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Leadership that Honors the Dignity of Human Beings

Updated: Jul 26

An Invitation to Become a More Conscious Leader


(Originally published in The Startup on medium.com on Feb 3, 2020)


For hundreds of generations including our own, we have been conditioned to a “domination” mindset of leadership that puts the needs of one human being above another. Whomever the person in power — the king, the boss, the teacher, the parent, the priest, the government official — their choices and their will are imposed on those they lead.


The domination mindset of leadership is based on fear: “do what I say, or else I will use my power to harm you” (a “punishment”).

And I have language that I can use so that you — not I — are responsible for the harm I do to you: “you deserve it.”


The more benevolent leaders in this mindset emphasize giving you something you want (a “reward”) if you do what they say.


Either way, the person in power is using the extrinsic motivation of rewards and punishments to manipulate and coerce the people th