<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">This is a great topic Michael,<div><br></div><div>I find that authentic leadership in organization is connected to authentic leadership of self. We can't just coach folks in the work context without inviting them to step into genuine contact with themselves. For leaders particularly the challenge is often to assist them to exhibit what i call evolved autonomy. This is a state where there is a healthy ego structure, but it isn't in charge of the show. There is no need to either please or be pleased. A leader who has embraced this state can open tremendous space in their organization and foster this capability in others. One of the common hurdles for leaders to overcome in 'open-spacing' their organizations is facing a loss of meaning or relevance when many of the functions that usually filled their day are now competently handled by others. It is hard to let go of the necessary authority in order to allow others to truly step into responsibility (just ask any parent!). In order to assist leaders with this transition i find it useful to explore with them the meaning of leadership for them personally (and how this might need to shift or morph in order to achieve their goals) and then to spend some time reflecting on how the purpose/mission of their organization meshes with their personal purpose in life. When you find this connect, there is an incredible synergy and energy that arises that powers the kind of vision required to manifest authentic leadership at the highest levels of formal leadership. After that, management becomes like breathing.</div><div><br></div><div>In terms of what we do or don't do--we exhibit a lot more being and embodiment--and that takes courage and daily personal preparation on our part. We engage in radical acts of authenticity (suitable to the business environment, of course ;0). One of the most radical things we can do in a business environment is to invite the whole person to show up and to create a container that makes that possible. And, of course, to show up ourselves and be willing to make genuine contact with our clients and their organizational community. We follow invitation and don't force the stream. We don't tell them it won't hurt. We are clear that this is a co-learning journey--that we are leading at the edge and that is an essentially emergent process. If they have the guts for the ride--make sure you've got the ankle strap for that surf board!</div><div><br></div><div>Bring on more!</div><div>Cheers,</div><div>Wendy</div><div><br><div><div>On 22-Oct-08, at 8:19 PM, Michael Wood wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"> <div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"><span class="531161003-23102008">Harrison Owen talks about "Authentic Leadership" as the leadership which emerges out of the self organising system at the conjuction of passion and responsibility.</span></font></div><span class="531161003-23102008"> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><br><font face="Arial"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2">Then there's "Formal Leadership" related to specified roles in organisations<span class="531161003-23102008">. Formal </span>leadership may exhibit<span class="531161003-23102008"> the character of</span><span class="531161003-23102008"> authentic leadership and can either</span> encourage <span class="531161003-23102008">or</span> hinder<span class="531161003-23102008"> the emergence of authentic leadership in the system.</span></font></font></font></div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Arial"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="531161003-23102008"></span></font></font></font> </div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Arial"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="531161003-23102008">So - what the implications of this for the way we do "Leadership training and development", particularly within those larger organisations that often have quite large budgets and staff in special departments dedicated to this purpose? What is useful in what we currently do which we'd want to keep? What would we throw away? What new or different approaches might we introduce?</span></font></font></font></div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Arial"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="531161003-23102008"></span></font></font></font> </div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Arial"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="531161003-23102008">Anyone up for a conversation?</span></font></font></font></div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Arial"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="531161003-23102008"></span></font></font></font> </div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Arial"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="531161003-23102008">Michael Wood</span></font></font></font></div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Arial"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><span class="531161003-23102008">Perth, Western Australia</span></font></font></font></div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font> </div> <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="531161003-23102008"><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div></span></div> * * ========================================================== OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu: <a href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>*
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