Integral Development of Evolutionary Co-leadership

Presentation at the Integral Theory Conference

July 20 2013

Alain Gauthier Core Leadership Development

www.coreleadership.com www.metaintegral.com

Addressing three questions

 Why are new forms of leadership needed now?

 What is evolutionary co-leadership?

 How to develop it and scale it up?

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How many of you think that the current crisis is just another crisis that we will overcome the way we have overcome previous crises?

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…or are we at a bifurcation point?

Survival/well-being of humanity

3

Time

Adapted from Ervin Laszlo

Polycrisis: interdependent consequences of the current development paradigm

4

Ill-adapted education

Financial “casino”,  hyper-debt

Ecological threats, pillage of the planet

Current development paradigm

World hunger, pandemics, violence

Widening gap between rich and poor; urban ghettos

Economic disparities and instability

Meaning- lessness, addictions

Ethnic/ religious conflicts

Lack of credibility/ corruption of leaders

Inspired by Edgar Morin’s La Voie (The Way)

Erosion of solidarity

Hypertrophy of the economic sphere

Cultural sphere

(education, arts, media,

family)

Political sphere

Biosphere

Inspired by Rudolf Steiner

Geosphere Economic

sphere

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An era of mutation?

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Chaos

Time

Fitness

Inspired by Itchak Adizes

An era of mutation?

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Chaos

Time

Fitness

Entrepreneurship

Management Systems

Expansion Aristocracy/ plutocracy

Bureaucracy

Inspired by Itchak Adizes

Disintegration

New co-entrepreneurship

What can we learn from the new sciences?

  Adversity and the “edge of chaos” stimulate evolution

  In microphysics, particles remain connected through space (non-locality)

  Information in the quantum field is holographic (the whole is in each part)

  ITC technologies enable distributed/interconnected networks

  Complexity, diversity, interdependence and self-organizing capacity increase with evolution

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Characteristics of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS)

Diversity

Interdependence Self-organization/ Invention

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What can we learn from the new sciences (cont’d)?

  Our brain shows plasticity: it can be reprogrammed throughout life

  Life rewards the best combination between individual creativity and cooperation

  Emotional intelligence and body intelligence are as crucial as mental intelligence for life in society

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Organization:  from  machine  to  living  system                    A  more  complex  and  fast-­‐changing  economy  coupled  with                                        

 new  expectations  of  the  younger  generations  

Adapted from In Principo

Command & control

community Process 11

Four domains of human experience

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Interior/Invisible Exterior/Observable

Individual (I)

Collective (We)

(it)

Culture Structures/systems

Consciousness/ Interiority

Biology Behavior

Adapted from Ken Wilber

(its)

Two dimensions of evolution

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Interior/Invisible Exterior/Observable

Culture Structures/ systems

Consciousness/ Interiority

Biology/ Behavior

Interior Evolution

Exterior Evolution

I

We

it

its

Individual and collective diversity of the interiors

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Interior/Invisible Exterior/Observable

Cultural memes Structures/ systems

Stages and lines of development

Biology/ Behavior

Interior Evolution

Exterior Evolution

I

We

Stages and memes

Stages Memes

Opportunist Pre-traditional

Diplomat Traditional

Expert Achiever

Modern

Individualist Post-modern

Strategist Alchemist/Construct aware

Post-postmodern Integral

Ironist/Ego aware Integral

15 Adapted from Cook-Greuter/Torbert and Ken Wilber

Evolutionnists and Evolutionaries

  Evolutionists: are strongly influenced by the scientific theory of evolution (Darwin and his followers) – and limited to its externally observable aspects

  Evolutionaries appreciate both exterior and interior aspects; have fully internalized evolution; are committed advocates and activists for evolution at the consciousness and cultural levels

16 Adapted from Carter Phipps, Evolutionaries

An evolutionary

• is a trans-disciplinary generalist, capable of discerning deep patterns and integrating what has been separated, in reflection as in action

• looks at reality with a sense of long, “deep” time

• shows a deep faith in the future and trusts life’s process

• experiences him/herself both as a co-creator and co-responsable for evolution

17 Adapted from Carter Phipps, Evolutionaries

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Are we in the same boat?

From a domination paradigm…

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Superior/ inferior ranking

High degree of fear and violence

Myths and stories legitimizing domination and subordination, presenting them as normal and efficient

Authoritarian and punitive social structures. Pyramidal hierarchy. Controls

Adapted from The Power of Partnership by Riane Eisler, New World Library, 2002

I

We

it

its

…to a partnership paradigm

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Equal intrinsic value Equivalence

Mutual trust. Low degree of fear and submission

Myths and stories honoring partnership, presenting it as normal

“Flat” structures. Governance/guidance of the wise. Self-regulation

Adapted from The Power of Partnership by Riane Eisler, New World Library, 2002

I

We

it

its

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Non-violent communication

Shift from a MAJOR/minor mental model (about characteristics or viewpoints) …

M

… to an Equivalence mental model (we are different but have equal intrinsic value and are worthy of each other’s respect)

E E

m

Adapted from Albert Preira

Leadership ?

  Lead comes from the indo-European root “leith” which mean “going forward”, “crossing a threshold” or even “dying”

> A threshold must be crossed so that something new can emerge

> Letting go of something we think we know or control can be experienced as a death, as stepping into the void

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From heroic leadership to learning leadership…

Charismatic Visionary

• Articulates a vision

• Passionate

• Unconventional

• Taking a personal risk

• Strong personality

• Charismatic

• Highly motivated to lead

Focused on his role as leader

Learning leader/Architect

• Good listener

• Perseverant

• Thoughtful, systemic thinker

• Experimenting

• Humble

• Paradoxical

• Highly motivated to learn

Focused on building a learning team/organization

Inspired by Jerry Porras and Jim Collins’ research – Built to Last and Good to Great

…and to other new forms of leadership

  Collaborative

  Shared, distributed, rotating

  Complementary, co-creative

  Collective, community

  Collegial, cooperative

  Partnership

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Co-leadership?

To practice co-leadership:

> invite others (as co-leaders) to cross a threshold together

> venture with them into the unknown, the non-familiar

> sense together what is trying to emerge

> open up a space where individual creativity and collective wisdom can be combined

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Co-leadership: a new synthesis?

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Individual leadership

Collective steering

Evolutionary co-leadership

What examples, images, or symbols come up for you that illustrate co-leadership, as you understand it?

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Examples of co-leadership in action (2)

  Sports: relay race, climbing team, hockey team, etc.

  Arts: jazz ensemble, theatre improvisation

  Movies: diverse teams in Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, Star Wars, Matrix, X-Men, etc.

  Economy: exceptional team, collaboration between line innovator, internal networker and executive leader, professional partnership, open innovation, alliance between company, NGO and public sector

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Contribution of three types of leadership in the cycle Innovation/Diffusion in internal and external learning

Line innovator

Mailleur Interne

Executive leader

Line manager with support from executive

Innovations Successful applications

Ideas

Codif- ication

Diffusion

Internalization/ adaptation

Inspired by Max Boisot and Peter Senge (The Dance of Change)

In summary, to practice evolutionary co-leadership is

  To cross with others a threshold which opens to the non-familiar, the unexplored, with some discomfort

  To co-create a space where each co-leader can express their own gift and creativity while calling on the collective inventiveness and wisdom – in service of the whole

  To scale up co-leadership capacity by developing co-leaders within and across organizations and sectors of society

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Different levels of partnering

  Within self

  With others (team, organization, across organizations and/or sectors)

  With nature

  With the larger field

  With evolution, with Life (or the Divine)

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What qualities need to be developed to move toward evolutionary co-leadership?

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Qualities of evolutionary co-leadership

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I Relation to self

You and I Relation to others

All of life Relation to the whole

Head

Awareness

Clarity Discernment Attention

Exploration Appreciation of diverse perspectives Humility

Global interconn- ectedness Global vision

Heart

Care/love

Openness Non-judgmental In touch with one’s feelings Intuition

Empathic listening Warm and ethical relationship Courage

Global compassion Service

Hara/ body

Presence

Embodied intention Self-sufficiency Solidity

Presence to other Connection at subtle energy level Entrainment

Right action informed by global awareness and semantic field

Adapted from Global Transforming Ensemble

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An evolutionary co-leader develops one’s being and doing

self

Aptitudes

Pratices

Behavior

Framing

Character

Source

Doing

Being

Adapté de P. O’Donnell & J. Galvin

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Layers of doing for learners and knowers

Definition Indicators Learner Knower

Behavior Directly observable actions

Effort and immediate results

I look for tools and tips to improve doing

I am doing the best I can

Practices Repeatable patterns of behavior

Consistency and transfer- ability

I look for best practices to be > effective

My way works for me

Skills Acquired knowledge & proficiency

Competence and efficacy

I work hard at developing my ability

Been here, done that

self Unique cap- abilities and limitations

Personality, strengths and style

I am more aware of who I am at my best

What you see is what you get

Adapted from P. O’Donnell & J. Galvin

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Layers of being for learners and knowers

Definition Indicators Learner Knower

Framing Assumptions and mental models in use

Connection to reality and others

I examine my worldview and engage others in learning together

I am OK, you are OK

Character Internalized principles that drive choices and behavior

Values, ethics, and integrity

My greatest challenge is to become a better person

That is none of your business

Sourcing/ alignment with Self

Being aligned with a larger purpose beyond self

Sense of calling, synchronicity, and flow

I often ask myself: what is trying to happen through me?

I am the master of my destiny. I make something happen out of nothing

Adapted from P. O’Donnell & J. Galvin

Co-leadership consciously integrates and balances:

• reflection and action

• intuition and logic

• body, heart and intellect

• presence and vision

• emotional intelligence and complex thought

• individual creativity and collective intelligence

• experimentation and dissemination

• economic, ecological, social and human goals

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Inner and external dances of evolutionary co-leadership

Inner dance of partnering

External dance of partnering

Personal practices

Interpersonal & systemic practices

R

Evolutionary call

Metasystemic practices

R

R : reinforcing loops

R

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Learning to face complexity together

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Co-leadership development practices span the four quadrants

Subjective/Invisible Objective/Observable

Individual (I)

Collective (we)

(it) Personal Practices

(its)

Interpersonal practices

(Meta)systemic practices

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Co-leadership development practices involve changes in all four quadrants

Subjective/Invisible Objective/Observable

(I)

(We)

(it)

(its)

Feeling interconnected Inner dialogue Trusting life/evolution Valuing each stages of development within Staying humble, open

Tuning one’s instrument Sensing, looking, and listening; trusting body Tough love Willingness to improvise and experiment

Co-hosting/sacred space Practicing impersonality (allowing collective flow) Co-creating through generative dialogue Peer co-development

Collective U process High-performance team System in the room World café/Open space Behavioral agreements Holacracy/sociocracy

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Personal practices

• Become aware of stages of development and the legitimacy of each one; accurately assess own behavior, preferences and stage

• Engage in individual action inquiry (first-person research)

- Journaling about one’s personal observations, reflections and learning; auto-biographical writing

- Noticing one’s contradictory desires, and of the distinction between desires and intentions

- Surfacing and challenging one’s assumptions (using the ladder of inference, the four-column exercise), including about leadership

- Deepening one’s intuition and inner knowing through consciousness practices (e.g. meditation, nature, martial arts, improvisational theater)

- Seeking coaching/mentoring and role-playing

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Interpersonal Practices Engage in collaborative action inquiry (2nd person research) !

• Practice high-quality advocacy and inquiry, active listening, reflective and generative dialogue, including in peer groups

• Address conflicts as opportunities to learn

• Work creatively with dilemmas and paradoxes (e.g. using a polarity map)

• Apply systems thinking archetypes to complex issues in groups of peers

• Use every meeting or interaction as learning opportunity; agree upon behavioral norms and evaluate how well they are respected

Systemic practices

  Build a shared vision from the viewpoints of stakeholders as a lead-in to transformation, using creative tension

  Form a micro-system with stakeholders’ representatives, practice active listening and co-designing of prototypes, by calling on collective wisdom

  Engage peers and other actors of the eco-system in learning journeys in other cultural contexts

  Connect with other leaders across organizations and sectors who sense the evolutionary call and are experimenting with new liberating structures

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What will it take to scale up evolutionary leadership?

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Dissemination of evolutionary co-leadership

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% of population

Attitude toward innovation

Resisters

Fence sitters Supporters

Innovators

Adapted from Rupert Everett

Principles of evolutionary co-leadership

  Remain deeply grounded in the purpose of evolution – not getting lost in details and difficulties

  Trust the process of evolution – letting go of certainties and being open, curious, receptive, humble, experimenting, and courageous

  Embrace complexity – without making it more complex or more simple than it is, but looking for “simplexity”

  Be moved by the evolutionary call toward perfection in this imperfect but changing world – without becoming a perfectionist nor discouraged by the current imperfection

47 Adapted from Craig Hamilton

Principles of evolutionary co-leadership (cont’d)

  Explore the way of the future in collaboration with others – inviting them to become co-leaders who express their own gifts in synergy

  Be intuitive and et receptive to the surrounding field, by using all ways of knowing – somatic, emotional, cognitive, immediate – with discernment

  Listen to the call of the future, while taking together a first step with confidence

  Commit to play wide, to change the game, staying on the razor’s edge, crossing a threshold – without listening to self-limiting beliefs.

48 Adapted from Craig Hamilton

To go further

  Read the paper Integral Development of Evolutionary Co-leadership and other related papers on the website: www.coreleadership.com

  Consult www.metaintegral.com and www.globaltransformingensemble.com

  Contact me at alaingauthier@coredevelopment.com or AlainGauthier@metaintegral.com

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