Discover the key principles of conscious leadership in our latest blog and podcast series. We delve into the power of clarity, the courage to face challenges, the discipline of consistent action, and the impact of authenticity in leadership. Through relatable examples, we explore how these principles can transform your leadership journey, helping you lead with greater purpose, resilience, and effectiveness. Tune in to gain insights that will inspire and empower your path forward.

Introduction

Good morning, good afternoon, wherever you are. This is Chris Walker, and welcome to part two of our four-part podcast series on conscious leadership. As part of our ongoing exploration, today marks episode 36 in our series of 84 podcasts dedicated to unraveling the complexities of conscious leadership. In this discussion, we will revisit some key concepts from our previous session and dive deeper into the qualities that define a great leader, particularly focusing on confronting fear, embracing authenticity, and maintaining a strong, conscious leadership approach.

Breaking Down Life’s Challenges: The First Step in Conscious Leadership

One of the fundamental aspects of great leadership is the ability to break down life’s challenges into manageable steps. Much like embarking on a journey, the full scope of a challenge can often feel overwhelming. People often express feeling overwhelmed, but it’s essential to distinguish between true overwhelm and simple worry. Just as a single straw can break the camel’s back, even a small issue can halt your progress if not managed properly. Much like writing a book or climbing a mountain, leadership is not accomplished in one giant leap but step by step. Taking one small action at a time builds momentum towards something greater, making even the most daunting challenges easier to tackle.

Honesty and Courage: The Bedrock of Leadership

The second key element we discussed in our previous podcast is the importance of honesty and courage in life. Before you take on any significant role, make a major decision, or address a personal issue, it’s crucial to be honest with yourself about your readiness. This self-honesty is particularly challenging for men but is equally vital for everyone. Fear often signals that you’re not ready, and rather than simply pushing through it, which can lead to missteps, it’s important to understand the root of your fear. Use fear as a trigger for development rather than a barrier to action. By processing fear and resolving its underlying issues, you empower yourself to move forward with clarity and confidence.

Conscious Conversations: Navigating Baggage and Sensitivity

We all carry baggage—experiences and memories that can influence our reactions and limit our consciousness. My colleague, Dr. Lou Cox, refers to these as “radioactive points.” During conversations, these sensitive areas can cause abrupt reactions, indicating that you’ve touched a nerve. This is often where a person’s consciousness hits a limit because they can’t delve deeper into that issue.

For example, I have a client with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who is easily triggered by present situations that remind him of his past trauma. We’ve had to work on these triggers by re-evaluating the situations that traumatize him, helping him to reduce the frequency and intensity of his reactions. This process is a long journey, as these emotional anchors can become deeply intertwined with our identities.

Another client, who had to live with a colostomy bag due to severe bowel issues, expressed frustration when I would ask about it. He didn’t want to be identified as “the man with a colostomy bag.” Instead, he wanted to be seen as a successful individual with a family, a home, and a thriving career—someone who happens to have a colostomy bag. This sentiment was echoed by my neighbour, a breast cancer survivor, who chose to stop speaking about her mastectomy publicly because she didn’t want it to define her. She wanted to be known as a yoga teacher, a woman living a full and healthy life, who just happens to have had breast cancer.

These examples illustrate the importance of having conscious conversations with ourselves, dealing with any baggage we carry, and not letting it define us. Even current challenges shouldn’t be allowed to become part of our identity if they don’t need to be. It’s about moving beyond past traumas and not letting them dictate how we live and lead in the present.

Creating the Right Environment: The Synchronization of Inner and Outer Worlds

As I mentioned in the last podcast, creating the right environment is crucial for success. The environment outside of us reflects the environment inside of us, and vice versa. They are synchronistic. For instance, expecting someone to remain cheerful is impossible if a garbage heap surrounds them. The external environment will dominate their mental space with its sights, sounds, and smells. Thus, the inner environment (our mindset and emotional state) and the outer environment (our physical surroundings) are closely linked.

Understanding this synchronicity is key to achieving success. Many successful individuals, like Michael Jordan, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates, attribute their resilience and willingness to take risks to the supportive environments they had growing up. They often cite the unwavering love of their mothers as a foundational element of their success. This environment of love created a strong foundation, enabling them to take greater risks because they always had a safe place to return to.

However, in today’s fast-paced world, many mothers (and parents in general) are pulled in multiple directions—juggling careers, personal fitness, and other responsibilities. This can sometimes lead to a sense that they’re not fully present for their children, which might affect their perception of a secure and supportive environment. The same principle applies to leadership: your external environment must align with your internal state to create the conditions for success. If you aspire to wealth or health, cultivate an inner world that reflects those aspirations, and your outer world will follow suit.

The Pitfalls of Routine: Avoiding the Crutch of Superstition

Routines are undeniably important for maintaining discipline and building habits that can change your life. However, it’s crucial not to let routines become crutches or superstitions. Some people develop routines that become so rigid they start to believe that if they don’t follow them exactly, things won’t go their way. This kind of superstition is a myth.

Well-being isn’t about rigid routines; it’s about a commitment to integrating healthy practices into your life amidst everything else that’s going on. True well-being comes from making conscious choices that enhance your life overall, rather than just sticking to a routine for the sake of it.

Moving Forward: Embracing Courage and Authenticity in Leadership

As we continue with today’s podcast, we’ll delve into the qualities that make a great conscious leader—focusing on courage, authenticity, and how we approach our work. Leaders often find themselves in situations where fear starts to creep in, sometimes without realizing it. Whether it’s fear of a meeting, submitting a report, or seeking approval, these fears can undermine our effectiveness as leaders.

Fear is the mother of all obstacles because it breeds doubt and blocks imagination. Our ability to envision and create the future is hindered when imagination is blocked. Therefore, it’s crucial to face our fears with courage, not by simply pushing through them but by understanding and processing them. Only by addressing the root causes of our fears can we prevent them from influencing our actions and decisions.

In leadership, fear is a natural part of growth. However, if left unaddressed, it can influence every aspect of our lives, attracting the outcomes we fear. Therefore, acknowledging fear, processing it, and not allowing it to dictate our actions is essential for conscious leadership. By focusing on the people who matter and trusting in those relationships, we can let that trust guide our decisions. And when discomfort or lack of conviction arises, it’s often a sign that fear is at play.

As we continue to explore the necessity of conscious conversations in leadership, we’ll delve into how to engage in these conversations, especially when dealing with difficult topics…

 

The Necessity of Conscious Conversations in Leadership

When engaging in conscious conversations, especially on difficult topics, it’s vital to approach them with honesty and authenticity. In my experience, when I’ve written or spoken about certain topics honestly, I’ve often triggered strong reactions in others. While I may not be personally triggered, the openness and truthfulness of the message can provoke controversy and intense responses from others. True leadership lies in the willingness to step into these uncomfortable places, even when it leads to discomfort or opposition.

Let me share a story to illustrate this. I ran a weekend workshop in Canada for 40 people at a luxurious five-star hotel. During the workshop, we discussed inspired thinking when one lady asked for help overcoming a personal issue. She revealed that she was having an affair with a married man and was upset because he continued to have sex with his wife. The irony of her situation struck me—she was jealous of the man’s loyalty to his wife while engaging in an affair with him. When I pointed out the contradiction, she punched me in the face.

This shocking incident highlighted a crucial point: we must not judge others for their reactions, as they often reveal the depth of their pain. After the initial shock, I reassured the group not to judge her, as many of them likely had similar feelings of frustration or defensiveness. By understanding this, we create space for growth and healing.

Fifteen minutes later, the lady returned, head bowed, acknowledging that someone hadn’t rushed to comfort her for the first time in her life after an outburst. This experience taught her a valuable lesson about accountability and self-reflection. As leaders, we must be prepared for these kinds of situations. Not everyone will agree with us, and some may even react with hostility. However, in these moments, our commitment to conscious living and inspired thinking is tested and strengthened.

Handling Criticism and Controversy with Grace

As a leader, you will inevitably face criticism and controversy. For example, my current partner’s father harbours a strong dislike for me, despite my efforts to maintain a positive relationship. He refuses to speak to his daughter because of me, but instead of reacting or taking it personally, I choose to understand and respect his feelings.

This scenario illustrates an important truth: when you take a stand or make a decision, not everyone will be happy about it. Some will challenge you, criticize you, or even try to discredit your work. But these moments are crucial for your growth as a leader. They test your resolve and commitment to your values, helping you to stay grounded in your truth.

In any leadership role, it’s essential to remain still and walk your talk, even when facing opposition. There will always be those who disagree with you, and they have every right to do so. It’s important to listen to all sides, whether you’re in a masculine environment where dissenting voices are quieted or a feminine one where they are amplified. Ultimately, you must be conscious of both perspectives and integrate them into your decision-making process.

The Role of Intuition in Leadership

I once sat on the board of the University of New South Wales, surrounded by some of Australia’s leading business minds. The chairman of the board, a man of short stature but great wisdom, had a remarkable ability to listen to all opinions without bias. After everyone had spoken, he would summarise the pros and cons perfectly, ensuring everyone felt heard before making a decision. His leadership was a powerful example of balancing rational analysis with intuitive decision-making.

As a leader, your intuition is invaluable, but it must be informed by a comprehensive understanding of the situation. When all the data is collected and balanced, rational options may neutralise each other, leaving intuition as the guiding force for your decision.

Embracing the Vision: The Last Page of the Book

Every journey, every story has an ending. As a leader, you must have a clear vision of where you want to end up, both in your personal life and in your work. This vision, akin to the last page of a book, serves as your guiding star. It helps you navigate challenges, build resilience, and stay true to your core values.

Leadership is about understanding the broader purpose of your actions and consistently working towards your ultimate goal, even when the path isn’t always clear. By staying focused on the last page of the book, you ensure that your leadership is effective and trustworthy. Your team will follow you through challenges because they believe in the positive outcome you’re working towards.

Conclusion: Standing Firm in Conscious Leadership

Conscious living and inspired thinking involve embracing all aspects of life, recognising the need to balance the seven areas of life without sacrificing one for the other. As a leader, you must accept that controversy and criticism are part of the journey. Standing firm on your vision, even when others challenge it, and remaining true to your intuition are key aspects of effective leadership. By recognising value where others might not and helping others see it, you build trust and resilience within your team.

If you found value in this discussion, please share it with someone who could benefit from this insight or might need a reality check. And remember, until next time—keep it real, keep it messy, and stay practising.

See you soon, bye.