brands like Patagonia would be the norm not the exception and street-doctors would not exist. To conclude. Have a look around again and take into account, during the conversations, all the perspective and networks that are not in the room. Thank you

Credits: Gallery What is Happening Now for image.