The Choice to Be a Conscious Change Leader
Now that we have a common understanding of the functioning of conscious awareness and autopilot, we can discuss what we mean by taking a conscious approach versus an autopilot approach to leading transformation.
Remember, we all have both of these mental capabilities and we fluctuate continually between them, sometimes operating with conscious awareness and other times operating on autopilot. Taking a conscious approach to leading transformation does not mean, then, always operating with conscious awareness. Similarly, taking an autopilot approach does not mean always operating on autopilot. What is the diff erence then between these two very different types of leaders — the conscious change leader and the autopilot change leader?
Conscious change leaders are just that because they choose to be, and they make a significant personal commitment to how they operate as human beings and leaders. Conscious change leaders turn inward, introspect, and put their attention on their inner awareness and mindset, and their intention on proactively developing their innermost being. In our language, they “ put their being first. ” Ā ey seek greater self - awareness and understanding because they know that their level of awareness and mindset influence everything about their lives and leadership. Ā ey seek to develop their own level of consciousness so they can operate at the highest levels possible, and therefore, contribute fully. Ā ey understand that “ to be first, they must put their being first.”
Conscious change leaders choose this path because they have enough self - awareness to see the difference in themselves when they are operating consciously versus on autopilot. Ā ey see their mindset in action, the impact of their conditioned perceptions and behaviors on their outcomes. Ā ey are familiar with the fluctuations