An account of a pilot leadership development program for Aker Solutions. Jonathan ReamsImagine a room full of engineers, all highly skilled in their areas of technical expertise, with a few human resource people thrown into the mix. They have been successful enough to advance along their company’s “leadership pipeline,” yet find that the skills that got them there are not the ones they need now with the responsibilities of leadership in an ever more complex organization. The stakes are high—their work includes responsibility for global projects and deliveries with high technological requirements as well as for safety and quality.They are in a competitive market with ongoing quality issues, eroding profit margins and constant learning curves. Now they are here at a resort center an hour out of Oslo to take part in a pilot leadership development program.This article will briefly outline the story of how this program developed, some of its core theories and … [Read more...]
Feature Article: Mindfulness Matters
Rosaria (Ria) Hawkins One of the many concepts shaping our view of self, health, leaders, leadership, and organizations is mindfulness. The purpose of this article is to first provide a quick summary of the concept of mindfulness and its transition from the clinical therapy arena into the leadership and popular press. Second, I provide a brief overview of my doctoral findings—the processes by which mindful leaders engage others in change. Finally, I begin to formulate and categorize the major practice-based challenges we face as we help organizations and their leaders utilize more mindful approaches to work. A Quick Overview: Mindfulness Over the past several decades, mindfulness has migrated from a purely spiritual tradition related to Buddhism, Taoism, or Zen to a common practice that spans a number of domains. Today, mindfulness meditation is a recognized clinical practice. Meditation retreats and clinics are on the rise. Recently, a number of books have been written on … [Read more...]
Leadership Quote: Mary Parker Follett
“Leadership is not defined by the exercise of power but by the capacity to increase the sense of power among those led. The most essential work of the leader is to create more leaders.” ~Mary Parker Follett, The Creative Experience, 1924 … [Read more...]
Notes from the Field: Integral Without Borders Conference: Self-as-instrument
Integral Without Borders Conference: Self-as-instrumentIntegral International Development Center March 25 – 27, 2011 Vancouver, BC Susan Wright Integral Without Borders (IWB) is a learning center of the Integral Institute whose purpose is to bring together practitioners and organizations to develop greater clarity, depth, and rigor in their global development efforts. IWB began in 2005 and has since held global meetings bi-annually in France (2006) and Istanbul (2008/2010) as well as some smaller regional meetings in between.A group of about twenty gathered on Thursday evening March 24th, 2011 in downtown Vancouver for a celebration of the Flavours of Integral International Development, a wine and cheese evening of connection and discussion to begin the next in the series of IWB weekend workshops. The group included weekend leaders and participants plus members of the local integral community in spirited conversation.After an informal social … [Read more...]
Feature Article: Complexity Epistemology, Complexity Axiology, and Real Property Rights
Michael McDermott and Spike Boydell ABSTRACT An intellectual foment has been under way for the last few decades, with the limitations of modernist scientism and similarly mechanistic philosophies being revealed as fraudulent insofar as they make claims to any magisterial authority—in particular, over life and social sciences. The ground is shifting beneath our conceptual feet, and with it notions of our rights over the ground itself.Central to the emerging paradigm is the co-evolutionary emergence of complexity epistemology (the study of emergent levels of knowing) and complexity axiology (the study of emergent levels of valuing), and pivotal to these are the concepts of self and identity creation (which is the literal meaning of ‘autopoiesis’, and the understanding we are using in this paper). We are referring to autopoiesis at all relevant scales, and in particular at both individual and social scales. Ecological niches are both found and created … [Read more...]
Learner Paper: Coaching with an Integral Lens
When we can find them we publish PhD student papers from various institutions. These papers are typically done as part of a class in leadership, integral leadership or other related topics. Learners and professors are invited to submit papers for publication. Coaching with an Integral Lens Lynn Harrison Saybrook University IntroductionLeading successfully in today’s fast-paced, dynamic, and competitive work environment can be a daunting challenge. With expanding workloads, increased complexity, and growing demands from stakeholders, leaders need to develop not just “human capital” (the ability to acquire needed technical skills) but “social capital”, networked relationships among individuals that will enhance cooperation and resource exchange (Day, Harrison, & Halpin, 2009, p. 163). Without this, leading can be a very isolating existence and the pressure of “going it alone” can be immense.In this paper, I will describe the story of Laura*, a … [Read more...]
Feature Article: Transdisciplinarity in Higher Education, Part 7: Conclusion
Synopsis of Integral Leadership Review’s Series on Transdisciplinarity in Higher Education Sue L. T. McGregor and Russ VolckmannDuring 2010-2011, Russ Volckmann (Editor and publisher of the Integral Leadership Review) and Sue McGregor (Integral Leadership Council member) published six papers in a series about making the transdisciplinary (TD) university a reality. We profiled initiatives in United States, Europe (Germany, Austria), Mexico and Brazil, Australia, and Romania (the order they appeared in the series). We tried to cover each continent (except for Antarctica), managing to connect with all but Africa and Asia. Our overtures to initiatives in both South Africa and India were successful but we were unable to complete the interviews during the one year allotted for this TD-series. We hope to profile these in future issues.In most instances, Russ and Sue became familiar with the general nuances of each initiative, and prepared a set of questions prior to … [Read more...]
Leadership Emerging: Descriptions of Books, Articles and Other Media
Richard Barrett, The New Leadership Paradigm, www.valuescenter.com www.newleadershipparadigm.com, Lulu.com, 508 pages. Jonathan ReamsLast March I found myself spending a day at a European ALIA event co-sponsored by the Progressio Foundation. I was looking forward to meeting new faces and networking with like-minded individuals. Much to my surprise and pleasure, the opening speaker turned out to be Richard Barrett. Twelve years earlier, I had invited Richard to come and present at an event hosted in my small community of Nelson in British Columbia. I had not seen him since then. To have him suddenly present was a delight.During breaks and over lunch we had a chance to chat and catch up. Since leaving the World Bank (in the mid ‘90s I believe) and founding the values center, Richard had built up that organization to the point where two years ago he was able to step back from daily operations and “retire” to pursue his passion for soul centered leadership and presence … [Read more...]
Book Review: The Vertical Dimension. Blueprint to Align Business and Talent Development
Elliot Jaques RevisitedJan De Visch, The Vertical Dimension. Blueprint to Align Business and Talent Development (Connect & Transform Press, 2010) ISBN 978-94-9069-538-5. Available from http://www.connecttransform.be/ Nick ShannonAt first sight this is not a book about leaders or leadership. It is a book about organizational development setting out a theory of the thinking and processes that lead to organizational success. And, whilst not explicitly aimed at business, the focus is very much on organizations that intend to provide a financial return for shareholders—in other words, organizations that have a mandate to create shareholder value. However, the author takes what is essentially an “integral” perspective in that he critiques current approaches to talent management that treat it as an isolated discipline separate from other organizational systems. In essence, he advocates an integrated approach that aligns business strategy, organizational structure, … [Read more...]
Book Review: Bald Ambition: A Critique of Ken Wilber’s Theory of Everything
Jeff Meyerhoff. Bald Ambition: A Critique of Ken Wilber’s Theory of Everything. LaVerne, Tennessee: Inside the Curtain Press. 2010. Russ Volckmann This book has been out only a year or so and I already feel like I am behind the curve. While Meyerhoff notes that there has been something of a wall, albeit one with gaps, of silence regarding this book, in an interview with Frank Visser (who wrote the forward and is author of Ken Wilber: Thought as passion, the book that outlined the stages of Wilber’s thought for the first time in my reading) Meyerhoff does outline several reviews/responses to his writing. Some of this may be related to the fact that much of this book was laid out on Frank Visser’s invaluable website, www.integralworld.net in the early part of the last decade. There, Meyerhoff has a chance to respond to criticisms, as well as share his own reflections since the book was published. I highly recommend the interview: http://www.integralworld.net/visser42.html. So … [Read more...]
Notes from the Field: Integral Leadership in Action (ILiA) Status Report – May/June 2011
Integral Leadership in Action (ILiA) Status Report – May/June 2011 Michael McElhenieIntegral Leadership in Action is alive and well. We are currently in an exploratory incubation period, which has already generated a number of intriguing ideas that are sure to excite our members and the wider integral community. While we did choose to cancel the Conference Collaborative last year for economic and other reasons, we are fully committed to our mission of “Exploring and Developing the Concepts and Practices of Integral Leadership.” Within the next few months, we will be taking action on these ideas so that we may continue to evolve our capacity to fulfill the ILiA mission.We are also proud to announce that Integral Leadership in Action is now a 501(c)3 organization. Thus, we are qualified to accept tax-deductible contributions. Official non-profit status is not just about donations, but even more so about long-term viability and the capacity to channel our revenue … [Read more...]
Notes from the Field: Leading from Within: Integral Applications to Sustainability in the Niger Delta, Nigeria
Leading from Within: Integral Applications to Sustainability in the Niger Delta, Nigeria Oliver NgodoTuesday May 17, 2011, His Excellency the High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Chris Cooter, was on a working visit to One Sky offices in Calabar. This visit marked the conclusion of the 10th of the 12 rounds of Intensives designed for the Leading From Within Project. This project, which started in 2008, was designed to develop more individual leadership and interior capacity of organizational leaders in the area in a peer-supported, gender sensitive environment, along with hard skills development at the organizational level such as project and financial management. The project is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and in partnership with CUSO-VSO. In the past two weeks, activities associated with the 10th round of Intensives had been on. This round was focused on networking for professional excellence. The highlight of this round of Intensives … [Read more...]
Notes from the Field: Blind Spots and Pathologies at the Top of the Spiral
Blind Spots and Pathologies at the Top of the Spiral—Notes From the FieldRobin Reinach and Barbara LarischIntegral New York started spring 2011 with an exploration of the possible flaws, foibles, and shadowy missteps of individuals at 2nd Tier. One question that arose at the beginning of the meet up was about splits that occurred during the last few years at the highest levels of Integral leadership. How have these splits trickled down to effect the international Integral community and the global emergence of the Integral movement? This issue was not addressed in further detail, but for a long sober moment we held the question openly among us.Next, we acknowledged that it is not often that a culture is willing to turn the flashlight on itself and examine its own defects. With all our flaws, Integral is such a culture. Not only does Integral allow space for this kind of self-reflection and feedback, but Integral theory actively encourages shadow work processes … [Read more...]
Feature Article: Toward a Sustainable Future: Integral Leadership in the New World Economy
Brian McConnell The Integral Research Center Roanoke, VA Abstract: Presenting a background of historical context, “Toward a Sustainable Future” offers an overview in the ascendancy of neoliberal/neoconservative viewpoints constituting the world's dominant socioeconomic ideology today. An AQAL framework is then introduced and subsequently examined as an aid to envisioning and ultimately adopting Integral approaches capable of better supporting value(s) of human relatedness. In so doing, the article's content aspires to empower today's leaders to pioneer practical, sustainable, transformations in community living and lifestyles.Keywords: Arnsperger, AQAL, central banking, complementary currency, Cook, exemplar, integral ecology, integral economics, integral leadership, Lietaer, morality, neoclassical economics, neoconservatism, neoliberalism, Riba, sustainability, usury, Introduction Years of academic study, aided … [Read more...]
Feature Article: Transdisciplinarity in Higher Education, Part 6, University Babes-Bolyai, Romania
Nicolescu in RomaniaSue LT McGregor and Russ VolckmannThus far we have looked at transdisciplinary programs at particular institutions of higher education in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Austria and the European Union, and Australia. In this penultimate chapter in this series we take a look, not just at a transdisciplinary PhD program in Romania, but at the remarkable Romanian who has encouraged and fostered so much attention to transdisciplinarity around the world: Basarab Nicolescu.Nicolescu is a Romanian physicist who has been working primarily in Paris since the late 1960s. He is a theoretical physicist at the Center National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Physique Nucléaire et de Hautes Énergies and at Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris. He is a specialist in the theory of elementary particles. His books and articles have been published in numerous countries in addition to France. Best known to some is his Manifesto of … [Read more...]
Notes from the Field: Change for Good: Dynamically Steering towards a Healthy Humanity on a Healthy Planet
Change for Good: Dynamically Steering towards a Healthy Humanity on a Healthy Planet—5 Reflections on the Authentic Leadership in Action (ALiA) Europe Conference Anouk Brack1. Change for Good – introduction to ALiA conference theme2. Practice & Purpose – possible definitions3. Experience of Embodied Leadership – getting a somatic sense of Embodied Leadership work4. The dynamic balance of Power & Love – on the Adam Kahane and Wendy Palmer Module5. The Art of Execution – The final brushstroke of the ALiA Europe 2011 conference 1. Change for GoodWhat a delight to come together and see so many people approaching their leadership as a practice, as a way of love and a way of life. Engaging in a leadership practice seems to cultivate great modesty combined with great purpose in people. We are engaging in self discovery and self development not for the sake of it but in order to serve our unique purpose better. In order to be a … [Read more...]
Feature Article: What is Second Tier: Powers and Perspectives Available to Leaders at Second Tier
Wayne Carr, Ph.D.IntroductionMy intenIion is to bring forth some different perspectives on second tier (see my definition of second tier under the next heading). I will tap into a fountain and share some water with you. I intend to look around and fine some elephants that might be in the room.I want to clarify distinctions between first, second and third tier. I will look at the roles of stuckness, pathology, authority, contactfulness, non-local consciousness, non-dual consciousness, revelation, and vital processes as they relate to second-tier development. I hope to expose some fertile ground for the roots of effective second tier leadership. I have also tried to convey a message that transcends words.Some terms in this discourse will not be clearly defined because my main intent is to ring a general cognitive-emotional-spiritual "bell" and see how it resonates inside of you. I believe second tier people have acquired a different, more sophisticated set of … [Read more...]
Leadership Coaching Tip: Managing and Leading
Russ VolckmannIf you are interested in developing your capabilities to step into a leader role or you are a consultant/coach who is working with clients to support such development, then here are a couple of tips that may be useful to you.The first has to do with the distinction between manager and leader. Both are roles. A role is a set of expectations held by stakeholders of that role: your boss, peers, subordinates, clients and board members or suppliers and regulators. When I step into one role or the other I am managing or leading. It is likely that in many organizations those in manager roles also step into leader roles. But so do other folks who lead from expertise or strategy formation or innovation. They can be informal team leaders, innovators and so on. I still deeply appreciate Joseph Rost’s assertion that no one is a leader (or a manager) 24/7.When I am in a manager role as Publisher of Integral Publishers, LLC, I try to focus on structuring our … [Read more...]
Announcements
Not for profit organizations are encouraged to provide brief announcements about events, conferences, workshops, meetings, publications and the like that are being held anywhere in the world. A logo or graphic many accompany each announcement. Please draft the material to be included. Keep verbiage to a minimum, but convey the important information about your activity. Make sure to include email addresses and websites where people can register or obtain additional information.____________ The Rochester Institute of Technology Leadership Conference "Get your Mojo working" June 27-29 You are invited to join us for an outstanding leadership event and a separate women’s leadership conference at The Rochester Institute of Technology, featuring a keynote presentation by Marshall Goldsmith discussing his newest bestselling book, Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, and How to Get It Back If You Lose It.Explore and expand your leadership potential and take advantage of two … [Read more...]
Leading Comments : International and Edgy
International and Edgy I want to encourage you to take a good look at the Notes from the Field section of Integral Leadership Review. The purpose of this section is to call attention to and report on the value added experienced by individuals pursuing their own and collective learning and development in many different contexts. You may find a report of an integrally informed development program in Nigeria, a report on a conference or workshop, or a report on what one of the integral groups around the world has been exploring. The latter is the case in a report by Robin Reinach and Barbara Larish about such exploration in an integral New York Meet Up session dealing with blind spots and pathologies at 2nd Tier. If you are not familiar with this term, 2nd Tier, I encourage you to look at Beck and Cowan’s Spiral Dynamics or works by Ken Wilber, such as Integral Spirituality, as well many articles that have appeared in Integral Leadership Review. Robin and Barbara have done a wonderful … [Read more...]