Leading in a VUCA World

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvi

   PDF

2. The Metanarraphors We Lead and Mediate by: Insights from Cognitive Metaphor Theory in the Context of Mediation in a VUCA World

   • Jacobus (Kobus) Kok, Barney Jordaan

   Pages 1-26Open Access

3. The Quest to Lead (with) Millennials in a VUCA-World: Bridging the Gap Between Generations

   • Johann Kornelsen

   Pages 27-41Open Access

4. Personal Leadership as Form of Spirituality

   • Joke van Saane

   Pages 43-57Open Access

5. Leading Organisations in Turbulent Times: Towards a Different Mental Model

   • Barney Jordaan

   Pages 59-75Open Access

6. Spirituality and Leadership in a South African Context

   • Anoosha Makka

   Pages 77-90Open Access

7. Still Points: Simplicity in Complex Companies

   • Calvyn C. du Toit, Christo Lombaard

   Pages 91-104Open Access

8. How to Integrate Spirituality, Emotions and Rationality in (Group) Decision-Making

   • Volker Kessler

   Pages 105-118Open Access

9. Embodied Realism as Interpretive Framework for Spirituality, Discernment and Leadership

   • Jack Barentsen

   Pages 119-138Open Access

10. A Well-Played Life: Discernment as the Constitutive Building Block of Selfless Leadership

    • Stephan Joubert

    Pages 139-150Open Access

11. Discerning Spirituality for Missional Leaders

    • C. J. P. (Nelus) Niemandt

    Pages 151-168Open Access

12. Challenging the New “One-Dimensional Man”: The Protestant Orders of Life as a Critical Nuance to Workplace Spirituality

    • Steven C. van den Heuvel

    Pages 169-184Open Access

13. From Spirituality to Responsible Leadership: Ignatian Discernment and Theory-U

    • Patrick Nullens

    Pages 185-207Open Access

14. Correction to: Leading in a VUCA World

    • Jacobus (Kobus) Kok, Steven C. van den Heuvel

    Pages C1-C1Open Access

This open access book brings together works by specialists from different disciplines and continents to reflect on the nexus between leadership, spirituality and discernment, particularly with regard to a world that is increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA). The book spells out, first of all, what our VUCA world entails, and how it affects businesses, organizations, and societies as a whole. Secondly, the book develops new perspectives on the processes of leadership, spirituality, and discernment, particularly in this VUCA context. These perspectives are interdisciplinary in nature, and are informed by e.g. management studies, leadership theory, philosophy, and theology.

• Open access
• Spirituality and leadership
• Spirituality in the workplace
• Discernment in organizations
• VUCA and leadership strategies
• Interdisciplinary approaches to leadership
• Corporate social responsibility and spirituality
• faith, spirituality and business
• corporate social responsibility

“Few would dispute Editors Jacobus (Kobus) Kok and Steven van den Heuvel’s first sentence that “we live in a particularly revolutionary time.” This in and of itself begs the question of whether our current leadership models are up for this task and, if not, what fundamental quality is missing that leaders must embrace for them, their organizations, and the planet to flourish. Although spiritual leadership has emerged as a field of scholarly inquiry within the last twenty years, missing is investigation of the role discernment may play in enabling leaders to draw on deeper levels of consciousness for the peace and serenity needed to be the eye in the VUCA hurricane. I view this work as the beginning of what I’m sure will be a long and winding pilgrimage of inner discovery for leaders willing to embrace the journey.” (Prof. Dr. Louis W. (Jody) Fry, Texas A&M University, USA)

• Department of New Testament, Evangelische Theologische Faculteit Leuven, Belgium

  Jacobus (Kobus) Kok

• Extraordinary Professor, University of Pretoria, South Africa

  Jacobus (Kobus) Kok

• Research Associate (Classical Studies) at the University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

  Jacobus (Kobus) Kok

• Department of Systematic Theology, Evangelische Theologische Faculteit, Leuven, Belgium

  Steven C. van den Heuvel

• Extraordinary Researcher at the Faculty of Theology, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

  Steven C. van den Heuvel

Prof. Dr. Jacobus (Kobus) Kok is Full Professor and Head of Department New Testament Studies at the Evangelische Theologische Faculteit, Leuven, Belgium. He is also a Senior Research Associate and NRF Y1 rated scholar at the University of Pretoria, South Africa.
 
Dr. Steven C. van den Heuvel is Postdoctoral Researcher in Systematic Theology at the Evangelische Theologische Faculteit, Leuven (Belgium) and Senior Researcher at the Institute of Leadership and Social Ethics. He is also an Extraordinary Researcher in the Unit for Reformed Theology and Development of the S.A. Society at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University, South Africa.