When Conscious Leadership Goes Wrong
Walking the talk is critical to truly being a conscious leader
As we all aspire to become more conscious leaders and bring more consciousness to the world and the way we work, sometimes it’s helpful to examine case studies. Who has done a noteworthy job of implementing conscious leadership in their life and workplace? Who has struggled and what can they share so we all may learn from each other? Who is wrapping themselves in the language of conscious leadership, but perhaps not walking the talk?
WeWork is a clear example of a company that purported to be focused on raising the consciousness of the world, but in fact ended up completely undermining the principles of conscious leadership. Hulu just released a new documentary, WeWork Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn, which I recommend watching to better understand the unraveling of a company that espoused some conscious leadership ideas.
You probably recall the meteoric rise of WeWork during the 2010s. It was the buzzy company drawing tons of attention and seemingly popping up on every corner in major cities around the world. It was the tech world’s coworking space. And its leader, Adam Neumann, was the wannabe-Steve Jobs revolutionizing the way we work and connect. Instead, Neumann sold investors and supporters on ideas and promises the company simply couldn’t deliver. Days away from a potential $47 billion dollar IPO, the company’s value sank like a rock as it became apparent everything Neumann had hyped about WeWork’s intrinsic value was in fact not true.
This could be just another story of a tech startup gone wrong, but WeWork was more than just a technology or real estate company. It purported to be a conscious company with a mission to make the world a better place. In clips throughout the documentary, Neumann is heard talking about raising the consciousness of the world through WeWork’s mission of connection and changing how we work and relate to each other. He certainly sounded like a conscious leader with such bold aspirations for a coworking office space company.
But behind the scenes, his staff and investors saw a very different leader emerge. While he talked about raising consciousness, it was clear his ego was fully in charge of his decisions, with no checks-and-balances to help him remain grounded. When the company value sank and Neumann was cut loose as its leader, he left with a billion-dollar payout while thousands of employees were let go without such benefits. One employee noted that for all Neumann’s talk about “we” he certainly focused on “me” in the end.
WeWork is a cautionary tale for conscious leaders. While what Neumann aspired to achieve with the company was admirable, his ambition, ego, and perhaps greed got in the way of accomplishing that mission. Was he ever truly genuine about conscious leadership and raising the consciousness of the world? We can never be certain. But we can learn from his actions.
As a conscious leader, how do you ensure you’re staying grounded in what truly matters?
Do you have a solid team around you that can tell you the hard truth?
Are you dedicated to personal growth and constantly examining your motivations?
How are you serving all stakeholders, not just potential investors or stockholders?
How is every action going to serve a greater good beyond monetary gains?
These are all important things to consider as your leadership and responsibilities grow. The old saying, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” is a warning for all of us. As conscious leaders, it’s vital to ensure we have the systems, teams, and structures in place to protect us from only talking the talk of conscious leadership.
Work happy. Live happy. BE happy.
Meredith
The way we work and build teams is rapidly changing. Leaders often feel unprepared to navigate the transition. As a conscious leadership coach, consultant and communicator, Meredith helps leaders and their teams create new ways of working and relating so they can prepare for the future by consciously co-creating it.
Contact her to develop your conscious leadership and transform your organization into the workplace of the future.
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