SUMMARY

The Challenge

Modern-day business presents a whole new set of challenges: to be more transparent, more connected, and more innovative in harnessing human potential to find answers to complex and unencountered problems. As companies we’re expected to be sustainable, responsible and stakeholder-centric.

What does it mean to be a leader in a world that is waking up to the possibility of doing business differently? What can we learn from leaders who have already made the leap to leading their businesses more consciously?

The Answer

Conscious leaders have particular ways of thinking, acting and engaging that are well-suited to the almost quantum leap that the new business reality demands of us. It is no longer enough for us to simply sprinkle more content on top of our existing leadership mindsets and expect to flourish in our leadership roles. Just as we can’t run new software on an old operating system and expect a great performance, what’s needed in leadership is an upgrade of our operating system itself. This upgrade is conscious leadership.

Tapping into examples from a wide range of conscious leaders, drawn from all over the world, this book explores what it means to be a conscious leader operating both wisely and successfully in a conventional business world that is slowly waking up.

The Promise

With the help of their stories, we get to map a new definition of success. We get to recognise similar qualities in ourselves, and bring these to life. This book aims to inspire many more such leaders, and to connect them around the world because, in running their organisations differently, they can positively impact everyone associated with them and, collectively, can have an uplifting effect on our future.

Business has the potential to be a huge force for good in the world.

Are you one of its new breed of leaders?

“If we can harness the incredible power of business and lead responsibly, if we can ensure that the greatest organisations on the planet think holistically and systemically, then we can make a huge positive leap forward for humankind and for all who share existence on this planet.”

John Replogle, CEO, Seventh Generation

REVIEWS

L

There is no higher calling than to be a truly conscious leader, one who is motivated by service to people and the organization’s purpose, and not by ego, power or self-enrichment. In this highly engaging and very readable book, Gina Hayden has synthesized the wisdom of many conscious leaders. This book is an important contribution in helping us understand what conscious leadership is and how we can cultivate the qualities that are essential to it.

— Raj Sisodia, Professor of Global Business, Co-founder of Conscious Capitalism Inc., author of Firms of Endearment and co-author of Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business.

L

A well-researched and truly excellent book that describes what it means to be a conscious leader.

— Richard Barrett, founder and chairman of Barrett Values Centre and author of The Values Driven Organisation and The New Leadership Paradigm.

L

What I love about this book is how grounded it is.  And how rooted in her own real-life stories and those of highly successful leaders.  And how clearly thought through, lucidly written and complete.  And ultimately, how thoroughly Gina nails the reality that being a conscious leader is 180 very practical degrees away from airy-fairy.

— Jon Freeman, author of Reinventing Capitalism: How we broke money and how we fix it, from inside and out and The Science of Possibility.

L

I enjoyed reviewing the book and feel it is packed with observations from some wonderful people that will inspire and inform those who want to lead with a consciousness that we are all hungry for. Thanks for your outstanding effort.

— Bob Fishman, former CEO, RHD.

L

Written from the heart, Gina has examined every aspect of being a conscious leader with reverence and deep understanding. Among the books on Conscious Capitalism, I hold this book as the most comprehensive guide for leaders on this sacred, heroic, fulfilling journey.

— Sudhakar Ram, CEO, Mastek Limited

L

It’s one of those rare highly readable, jargon-free business books that will be read from cover to cover, becoming a well-thumbed source of inspiration and guidance for any individual intent on becoming a more effective, personally fulfilled and inspiring leader.

— Anna Pollock, Founder, Conscious Travel

L

“The world needs more leaders and more effective leadership. This book makes a compelling case that we especially need more conscious leaders who can help organizations and communities become highly purpose-driven. Conscious leaders can help tilt the universe toward the greater good of humanity. If you want to improve yourself and improve the world, this is a must-read book.”

– David Altman, Ph.D. COO, Center for Creative Leadership

L

“Gina has written a practical, well-researched and integrated book on how conscious leaders think, act and lead. The challenges of being a leader in today’s world require us to be responsible, authentic and conscious of our own reactions and the impact we – and our organizations – have on others. This is a guidebook for any leader who wants to know how to lead with spiritual intelligence and make a positive and powerful impact in our world.”

– Cindy Wigglesworth, Author of SQ21: The Twenty-One Skills of Spiritual Intelligence and President, Deep Change, Inc.

L

“In Becoming a Conscious Leader, Gina Hayden has robustly and beautifully described what conscious leadership looks like in action, as well as the winding journey of maturity toward it. Her work deftly weaves together insights and findings from adult psychology, neuroscience, Eastern wisdom traditions, embodiment theory and the latest in leadership studies. The result is an enlightening suite of principles and practices that will work in the unforgiving trenches of complex organizational leadership. Our responsibility and opportunity now is to embody these teachings, do the practice, and use them to help bring about an unprecedented flourishing of Humanity, Nature, and the Kosmos.”

– Barrett C. Brown, PhD, author of The Future of Leadership for Conscious Capitalism

L

“Gina Hayden has expertly uncovered a way for leaders to go beyond filling skill, behaviour and knowledge gaps and move toward a deeper and more impactful development journey – one characterized by greater consciousness, wholeness and humanity. By answering this higher calling, leaders can generate greater energy, commitment and creativity. An enthralling read.”

– Michael Chavez, CEO, Duke Corporate Education

PRESS