Services
Developing Undefended System Leaders
Description
An undefended leader lacks psychological barriers against their weaknesses and insecurities. They lead with openness, vulnerability and transparency, fostering trust and authenticity. Instead of relying on ego-driven defences, they acknowledge mistakes, creating a culture of collaboration and support. Why is this crucial for leading across systems?
Undefended leaders:
- Build trust and credibility, essential for cross-system collaboration.
- Facilitate open communication by encouraging honest dialogue.
- Promote innovation and risk-taking, fostering a safe space for experimentation.
- Enhance team cohesion, breaking down silos.
- Adapt to change by embracing uncertainty and learning.
- Resolve conflict without defensiveness.
- Empower others by stepping back and enabling team ownership.
Unlike traditional leadership development that focuses on technical strategies for solving complex "wicked problems," we prioritise the inner journey—helping leaders integrate all aspects of themselves to be effective system leaders. Our goal is to create a social movement of undefended system leaders, driving real transformation. This requires leaders who reject outdated command-and-control styles and embrace collective leadership.
Understanding leaders' daily pressures, we offer a practical, flexible year-long learning experience for leaders providing them with the opportunity to learn and grow from crucible leadership moments, opportunities to shift their personal paradigms about change and embed their sense making. The experience is structured around:
- Four full-day workshops exploring undefended systems leadership, meaning-making, and navigating complexity.
- Four online webinars focusing on the mindset and skills needed to lead in complex environments.
- A live system challenge, applying learning to real-world health and care issues.
- Six half-day action learning groups for peer coaching and self-exploration.
- Insights from exemplars of undefended leadership.
- Self-assessment, reading, journaling, and reflection to deepen personal growth.
This experience will appeal to values-driven leaders committed to serving others and transforming the system, who truly believe things can and should be better—those with the courage to confront both their strengths and vulnerabilities.