HCI Webinar Recap: Conscious Leadership, with Jennifer Mulholland and Jeff Shuck

In the latest HCI Webinar, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with with Jennifer Mulholland and Jeff Shuck about conscious leadership. Below is a summary of the main points from their conversation! Check out the full episode and let us know what you think!

Watch the episode here:

Quick Recap

The team discussed the concept of conscious leadership, emphasizing the importance of awareness, alignment, and intentionality in leading oneself and others. They also highlighted the need for proactive leadership, adaptiveness, and resilience in the face of resistance and challenges. The conversation ended with a discussion on the importance of self-awareness, kindness, and the potential for personal and professional growth through meaningful work and leadership retreats.

Conscious Leadership and Social Impact

In the meeting, Jonathan, Jennifer, and Jeff discussed their backgrounds and experiences in conscious leadership. Jennifer, an author, strategist, and executive coach, and Jeff, a leader and entrepreneur, co-own Plenty Consulting, which helps conscious leaders and businesses grow. They have worked with numerous organizations, including Sun Guard and 360, raising nearly a billion dollars for charity. They also shared their personal experiences as parents and their commitment to making the world a better place through meaningful work. Jonathan, who is also involved in social impact work, expressed his admiration for their efforts and the potential for further collaboration.

Conscious Leadership and Reactive Management

In the meeting, Jennifer and Jeff discussed the concept of conscious leadership, which they defined as being aware, aligned, and intentional in leading oneself and others. They emphasized the importance of awareness in understanding what works for oneself and others, aligning with one's passions, and making meaningful impacts. Jeff contrasted this with reactive management, highlighting the need for agency and decision-making in leadership. The discussion was based on their new book, "Leading with Light, Choosing Conscious Leadership When You're Ready for More."

Proactive Leadership and Empowering Others

The team discussed the importance of proactive leadership, emphasizing that leaders should focus on planning, strategizing, and providing a vision for the future rather than just responding to emergencies. They highlighted the issue of leaders defaulting to reactive behavior, putting out fires, and not being proactive. The conversation also touched on the concept of limiting beliefs and identities, with Jennifer suggesting that leaders who identify as problem solvers may attract more problems to solve. The team agreed that great leadership involves empowering others, allowing them to solve problems, and creating environments where everyone can contribute. They also discussed the importance of adaptiveness in leadership, depending on the context and the needs of the people around them.

Aligning With Intuition and Higher Source

Jonathan and Jennifer discussed the importance of alignment and conscious leadership in their work, particularly in the nonprofit sector. Jennifer emphasized the need for individual alignment with one's intuition and higher source before seeking external alignment. She also highlighted the importance of presence and awareness in leadership, encouraging individuals to slow down and be fully present in their work. Jennifer introduced the concept of the "trinity of alignment", which involves uncovering one's passions, strengths, and ensuring these align with the needs of the organization or community. Jeff added a nuance to this discussion, noting that this level of awareness and alignment is not basic leadership, but rather a more advanced skill.

Addressing Resistance in Problem-Solving

Jeff and Jonathan discussed the importance of recognizing and addressing resistance in problem-solving and leadership. Jeff emphasized the need to adapt and try different approaches when facing resistance, rather than pushing harder. Jonathan agreed, noting the importance of resilience and the ability to do hard things, but also the need to recognize when one is just spinning their wheels. Jennifer added that people need tools to manage their energy and emotions, and suggested that sometimes, stepping away from a problem and trusting intuition can lead to better solutions.

Resilience, Adaptability, and Inner Light

In the meeting, Jeff and Jennifer discussed the importance of resilience and adaptability in leadership, emphasizing the need to focus on substance rather than form. They also highlighted the value of self-awareness and kindness in leadership. Jennifer introduced their book, "Leading with Light," and their signature leadership retreat, Lantern, which aims to help leaders align with their inner light. Jeff ended the conversation by encouraging everyone to believe in their own potential as leaders.

Listen to the webinar here: