Awakened Leadership: Leading with Light

Abstract

This chapter provides a mental and emotional framework to help readers understand how to deal with challenging situations, both, those we can and those we cannot change. It reflects first on the long-standing concern among members in society when it comes to the behaviors of leaders. The short-term, excessive profit focus at the expense of the well-being of living stakeholders is at the core of this concern. This chapter subsequently introduces us to the need for and the concept of wakefulness, briefly analyzes a series of contemporary leadership styles, and subsequently lays out a behavioral road map for those interested in adopting a reflective, “awakened” leadership approach, built on value-based, ethical, trust-driven, visionary, respectful, passionate, committed, compassionate, kind, forgiving, courageous, loving, attentive, inspired, authentic, connected, multidimensional, fulfilled, initiative-oriented, and change-focused qualities.