In the post pandemic world, things are changing rapidly in many ways.
People everywhere have a perceived need to shift the dominant narrative around the normal way of working and living to adopting a more holistic approach to life.
To achieve this, requires the regenerative leadership approach.
Regenerative means to renew, replenish, heal, revitalise. Regenerative Leadership aims to help people lead, enable and nurture spaces for individual and collective action for such an alternative future.
It is not about position and power, however Regenerative leadership is a way of leading that cultivates life-affirming conditions.
Regenerative leaders build team cultures that shift power and agency to the team as collective, the collaborative processes are centred around self-organisation and inclusive decision-making.
It is a purposeful and empathic leadership that focuses on fostering partnerships between people and nature.
In practice, this means to understand and work with the living-system dynamics of the organisation and its wider ecosystem; to work in ways that allow the business to become life-affirming.
A regenerative business is one that enriches all stakeholders including wider society and the environment, committed to becoming life-affirming in all its facets, culture, operations, strategy, and ecosystem.
To be successful in regenerative leadership, the following characteristics should be applied. Systematic, inclusive, strategic, caring, innovative and courageous. We will get into detail on each of the characteristics below.
Systematic
Being systematic is appreciating the interconnectedness and interdependence of the whole system.
Regenerative leaders must be able to manage complexity by analysing, synthesizing, translating complex issues, responding to risk as well as recognising and seizing opportunities.
Regenerative leaders require a level of consciousness that makes decisions with the best interest of people, profits, and the planet.
Inclusive
Regenerative leaders are inclusive leaders. This is achieved by collaboration and participation as well as building commitment through dialogue and consensus. Inclusive leaders embrace democratic approaches, coaching, peer support, provide encouragement and recognises achievement.
Strategic
Regenerative leaders need to think with a strategic perspective using foresight tools to help others see the whole. This involves creating an organisations overall vision and the means to achieve it.
Caring
Regenerative leaders are caring and morally driven. They care for the well-being of humanity and all other forms of life, as well as being guided by a moral compass.
They are altruistic leaders who focus on transcending self-interest and promoting the collective or the good of the whole.
Regenerative leaders make policies and reward systems that discourage overwork and support putting sustainable levels of effort that uplift rather than deplete.
Innovative
Innovation is a major characteristic of the regenerative future.
This requires leaders who are highly visible, risk takers, revolutionary, campaigner, crusader and challenging the status quo.
The ability to apply innovation is especially important in times of uncertainty, ambiguity, and risk.
Courageous
Regenerative leaders also require moral courage. This will help them to fight for a higher cause and be prepared to challenge the status quo. This requires them to be authentic and resilient.
The benefits of regenerative leadership are wide ranging. It encourages leaders to consider long term goals and think systematically about how their decisions will impact the community.
It can also help create an environment of trust, connection, and respect between all stakeholders, enabling creative solutions to emerge.
Regenerative leadership can lead to increased engagement and participation, as well as improve morale and productivity.
Regenerative Leaders bring vitality and wellbeing to all our living systems.
In-so-doing, we wake up to what it really means to be fully human.” Hutchins and Storm 2019
Chiedza Kadare is an OD Practitioner. You can get in touch with her on WhatsApp/call +263 77 283 0986 or Email chiedza.kadare@gmail.com
Paul Nyausaru is an OD Practitioner and leadership coach. For all your OD interventions and leadership development training you can get in touch with him on WhatsApp/call +263774062756 or Email pnyausaru@gmail.com
