In today’s complex world, many leaders feel as though they’re constantly “in over their heads”, navigating challenge after challenge with little room to breathe. This is a systemic issue that calls for a vertical development approach—development from the inside-out that equips leaders to meet the evolving demands of our modern world.
A vertical development journey, like any change journey, starts with awareness. That’s why we recently facilitated this video discussion with experienced WA leaders to explore and understand the most relevant stages of Conscious Leadership.
This discussion delves into different stages of conscious leadership, helping you identify where you are now and where you aspire to be in your personal and professional growth journey.
Understanding the Stages of Conscious Leadership
For this discussion, we explored four key stages of conscious leadership, each with distinct characteristics and impacts:
1. Egocentric (Pre-conventional) – The Erratic Zone
Leaders at this stage are focused on personal power and short-term gains. They reject feedback and externalise blame, often leaving others frustrated. This reactive and erratic leadership style can harm the environment and culture of an organisation, resulting in fluctuating outcomes, often trending downward.
2. Reactive (Conventional) – The Managing Zone
The majority of leaders operate at this stage. While they are less self-centric, they often rely heavily on control, seeking approval or self-protection strategies, especially under pressure. Though results are more stable, these leaders often find themselves stuck, unable to break free from external expectations and pressures. This stage is a common representation of “good enough” leadership, leaving much untapped potential on the table.
3. Creative (Conventional) – The Performing Zone
In this stage, leaders begin to unlock their full potential from the inside-out, creating collaborative cultures centered around a shared vision, adaptability, and resilience. They embrace feedback, lead with integrity, and skillfully navigate complexity. This stage represents a significant upward shift in both personal fulfilment and organisational impact.
4. Integral (Post-conventional) – The Transforming Zone
This stage represents one of the pinnacles of leadership development. Here, leaders see themselves as part of a larger, interdependent system. They prioritise long-term, systemic success over short-term wins, thriving in complexity with grace and ease. These leaders foster innovation and sustainable growth, having a profound impact not only on their organisations but also on the world around them, including their own life.
Insights from Our Discussion
During the discussion, we explored our own experiences and reflections at each of these stages. We examined how certain stages of leadership, especially Reactive, can leave leaders feeling stuck, constantly “in over their heads”. We also painted a picture of the possibilities when we break free from these limiting patterns and reach higher stages of development, encouraging others to embark on a growth journey to access the Creative and Integral stages, where leadership is truly transformative.
This conversation underscored the importance of self-awareness in leadership development and how understanding these stages can provide a map for inside-out growth.
What’s in It for You?
By watching this video, you’ll gain insights into:
- Four of the key stages of Conscious Leadership.
- Where you might be in your own Conscious Leadership journey.
- What’s available to you if you further evolve your Conscious Leadership.
Whether you’re a leader navigating complexity or someone interested in personal development, this discussion offers a valuable map that raises awareness, provokes aspiration, and inspires action for your own growth journey.
Here is the video of our discussion.
Where do you see yourself on the Conscious Leadership journey? Are you ready to move beyond “good enough” and take the next step in your growth?
If you are still wondering about your next step, then these might be excellent places to start:
#ConsciousLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #GrowthMindset #InsideOutGrowth
Two Percent Shift 