Four principles of a regenerative mindset
by Compass For Life founder Floyd Woodrow
I am lucky to spend time with both forward-thinking leaders who are operating at the top of their game and incredible school children keen on forging a future that feels meaningful to them.
I learn from both and believe there is a shared mindset that helps to bring about creativity, empathy, goal setting and action.
When you scratch at the surface, you realise that this mindset is rooted in a regenerative approach to personal development, leadership, problem-solving and accountability.
Regeneration is a hotly discussed topic right now. As the G7 meets in Japan, it's expected that the conversation will almost certainly cover how the global economy can shift from its current form towards a more circular, distributive and regenerative economy.
To get there, leaders are going to need to embrace the same regenerative mindset that I see in schools and corporate HQs across the world. Here are the four principles of a regenerative mindset:
Swap control for co-creation: The traditional approach to leadership is to nurture domination and control. A traditional leader is expected to have all the answers, take little input from others and insist on complete dedication from the rest of the organisation or team. This is not the case anymore. When we explore the Strategist cardinal in our Compass For Life programme, we place a significant emphasis on collaboration, co-creation and creating space for healthy conflict and important input.
Build resilience: The only certain thing is change. We’re in the midst of a huge amount of turbulence from the economy through to the geopolitical landscape. Change is not going away anytime soon. When we explore our Warrior cardinal, we’re focused on action but also adaptation. By keeping your mind and body sharp, ensuring that you ground yourself regularly and take a mindful approach to change, you’re able to build resilience to changing situations quickly.
Foster connections and community: One of the most fundamental cardinals we explore in out training programmes is developing a strong and robust Ethos. While it has clear benefits for any leader, in particular around enshrining their own personal beliefs, it has a staggering impact in developing a sense of community. When the people around you are dedicated to the same principles and values they automatically are able to view problems, challenges and opportunities through a shared lens of what’s right and what’s not.
Set a goal and lead with humility: It’s always interesting to understand how misconceptions of leadership are still rooted in societal thinking. In particular, the idea that traditional leaders are egotistical, incapable of admitting failure and utterly devoid of vulnerability. When we work with children, athletes and elite leaders to set their Super North Star, we do so with humility. We understand that there will be distractions and detours, and that’s perfectly natural. Having a Super North Star gives a focus to a leader and their team. Having humility ensures that the path to that Super North Star can be adapted and reshaped without fear of reprisal or ‘losing face’
We believe nurturing a regenerative mindset is embedded in the way we deliver our Compass For Life programme and comes through when we explore each of our cardinals.
If you’d like to take the first step in understanding more about what we do and developing your own Super North Star, click here and start building your own Compass for Life map right away.
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