Sara and Jim reflect on leveraging holistic leadership for global transformation
Is it possible to build a partnership with someone who has an opposite way of thinking?
For some, this may be a recipe for disaster. But for Sara M. Johnson, a different perspective may just be the ingredient for success.
Sara, Director of Executive Education at Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, knew what she wanted: to create a novel learning and development experience among global leaders.
But she knew that this would not be an easy mission. Then she met Consulus.
“Lawrence [Chong] was in the U.S. exploring university partnerships and he and I discovered we shared a common vision for developing authentic leadership to influence society around the world. [We] have two different styles of leadership – I approach decisions cautiously and he, more quickly and intuitively. In our early conversations, I felt that Lawrence respected my style and gave me space to gain comfort with the possibility of partnering,” Sara recalled.
Unpacking holistic leadership
“I could see that leaders who were self-aware, humble, values-based, and person-centred were viewed with more respect and trust. They were able to build and lead teams that were engaged, effective, and enthusiastic followers. They achieved amazing business results not only because of what they could do, but because of who they were, and the relationships they built. These characteristics were the foundation of what would become the Holistic Leadership model,” he explained.
Jim also said that the term holistic leadership reflects a unique model. For him, “The competencies and characteristics of leaders needed for the future in this complex world need to consider that leaders and those they lead are whole persons – body, mind and spirit – and effective leadership is built on a deep understanding of the human person and the meaning that work brings to the worker and to those they serve.”
Jim conducting holistic leadership talk with Catholic Healthcare Ministries.
The holistic leadership series
Sara describes the relationship between Indiana University and Consulus as “just dancing together” to ensure that “our organisations could begin to know each other more before any formal agreement was established.”
Jim recalled having several meetings to find pathways for collaboration between the two organisations. “It was really more of an opportunity to see what interests in leadership models we had in common, but we all came away with having planted a seed to further explore what could be done together to offer Holistic Leadership education at some point in the future,” he said.
Together, Indiana University and Consulus designed a transformative leadership training program that has now reached five continents.
“We have watched and supported leaders throughout the world come together to discuss very personal challenges and development goals in a safe and trusting environment. The shared learning has been both rich and impactful, not only for participants, but I dare say for the faculty as well as the organisations participants represent,” Sara reflected.
Holistic Leadership Cohort 1
Holistic Leadership Cohort 1
About Holistic Leadership for a Complex World
Holistic Leadership for a Complex World is a formation series for mid-level and upper-level leaders who seek to lead differently to meet the challenges of the new world created in partnership with Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, one of leading Executive education centres in the United States and Consulus. Since the inception of this program in 2022, about 100 leaders from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe have been transformed by the program.
About Consulus
Consulus is a global creative change firm serving persons, companies, and cities in their transfiguration for an Economy of Communion. Consulus believes that purpose and unity are essential for innovation and inclusive growth. Since 2004, Consulus has implemented systemic innovation solutions with multidisciplinary business and design capabilities throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. With a presence in 23 nations globally, Consulus believes in shaping an inclusive socio-economic system and is a member of the Economy of Communion (EoC) network.
