The Space Between - Video Blog

Hello,
I have added a video blog about some thought about this years TEDxWomen theme, "The Space Between". Let me know what you think!

The Evolution of Leadership and TED

Hi Everyone,
I recently applied to speak at TEDxABQ which is the Albuquerque TEDx. The theme this year is "Engage your Passion". I thought I would share with you my application submission as I think it really captures what Transcendent Leadership is all about, and, in my opinion, what TED is all about:

What's your "Idea worth Spreading?"

The Evolution of Leadership

We are at a tipping point. We are all evolving in consciousness, as individuals, and consequently as societies. Ken Wilber stated that for the first time in history we know this and not only are watching it happen, we are consciously co-creating the new consciousness. As a result, we are creating new and innovative processes, systems, education, organizations and leadership to facilitate the conscious evolvement of the planet (TED is one of the greatest example of this).  What is the leadership process to facilitate this? I call it Transcendent Leadership and define it as: a relationship dynamic among collaborative groups of people who co-create the future together, raise one another to higher levels of consciousness in the essence of spiritual humanism with the understanding of the interconnectedness of all things. I developed a meta-model that overlays the conscious evolution of our planet with leadership theories. I believe that the transcendent leadership process can provide the opportunity in which individual and therefore society will realize its evolution and its transcendence to transform our planet. The process of transcendent leadership will be an intrinsic part of the tipping point. Quoting from a Work Economic Forum article “central to a shared culture is an emphasis on transcendent leadership - the idea that standing above all other values is the ideal of a joint commitment to bettering the plant.”
Let’s “engage our passion” using the transcendent leadership process to undertake great and difficult tasks and co-create the future together.


Tell us why you'd make a great TED speaker:

I love TED. I’ve been watching TED since about 2003, but really having fun with it for about 5 years now.  I think its one of the greatest platforms for “ordinary” people to share extraordinary ideas. Also, I absolutely love to speak publicly... I know, weird right? some people would rather die... not me, I have a blast. In that moment, you are truly in the moment, and alive and interconnected with everything. That’s when the magic happens, when some part of our being recognizes that there is truth in what the speaker is saying, some spark ignites in our inner being, and quite voice says... listen... this is truth,... this is spirit.  This is when people are moved from inspiration to engagement and to action - this is TED.





Wish me luck!
Lisa

The Transcendent Gardener

I am involved in a series of wonderful workshops to awaken consciousness in ourselves, each other and consequently the planet. One analogy that is brought up time and again is one that has been used by many spiritual masters, that of the garden. You reap what you sow, or if you plant "negative thoughts" you'll get "weeds", thought-form plants that you really don't want there, that aren't beneficial or nurturing and they are sucking up all your water or life energy! But by consciously planting positive thoughts/plants, nurturing and attending them, you'll reap a wonderful crop that is fruitful and beneficial.

What struck me though is as we tend to our own garden, we are also creating a beautiful path along our travels. People will be attracted to our path and want to be on the same or similar path full of beauty and grace.  As we travel along this path of transcendence, the interconnectedness of the global garden will benefit from our mutual co-operative sowing and the global garden will start to reap a harvest of peace, compassion, love and appreciation. This is the path of the Transcendent Gardener.

From one seed of compassion for self....

A Picture Transcends Words

I'm sure at one time in your life, you have looked at a picture, whether it was a photograph, a painting, an album (CD) cover or a cover of a book and were transcended to another place or maybe even consciousness. I believe that's what all art does on some level.

Many people have asked me about the picture on the cover of my book. I asked a very talented graphic designer to create an artist representation of some of the concepts or themes in the book. He came up with the first image which I believe is a very powerful image in and of itself that's why I included it here. But it didn't capture the essence of the book.

He then created this image...

I don't want to spoil with a bunch of my verbiage, please just take a moment to feel this image.

Thank you Ed, may you rest in peace.

I would love any feedback!
Lisa

Leadership by any other name...

Seems like consciousness and leadership are getting a lot of press lately, specifically evolving consciousness and leadership. Some call it Integral Leadership, Authentic Leadership, Conscious Leadership, and many other "new" names for leadership! It's a wonderful indication that more and more beings are evolving toward transcendence. Lovely! Let's tip this existence into love, caring, compassion, appreciation and co-create peace for all.

Higher Purpose and Mission

Brian Solis, in his blog "Leadership in an Era of Digital Darwinism" was asked the following question and below are his responses.

You talk adamantly about vision, higher purpose and mission, where’s the ROI in that? Is that what CEOs really want?
- What’s the ROI of vision or innovation? Often ROI stands for Return on Ignorance, which as you can imagine is usually low
- If you ask an exec what they truly want, the answer will vary across the board-profits, sales, efficiencies, happy employees
- I spent a lot of time w/@zappos Tony Hsieh. He once told me businesses excel if they focus on higher purpose vs bottom line
- I researched it & companies focused on purpose, mission, experience tended to over index in satisfaction, profitability, etc
- Leaders don’t chase trends, they seek results.
http://www.briansolis.com/2011/12/leadership-in-an-era-of-digital-darwinism/

Why do you suppose that if companies focused on purpose, mission and experience they out performed those that did not? As we evolve in consciousness, we are moving toward transcendence, away from materialistic needs to more communitarian/egalitarian "needs". Our search for meaning becomes paramount.  To be part of something greater than just the bottom line is crucial for employees to be productive and satisfied. More and more if companies do not embrace at least the "triple bottom line" - people, planet and profits - they will not succeed. 

The True Nature of Leadership

I've been doing a lot of reflecting lately. How I can help humanity, how I can help the planet, the animals, myself. I feel that there's magic in our connections with each other. I feel that if we collaborate, more than that, if we co-create our existence together, there's nothing we cannot do, nothing that we cannot accomplish.... together. This is the true nature of leadership. 


I developed different beliefs over the years that actually kept me separate from people. I've been doing a lot of self transformational workshops, I've cleared so much emotional issues, or baggage as some of us say, that I have realized that the most important thing is our connections to each other and to help each other evolve in consciousness. Josiah Royce, an engineer turned philosopher (sort of like me, an engineer turned leadership "philosopher"), said "But individuals are not isolated beings; we can know ourselves only in relation to others". I think that's partially true. I use to think that was completely true, but I believe there is a fundamental element of self, of ourselves that we need to truly understand at not only  a physical, emotional, and intellectual level, but at a spiritual level. Through this awareness, our beliefs "self liberate" as Ken Wilber says into the vastness of the infinite. When this happens, we truly understand that  we are not our bodies, not the object, we are the observer, the spiritual being, the soul energy that is currently occupying this body to experience life, experience what we are currently creating. When we realize this, the  game of manifesting, co-creating shifts perspective,  and changes view point, a paradigm shift happens.  


Can we do leadership if we are not "evolved" or at this level of consciousness? The answer is not only a profound yes, but I believe the leadership process raises each other to these levels of consciousness. I believe that when we share and "do leadership", or engage in the leadership process from our authentic selves, we co-create our reality. 


We can only do this together, one does not do leadership without others...