The human brain is made up of neurons. These neurons work together forming very complex patterns. Only some of these patterns reach consciousness, while all of them make up what you can call ‘your mind’. Reality is of course way more complex but these few sentences provide a good first approximation of what happens when you feel, think, are motivated etc. The consequence: you are not consciously aware of most of what meaningfully happens inside your mind. Nor of course are other people.

And herein lies a tricky situation for any organization. That what does not reach consciousness, definitely influences people in many ways. It influences their motivation, their attention span, their inspiration, their loyalty to an organization or an idea, their mental well-being, their… actually every mental aspect.

A manager uses instruments and procedures, managing material flows. Broadly speaking, consciousness suffices for the manager’s job. Leadership is very different, though manager and leader may be the same person. Leadership is about the total human being, including the vast amount that does not reach consciousness. When management is prose, leadership is poetry. Both sides are indispensable.

Leadership is always Open, namely: open to one’s own inner being and from there also to others. This is of utmost importance to companies. Without Openness, there is no vision, no charisma, no deep sense of belonging, no deep motivation, no attractive purpose that unites the organization, etc. Open Leadership is definitely the most important asset in any organization, however multi-layered or flat this may be. But Open Leadership is not easy. It needs to be kindled and nurtured. If you do so, you may become the next Open Leader that your organization craves.

Are you ready?

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