I'm a seasoned Learning and Organizational Development leader with a 15-year track record, including 8 years in the fast-paced tech industry and 7 years in external consulting. My expertise is in catalyzing transformation and growth in complex, dynamic environments, for both individuals and organizations alike. I've led high-impact learning and readiness programs at tech giants like IBM and Microsoft, on both regional and global scales. These programs have reached up to 15,000 employees across more than 50 countries. As a leadership coach, I've logged over 500 hours of hands-on experience. I'm an award-winning speaker, having taken the stage at premier regional and international HR, L&D, and EdTech conferences. I'm the proud founder of the High-Hume Leaders Club, a dynamic community for business and social change leaders. Additionally, I've had the honor of being a guest lecturer at prestigious institutions such as MSU, BSU, TSU, Kingston University, and the School of Education. My passion lies in fostering innovation and freedom, not just within the workplace, but extending beyond it. I'm a strong advocate for self-navigation in career and life, empowering individuals and leaders to break free from any constraints and chart their own path to success.
My Mentoring Topics
- Building a Social Learning & Development Ecosystem for the Future of Work
- Exploring Alternative Leadership and (Un)management practices for free spirits in business
- Transforming corporate culture to spur unmatched innovation and business growth
- Encouraging Unconventional Self-navigation in career and life to gain freedom after corp
Essentialism - The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Greg McKeown
The concept of Essentialism revolves around focusing on what truly matters, and eliminating all distractions and unnecessary commitments. Essentialism is not about getting more done in less time, but about getting the right things done. The Essentialist mindset dictates that 'less is more'. It's about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy. Essentialism is not a time management strategy or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential and eliminating everything else. The Essentialist uses a more selective criteria for what is essential. The way of the Essentialist is the path to being in control of our own choices. Essentialism is about making the tough trade-off between lots of good things and a few great things. It's about exploring multiple possibilities to make sure you're on the right track. Essentialism requires us to replace 'I have to' with 'I choose to'. Essentialism is a mindset; a way of life. It is about living by design, not by default. In the world of Essentialism, there are no quick fixes or easy answers. The journey to becoming an Essentialist involves hard work, discipline, and tough choices. Essentialism is about creating a life that really matters by investing in the right activities. The Concept of Essentialism In his book, Greg McKeown presents the concept of Essentialism - the disciplined pursuit of less but better. He argues that in today’s fast-paced and complex world, being busy is not necessarily being productive. Instead, productivity and fulfilment are gained by focusing on fewer tasks that are truly essential and eliminating the rest. The key to Essentialism, according to McKeown, is not in managing our time better, but in simplifying our lives, operating from a clear sense of purpose, and rejecting everything that doesn’t align with it. McKeown's philosophy echoes the teachings of prominent thinkers like Thoreau who advocated for leading a life of simplicity and focus. Less is More The underlying principle of Essentialism is that less is more. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with information and demands, the Essentialist seeks to cut out the noise and focus only on what really matters. This is not about being efficient or squeezing more into our day. Instead, it's about making a deliberate choice to focus on what's truly important, and letting go of everything else. The Essentialist Mindset The Essentialist mindset is not a one-time decision, but a continuous process of deliberate and conscious choices. An Essentialist is not driven by external pressures or a desire to please others, but by a deep conviction of what is truly important. The Essentialist doesn't react to every distraction, but creates space for critical thinking and reflection. Trade-offs and Choices Essentialism involves making tough trade-offs between many good opportunities and a few truly great ones. It's about not just reacting to life's demands, but proactively shaping our lives. The Essentialist doesn’t just recognize the reality of trade-offs; he or she embraces them as necessary and even desirable. Living by Design, Not by Default Being an Essentialist is about living by design, not by default. It's about making the conscious decision to invest your time and energy in the things that truly matter. It's about rejecting the myth of 'having it all' and recognizing that we can't do everything. Instead, we need to focus on where we can make the biggest difference. The Journey to Essentialism The journey to becoming an Essentialist is not an easy one. It requires hard work, discipline, and tough choices. It's about learning to say 'no' to the non-essentials so we can say 'yes' to what truly matters. It's about recognizing that we have a choice in where we invest our precious time and energy. Overall, Essentialism offers a refreshing perspective on life and productivity. By focusing on less, we can achieve more – not by cramming more tasks into our day, but by investing in the right activities. It's about living a life that is meaningful and fulfilling, not one that is simply busy and stressful.
ViewTribal Leadership - Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization
Dave Logan, John King, Halee Fischer-Wright
Key Facts/Insights from "Tribal Leadership" Organisations are composed of tribes, groups of 20-150 people that have a significant impact on their performance. Each tribe has a unique culture which is defined by the language and behaviour of its members. There are five stages of tribal culture, ranging from 'Life sucks' at Stage 1 to 'Life is great' at Stage 5. Leadership is about recognising and upgrading the tribal culture. It is not about changing individuals, but about leveraging the tribe. Core values and noble causes are essential elements of high-performing tribes. Triadic relationships are more stable and effective than dyadic ones. Tribal leaders focus on building relationships, not just achieving tasks. Stable partnerships based on shared values and common goals are the foundation of high-performing tribes. Strategy, not tactics, drives the evolution of tribal culture. Tribal leaders are not necessarily formal leaders. They are the people who are able to influence the culture of the tribe. Tribe members need to feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves to reach the highest level of performance. In-Depth Summary and Analysis "Tribal Leadership" by Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright presents a unique perspective on leadership and organisational performance. The book argues that companies and organisations are not monolithic entities but rather collections of tribes, each with its own distinct culture. The authors define a tribe as a group of 20 to 150 people who are directly connected to each other in some way. This concept of tribal leadership is rooted in anthropology and sociology, which view humans as inherently social beings who form into groups or tribes. In the business context, these tribes can be departments, teams, or any other group within an organisation. The authors argue that understanding and influencing these tribal cultures is the key to effective leadership. The book introduces a five-stage model to describe the different cultures that can exist within tribes. At Stage 1, the prevailing mindset is 'Life sucks'. This is a culture of despair and hopelessness, often found in gangs and in extremely dysfunctional companies. At Stage 2, the mindset shifts to 'My life sucks', where members believe that they are victims. In Stage 3, the mindset becomes 'I'm great (and you're not)', which is characterised by individual competition and 'lone warriors'. At Stage 4, the mindset evolves into 'We're great (and they're not)', where the focus shifts from individual achievement to team success. Finally, at Stage 5, the mindset is 'Life is great', where the tribe sees unlimited possibilities for success and makes a significant impact on the world. Tribal Leadership is not about changing individuals but about recognising and upgrading the tribal culture. It involves identifying the stage of the tribe's culture, building relationships within the tribe, and leveraging these relationships to move the tribe to the next stage. It's not about imposing a new culture from the top down but about fostering a new culture from within. The book also emphasises the importance of core values and a noble cause in creating a high-performing tribal culture. These elements provide a sense of purpose and unity that motivates tribe members to perform at their best. This aligns with the concept of 'transformational leadership', which focuses on inspiring followers to transcend their self-interest for the good of the organisation. Furthermore, the authors introduce the concept of triadic relationships, where a tribal leader connects two tribe members to work on a common task or goal. This triad is more stable and effective than a dyadic relationship, where the leader interacts with each tribe member individually. This concept recalls the 'strength of weak ties' theory, which suggests that indirect ties can be more valuable than direct ones because they provide access to new resources and information. In conclusion, "Tribal Leadership" provides a powerful framework for understanding and improving organisational performance. It shows that effective leadership is not just about managing tasks and processes, but about building relationships and fostering a positive culture within the tribe. By focusing on these areas, leaders can leverage the natural groups within their organisation to build a thriving, high-performing tribe.
ViewReinventing Organizations - A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage of Human Consciousness
Frédéric Laloux
Key Insights from the Book: Organizations are living entities that evolve with different levels of human consciousness. Evolutionary-Teal Organizations represent the next stage of organizational development, characterized by self-management, wholeness, and evolutionary purpose. Self-management replaces hierarchical pyramid structures, promoting a decentralized decision-making process. Wholeness allows individuals to bring their full selves to work, integrating personal and professional personas. Evolutionary purpose allows organizations to have a sense of direction beyond profit-making, focusing on a broader social purpose. Laloux identifies Red, Amber, Orange, Green, and Teal as stages in organizational evolution, each aligning with human societal advancement. Organizations need to transition from one stage to another to remain relevant and thrive in the changing business environment. Case studies of various organizations worldwide provide practical examples of Teal Organizations. The transition to a Teal Organization does not come without challenges, and it requires a significant shift in mindset and operations. Reinventing organizations is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and the transition should be tailored to the specific needs of each organization. An In-depth Analysis: In "Reinventing Organizations," Frédéric Laloux presents an innovative concept of the evolution of organizations, aligning them with different stages of human consciousness. He identifies five stages - Red, Amber, Orange, Green, and Teal - each representing a specific era of human societal advancement. The Red stage represents the earliest form of civilization where power and control were paramount. The Amber stage represents traditional hierarchical structures seen in institutions such as the military or the catholic church, characterized by strict hierarchical order and stability. The Orange stage, driven by the Industrial Revolution, is typified by goal-orientation, innovation, and meritocracy. The Green stage emphasizes empowerment and values-driven culture. The latest stage, Teal, represents a paradigm shift in organizational structures. Laloux argues that Teal Organizations are the future and represent the next stage of human consciousness. These organizations are characterized by three core principles: self-management, wholeness, and evolutionary purpose. Self-management implies a shift away from traditional hierarchical pyramid structures towards a decentralized decision-making process. It embodies a sense of trust and respect for all employees, empowering them to make decisions and take responsibility for their tasks. This shift resonates with the participative management theory, which advocates for employees' involvement in decision-making processes. Wholeness encourages individuals to bring their complete selves to work, integrating their personal and professional personas. This concept aligns with the humanistic perspective in psychology, emphasizing an individual's unique qualities and potential. It challenges the conventional norm of separating personal life from professional life, fostering a nurturing and inclusive work environment. Evolutionary purpose goes beyond mere profit-making, enabling organizations to serve a broader social purpose. This concept resonates with the stakeholder theory, which suggests that organizations should consider the interests of all stakeholders, not just shareholders. This purpose-driven approach aligns with the rising trend of corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Laloux supports his arguments with case studies of various organizations worldwide that have adopted the Teal approach, including Buurtzorg, Patagonia, and Morning Star. These examples offer concrete evidence of the benefits of transitioning to Teal, such as increased employee engagement, improved decision-making, and enhanced organizational resilience. However, the author acknowledges that the transition to a Teal organization comes with its challenges. It requires a significant shift in mindset and operations, moving away from traditional command-and-control structures towards a more fluid and organic model. Furthermore, Laloux emphasizes that reinventing organizations is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Each organization must tailor its transition to its specific needs and context, drawing inspiration from the principles of Teal but adapting them as necessary for their unique circumstances. In conclusion, "Reinventing Organizations" offers a thought-provoking exploration of the evolution of organizational structures and the potential of the Teal paradigm. It challenges traditional notions of hierarchy and control, advocating for a more human-centric, purpose-driven approach to running organizations. It provides valuable insights for leaders and managers seeking to navigate the complex and rapidly changing business environment.
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3.August 2023Ksenia was extremely welcoming and open to listening to my situation. She provided personalized advice and suggested steps moving forward. Even though it was only our first meeting, she took time to understand my story and my struggles and created a safe space for me to open up and share my thoughts.