The New Leadership

Paradigm
AResponsetotheGlobalLeadershipCrisis
ByRichardBarrett

Abstract

Thispaperlooksatthecurrentmoralstateofoursocietyandthepoor
performanceofourpoliticalandbusinessleaders.Itidentifiestheunderlying
issuesofthecurrentleadershipcrisisandtheneedforanewleadership
paradigmashiftfrombeingthebestintheworldtothebestfortheworld;a
shiftfromwhatsinitformetowhatsbestforthecommongood;andashift
fromItowe.

WhatsHappeninginourWorld?

Nomatterwhereyoulookintheworldthereisturmoil,thereisdeceit,and
thereisconflict.Youseeitinpoliticsandyouseeitinbusiness.Youseeitatall
levelsofsociety.Itisreportedinournewspapersandonourtelevisionscreens
everyday.Weallsitbywatchingcomplacentlyastheshadowofourcollective
psycheisplayedoutinfrontofoureyes.

Wheredoesitcomefrom,thisfolly,thisgreed,thistotalfocusonselfinterest?
Whydowetolerateit?Eveninoursocalleddemocraticsocietiesyougetthe
strongimpressionthatourelectedleadersarentabletofocusonthecommon
goodbecausetheyaremoreinterestedinpartypoliticsfindingwaystomake
theopposingpartieslookbad,sotheycaneithergetintopowerorstayin
power.

Somuchenergygoesintoargument,debateandconflict,andsolittleenergy
goesintoservingtheneedsoftheelectorate.Eveninthemostadvancednations

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 ourdemocraciesreekwithselfinterest,andcanhardlybedescribedasanything
morethanprimitive.IhavetolaughwhenpeopletellmethattheUKandUSA
aredemocracies.Politicsinthesecountries,likebigbusinessglobally,aresimply
playgroundswhereimmatureelitesgettoexposetheinsecuritiesoftheiregos.
Meanwhiletherestofussuffer,andthousandsdie,andstarvebecauseofthe
decisionsthatouregodrivenleadersmake.

Justlikeourpoliticians,ourbusinessleadersaremesmerisedbyshortterm,self
interest.Power,influenceandgreedarethepredominantdrivingforcesinbig
businesstoday.Ourbusinessleadersaremorefocusedonbeingthebestinthe
worldratherthanthebestfortheworld.Theiregosaresoinneedofnurturing.
Theirunresolvedchildhooddeficienciesareblatantlyexposedtotheworld.Their
moralimmaturityisobvious.WhereveryoulooktheIconstantlytakes
precedenceoverthewe,andselfinteresttakespriorityoverthecommon
good.

ALeadershipCrisis

Wearesufferingfromacrisisinleadership,notonlyinournationsand
commerceandindustry,butthroughouthumansociety.Weneedanew
leadershipparadigm.Weneedtogrowanewsetofleadersleaderswho
operatefromtheirsouls,ratherthantheiregos.

Weneedtofindthesenewleadersurgentlybecausetheproblemsofexistence
arenowurgentandglobaltheyarebeyondanysinglegovernmenttoresolve.

Weneedourpoliticalleaderstoputasidetheirfalsebeliefsinnational
sovereignty;andweneedourbusinessleaderstoseebeyondglobal
competition.Weneedourpoliticalleaderstoworkwithourbusinessleaders
andcivilsocietytobuildindustrychartersthatregulatecompetitionwithina
frameworkofglobalpoliciesthatsupporttheevolutionofhumanityandthe
globalcommongood.

Businessisawhollyownedsubsidiaryofsociety,andsocietyisawhollyowned
subsidiaryoftheenvironment.Businesscanonlythriveandprosperinaworld
wherepeopleliveatpeacewitheachotherandwhereweallliveinharmony
withtheplanet.Ifthelifesupportsystemsofourplanetarenotpreserved,not
onlywillourhumansocietyperish,butoureconomywilldisintegrate,too.
Buildingasustainablefutureforeveryoneisnotjustasocietalimperative.Itisa
businessimperativetoo.

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 Theproblemwefaceissimple:ourpresentcropofleadershavenotdeveloped
thelevelsofconsciousnessthatallowthemtoseebeyondtheirownnarrowself
interestortheselfinterestofthenationsorbusinessestheyrepresent.Ifthey
haveevolvedtothoseconsciousnesslevels,thenveryfewofthemaredisplaying
thecouragethatisneededtospeakoutandshowup.Theyarehidingbehind
theirfearsbecausetheyareunwillingtofacethepossibilityofsacrificingtheir
futures.

Fearistheissue,andthesymptomsaredeeplyembeddedintheirbeliefs:the
beliefthattheydonothaveenough;thebeliefthattheyarenotlovedenough;
andthebeliefthattheyarenotenough.Theyfearfortheirsurvival,theyfear
theywontbeaccepted,andtheyhavefearsabouttheirownselfworth.These
arethefearsthatdrivetheoldleadershipparadigm.Theyarethefearsofpeople
whoareunabletoleadthemselves,andyethavebeenthrustintopositionsof
powerorauthoritywheretheyarebeingaskedtoleadothers.

Thenewparadigmleadershavemovedbeyondthefearsoftheiregos:theyhave
noegoneeds.Theyareselfassuredintheirabilitytosurviveandtheirownself
worth;money,power,statusandauthoritymeannothingtothem.Theyhave
movedbeyondidentificationwiththeirethnicorreligiousdifferences;theyknow
theybelongtothehumanfamily.Theyhaveembracedthevaluesthatare
commontoeveryhumansoul.Theyrecognisetheneedtofindagreater
meaningtotheirlives.Theyfeeltheneedtomakeadifferenceintheirworld;
andtheywanttobeofservicetotheirfellowman.Theyhavemasteredtheir
emotions;theyhaveembracedtheirintellect;andtheyhavegiventhemselves
overtobeofservicetohumanity.Theyareinfusedwiththeenergiesoftheir
souls.

TheNewLeadershipParadigmlearningsystemismyattempttogrowand
develop,inawikilikeenvironment,whichbuildsonthecollectivewisdomofits
users,agloballeadershiptrainingprogrammethatsupportsthegrowthand
developmentofnewparadigmleadersallovertheworld.Thelearningsystem
consistsoffourmodules:LeadingSelf,LeadingaTeam,LeadinganOrganisation
andLeadinginSociety.

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 Thelearningsystemhasthreecomponents:thebook,TheNewLeadership
Paradigm(530pagetextbookfor21stcenturyleaders),apublicWebsite,and
fourJournal/Workbooks,oneforeachmodule.1

TheStagesofEvolution

TheNewLeadershipParadigmlearningsystemisbuiltontheprinciplesthathave
beenresponsiblefor14billionyearsofsuccessfulevolutionthroughthethree
planesofbeingtheatomicplane,thecellularplaneandtheplaneofbeingof
creatures,whichincludesHomosapiens.

Thefirststageofevolutionofanentityanatom,acelloracreatureisto
becomeviableandindependentinitsframeworkofexistence.Ifanentitycannot
adaptsufficientlytoremainviableandindependentinitsexternalenvironment,
itwillceasetosurviveasanentity.Forahumanbeingthismeansmoving
throughthefirstthreestagesofegodevelopmentsurviving,conforming,
differentiatingtoreachthelevelofindividuationwhereonecanattain
personalmastery.

Thesecondstageofevolutionoccurswhenanentitysframeworkconditions
becomesothreateningthatitssurvivalischallenged.Whenthishappens,
entitiesmustlearnhowtobondtogethertoformastableandmoreresilient
groupstructureortheywillceasetoexist.Thisishowatomsbondedtoform
molecules;howcellsbondedtoformorganisms;andhowhumanbeingsbonded
toformclans,tribesandnations.Thisisalsoanecessaryconditionforthe
buildingofahighperformingteam,organisationorcommunity.Toachieve
internalcohesionrequiressharedvalues,asharedmissionandasharedsenseof
vision.

Thethirdstageofevolutionoccurswhenagroupstructuresframework
conditionsbecomesothreateningthatitssurvivalischallenged.Whenthis
happens,groupstructuresmustlearnhowtocooperatewitheachothertoform
astable,largerandmoreresilientgroupstructureatanewplaneofbeing,either
temporarilyorpermanently,ortheywillceasetoexist.Thisishowmolecules
cooperatedtoformcells;organismscooperatedtoformcreatures;andhowthe
groupstructuresofHomosapiens(nations)areattemptingtocooperatetoform
humanity.Thisisalsoanecessaryconditionforbuildingasustainable,longterm
organisation,whichpartnerswithotherorganisationsformutualsupportto
makeadifferenceintheworld.

1
Informationonthelearningsystemcanbefoundatwww.newleadershipparadigm.com.

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 Wecanthereforesurmisefromthethreeuniversalstagesofevolutionthata
newplaneofbeingwillbegintoarisewhenhumanbeingsrealisethatweareall
cellsinthesamebody,andthatourfuturesurvivaldependsonallofus,inallour
nationsandorganisations,cooperatingforthecommongoodsothatwecan
maketheconceptofhumanitypalpable.ThisistheshiftthatIdescribedearlier
astheshiftfromItowe,fromwhatsinitformetowhatsbestforthe
commongood,andtheshiftfrombeingthebestintheworldtobeingthebest
fortheworld.

Progressthrougheachstageofevolutionrequiresthreecharacteristics:
adaptabilityandcontinuouslearningforthepurposeofbecomingviableand
independent,bondingforthepurposeofbuildingagroupstructure,and
cooperationforthepurposeofunitinggroupstructures.

Ateachofthethreeplanesofbeingthereisonlyoneentitythatdisplaysthe
qualitiesofadaptability,continuouslearning,bondingandcooperation.Atthe
atomicplaneofbeingitisthecarbonatom.Atthecellularplaneofbeingitisthe
eukaryoticcell;andattheplaneofbeingofcreaturesitistheselfaware,self
actualisedhumanbeing.

Inotherwords,futureevolutiondependsonuscreatingacriticalmassof
adaptable,selfactualisedhumanbeingswhoareabletobondtoformresilient
groupstructures(nations),andcooperatewithothergroupstructures(other
nations)tocreateahigherorderentityonanewplaneofbeingtheplaneof
beingofhumanity.

Thesameistrueoforganisations.Inaglobalenvironmentthemostresilient
organisationswillbethosethatcreatenewleadershipparadigmleadership
developmentprogrammesthat:a)supportemployeesinbecomingself
actualizedhumanbeings;b)buildinternallycohesiveteams;andc)createa
cultureofcooperationinwhicheveryoneisfocusedonthecommongood.

PersonalEvolution

Intermsofleadingself,thefirststageofpersonalevolutioniscalledPersonal
Mastery.Personalmasteryistheprocessbywhichwebringoursubconscious
fearsintoourconsciousawarenessandtherebylearnhowtomanagethemand
theemotionsthatareassociatedwiththem.Inotherwordsitisaboutmanaging
thesubconsciousegobeliefsthatareassociatedwithnothavingenough,not
beinglovedenough,andnotbeingenough.Theprimaryvaluesnecessaryfor
achievingpersonalmasteryareadaptabilityandcontinuouslearning.

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 Thesecondstageofpersonalevolutioniscalledinternalcohesion.Internal
cohesionistheprocessbywhichwelearntobondtheneedsoftheegowiththe
needsofthesoul.Inotherwords,itisaboutlearninghowtoembraceyour
authenticselfandtherebyexpressyourtruepurposeinlife.Theprimaryvalues
necessaryforinternalcohesionareaccountabilityandtrust.

Thethirdstageofpersonalevolutioniscalledexternalcohesion.External
cohesionistheprocessbywhichwelearntocooperatewithothersoulssowe
canmakeabiggerdifferenceintheworldthanwecanonourown.Inother
words,itisaboutdeepeningyourconnectiontoyourownsoulandjoiningwith
others,whoshareasimilarpurpose,tomakealargerdifferenceintheworld.
Theprimaryvaluesnecessaryforexternalcohesionareempathyand
compassion.

TheEvolutionofTeams,OrganisationsandCommunities

Intermsofleadingateam,leadinganorganisationandleadinginsociety,the
firststageiscalledTeamMastery,OrganisationalMasteryandSocietal
Masterybecomingawareofthesubconsciousfearsofthegroup,talkingabout
them,learninghowtomanagethem,andtheemotionsthatareassociatedwith
them,soeveryonesneedscanbemet.

ThesecondstageiscalledTeamInternalCohesion,OrganisationalInternal
CohesionandSocietalInternalCohesionlearninghowtobondwithothersby
aligningthegrouparoundasharedsetofvalues,asharedmissionandashared
visionsothegroupcanfulfilitspurposeandatthesametimemeeteveryones
needs.

ThethirdstageiscalledTeamExternalCohesion,OrganisationalExternal
CohesionandSocietalExternalCohesionlearninghowtocooperatewithother
groupswhosharethesamesimilarvalues,missionandvisiontomakealarger
differenceintheworldsoallgroupscanachievetheirvisionandatthesame
timemeeteveryonesneeds.

TheNewLeadershipParadigmMaterials

ThematerialsandresourcesoftheNewLeadershipParadigmlearningsystem
areorganisedaccordingtothethreeuniversalstagesofevolution:Stage1:
MasteryBecomingviableandincepedent;Stage2:InternalCohesionBonding
toformagroupstructure;andStage3:ExternalCohesionCooperatingwith
othergroupstructurestocreateahigherorderentity.

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 TheNewLeadershipParadigmJournal/Workbooksthattogethercontainmore
than120exercisesthatsupportindividual,team,organisationandsocietal
evolutionareorganisedinaslightlydifferentway.EachJournal/Workbookhas
fivemainchapterheadings:

TheJourney:Exploresthepasttothepresentwhereyou,yourteam,your
organisationoryourcommunityhavebeenandwhereyouarenow.
ThePotential:explorespossibilitiesforthefuturewhatyou,yourteam,
yourorganisationoryourcommunitycanbecome,andwhereyouwantto
go.
TheChallenges:Explorestherealityofwhereyou,yourteam,your
organisationoryourcommunityisnow,andthehurdlesyouorthegroups
youassociatewithhavetoovercome.
Mastery/Performance:Exploresthewayyoumanageyourself,yourteam,
yourorganisationoryourcommunitysdaytodayrealitysoyoucangetthe
outcomesyouneedtogettowhereyouwanttogo.
Evolution:Explorestheevolutionaryprogressthatyou,yourteam,your
organisationoryourcommunityismakingbasedonyourcritical
feedback/performancemeasures,andyourcommitmentstocontinued
growthandlearning.

Together,thebook,theWebsite,andtheJournals/Workbooksprovideastate
oftheartlearningsystemthatisthemostauthoritativeandcomprehensive
resourceforleadershipdevelopmentinthe21stcentury.Thenewleadership
paradigmlearningsystemwillalwaysbeatthecuttingedgebecauseithasbeen
designedasawikitypeventure,whereintheusersofthesystemfeedbacktheir
ideasandsuccessstoriessothatthelearningsystemcanbecontinuously
improved.Effectively,thelearningsystemisasharedventurewitheveryone
usingitparticipatinginitscontinuousimprovement.Thiswillenableitto
becomenotonlythebestleadershipdevelopmentsystemintheworld,butalso
thebestfortheworld.

RichardBarrett www.valuescentre.com
January2011 www.newleadershipparadigm.com

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