ABOUT US

Rethinking Leadership

The Leading Through Institute (LTI) was founded to help people and organizations thrive.

Unfortunately, the dominant practices of executive action we see all around us are working against us. These practices are rooted in a paradigm of power – power over people – that acts like a legacy computer system in the world of organizations today – it is pervasive, deeply embedded, almost invisible and often destructive. This legacy paradigm is fueled by a mindset focused on control through compliance and has long exhibited three key shortcomings: (1) it breeds organizational “darkness” (it blurs vision, saps meaning and nurtures moral failure), (2) it wastes human talent and organizational potential, and (3) it stifles creativity and innovation. Because it is so pervasive and deeply embedded, many don’t recognize these practices as the culprit for these shortcomings.

The answer is leadership. But, we are not talking about a heroic CEO, or even a capable team of executives, but instead leadership that permeates an entire organization. Our research and experience have convinced us that this kind of leadership—real, effective leadership—is work. It is a specific kind of work, but it is work—the work that mobilizes others to elevate the people, advance the purpose and strengthen the productivity of an organization. That work is needed in every corner of every unit of every organization and it can be done by anyone, anywhere, at any level, in any circumstance. Realizing the promise of this kind of leadership requires a new paradigm, one that recognizes that leadership is both intensely personal and deeply organizational. 

We use three metaphors—the soul, heart, and mind of leadership—to illustrate what the work of leadership really looks like: (1) it increases organizational light (soul); (2) it helps people to thrive (heart); and (3) it boosts creativity, ingenuity and innovation (mind).  But making this kind of leadership a reality requires a rethinking of the concept, including a systematic approach to organizing that holds the legacy paradigm of power at bay and enables the new paradigm of leadership to prevail.

LTI exists to make the new paradigm a reality, helping people and organizations realize the promise of leadership and thrive in their work and lives.