What does it mean to lead in a wholehearted organisation?

For two Leading with Outcomes modules, the forthcoming Adaptive Organisation module and the next iteration of Leading with Outcomes: Foundation, I’ve been revisiting the wholehearted organisation, the one that defines Agendashift’s mission.

A wholehearted organisation is not a perfect organisation, but a transforming one:

An organisation characterised by the instinct to engage openly and authentically on its challenges, imbalances, and contradictionsAn organisation committed to participation as both a catalyst for innovation and the path to integration and wholenessAn organisation that through the conversation, creativity, and leadership of those closest to the action renews itself purposefully from the inside

Honest about the need for change, inviting people into every dimension of that process (strategy, delivery, development), transformation energised and sustained from within.

Question:

When that’s working at its ideal best for us, what’s that like?

As you answer that question, consider the perspectives of different leadership roles before your own. What’s it like to be a sponsor of change in such an organisation, engaging openly and authentically, inviting participation? As a manager or team lead, what expectations are placed on you? What if your formal authority is limited – you’re some kind of practitioner or subject matter expert, for example?

Pulling all of those together, what does it mean to lead in such an organisation?

Back in your organisation, what stops you leading like that? What gets in the way? How might you do something about that?

Upcoming20-28 September, Online, Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons (from 13:00 BST, 14:00 CEST):
Leading with Outcomes: Train-the-Trainer/Facilitator (TTT/F) 07 November, London, UK:
Keynote: The Study of Enterprise Agility Conference (SEACON) part 2 18-26 April, Live online, 12pm-4pm EST Tuesdays and Wednesdays, April 18, 19, 25, 26 2023:
Creating Generative Conversations by Leading with Outcomes
– Part of the Cape Cod Institute’s BMI Series in dialogic organisation development

Anytime:

Leading with Outcomes (academy.agendashift.com) – four self-paced modules: Leading with Outcomes: Foundation Inside-out Strategy: Fit for maximum impact Outside-in Strategy: Positioned for success Adaptive Organisation: Business agility at every scale (from autumn 2022)

Agendashift: Serving the transforming organisation
Agendashift  Academy: Leading with Outcomes | Facilitator and Trainer Programmes
Links: Home | Subscribe | Events | Contact | Mike
Resources: Tools & Materials | Media | Books | Assessments 
Blog: Monthly roundups | Classic posts
Community: Slack | LinkedIn group | Twitter