Conscious Leadership - What is it and Why Does it Matter?

Conscious leadership is about leading with awareness, purpose, and values to create positive change. Some key aspects of conscious leadership are:

• Self-awareness - Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, values, and biases. This allows you to lead authentically from within.

• Service to others - Focusing your leadership on a larger purpose beyond yourself. Serving the interests of your people, organization, and community.

• Values-based - Operating from a core set of values like integrity, compassion, and respect for others. Aligning decisions and actions with these values.

• Systems thinking - Seeing the interconnections between people, teams, and the larger organization or system. Taking a holistic view.

• Conscious of impact - Being aware of the effects of your decisions and actions on others. Acting in ways that minimize harm and maximize benefit.

We should care about conscious leadership because it creates healthier, more sustainable, and higher performing organizations. When leaders operate from awareness, values and purpose, they tend to make better decisions, gain the trust of their people, and inspire others to do their best work.

Some notable conscious leaders from history include:

• Martin Luther King Jr. - His leadership was deeply values-based around justice, nonviolence and unity. His purpose was to create a more just and equal society for all.

• Mahatma Gandhi - His leadership was rooted in self-awareness, truth, nonviolence and service to others. His actions helped India gain independence from British rule.

• Nelson Mandela - His leadership journey from prisoner to president shows the power of values, forgiveness and reconciling opposing sides for the larger good. He helped end apartheid in South Africa.

• Eleanor Roosevelt - Her leadership focused on human rights, women's rights and dignity for all. She helped change perceptions and policies through awareness, values and a determined purpose.

In summary, conscious leaders operate from an expanded view of self that incorporates awareness, values and purpose. When employed at scale within organizations, conscious leadership can unleash human potential, drive innovation and transform systems for the better.