Leadership must be very family oriented. People who neglect their families to climb the proverbial ladder of success often learn to late that the leader is leaning against the wrong wall. No one on their deathbed ever wished that they had spent more time in the office. Perhaps the most inhibiting factor for organisations is the legacy of 150years of design that clings to centralised and hierarchical authority. In our own work of values auditing, we find that senior and middle managements are the biggest obstacles to change, primarily because of their incapacity to recognise the talent of their own people.
Progressive organisations seek to tap the hidden strength of intrinsic motivation.
Their leaders are increasingly empowering cultural facilitators to improve the health of internal relationships. Trust is a major contributor to motivation, as are acknowledgment and feedback. It is about preparing people for the 21st century. We must stand in awe of the limitless potential of human endeavour, wonder at its breathtaking enormity. We must develop the capacity to develop our own self-knowledge and ourselves in order to help others discover theirs.