Exploring Emerging and Non-Western Concepts of Leadership at the Spiritual Edge

Session Submission Type: Panel Discussion

Streams and Specialties: Philosophy, Religion & Worldviews - Other Aspects of Philosophy, Religion & Wordviews

Short Description

Einstein has been quoted as saying: “insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” One could say this is true of leadership styles. This panel discussion will focus around the forthcoming book: Leadership at the Spiritual Edge: Emerging and Non-Western Concepts of Leadership and Spirituality (Routledge, 2024); we will discuss new leadership models, theories, and tools rooted in spirituality and focused on addressing the complexities of leading in a VUCA world. This will include such topics as creating "sacred space," "liminal space," "transcendent space," "coherent space," (Guenther, 2022), "we-space," intersubjectivity, unity with nature, leaderless leadership from an indigenous perspective, and other similar themes.

Over the past 25 years, there has been an increasing interest in spirituality in the workplace; however, the intersection of leadership and spirituality has less often been explored. Our discussion will address this junction and will go beyond the frequently discussed theories and philosophies (e.g., mindfulness, servant leadership, transformational leadership, ethical leadership, and authentic leadership). With a focus on application in an increasingly globalized and diverse workforce, we will present emerging and non-Western perspectives of leadership and spirituality. Additionally, starting with the position that spirituality is not necessarily always good this discussion will explore the dark side of spirituality and leadership. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the focus of our discussion is through the lens of post- and trans-religious spirituality; that is, spirituality beyond the context and bounds of structured religion and religiosity.

Key Takeaway 1: Non-Western and Indigenous perspectives on leadership and spirituality-reflecting interdependency between peoples and people and planet and in what way they impact and support leadership.

Key Takeaway 2: What Spirituality and Leadership look like from a post-religious spiritual perspective; that is, what spirituality, from a less dogmatic lens which reflects a relationship between interdependence (with people, place, and planet) and meaning, can influence and impact leadership models, tools, theories and practices.

Key Takeaway 3: Critical perspectives on the shadow or dark side of spirituality and leadership: Spiritually rooted practices such as mindfulness, meditation, servant leadership, transformational leadership, etc. are often considered “all good”. This is not always true. A challenging side to these practices exists– they can allow a shadow side for spiritual bypassing.

Sub Unit

• Philosophy, Religion & Worldviews

Chair

• Lemuel W Watson, Antioch University Graduate School of Leadership and Change, Leadership and Development, Professor of Inclusive Leadership and Change

Presenters

• Lisa Ann Berkley, University of California, Santa Cruz, Crown College, Facuty and Director of Resiliency Program & Founding Director, Center for Applied Values in Advancing Technologies

• Stacey K. Guenther, Awakened Impact, Leadership Coach (PCC), Consultant, and Meditation Teacher (CMT-P)

• Maxinne Rhea Leighton, Women In International Security (WIIS-NY), Pro-Bono, President

• Mohammed Raei, Self Employed, Consultant, Executive coach, Dissertation coach

• S. Aqeel Tirmizi, Antioch University, Professor of Leadership, Management & Service