I decided a year ago that I would invest in Neon in 2023. That decision led me to undertake my own strategic review of Neon’s purpose, ambitions and intentions which surfaced the term ‘Deeply Human’ that now sits at the heart of all my work. In reality, the concept is not new, but more the latest iteration of what I described in my first blog – ‘Dreaming in Technicolour’– in 2015. The words came to me as an absolute crystallisation of what I am about such that when I commissioned a visual rebrand earlier this year and a new website to go with it, ‘Deeply Human’ was central. If you look on the home page, you will see:
‘We are a coaching company on a mission to transform the way we live, lead and work. A Neon world is a more Deeply Human world where our personal and professional lives are more fulfilling, our leaders more creative and connected and the organisations we work for more of a force for good on the inside and out.’
This is my manifesto. It is a clear statement of intent. Every time I use the words ‘Deeply Human’, my sense of purpose is brought into sharp focus. I feel re-energised and absolutely clear about what is important – not just in my head but in my bones.
‘Deeply Human’ is a term that applies to how we live, lead and work. However in this post I am going to focus on how it applies to the world of work.
The future of work
The truth is that I want to change the world of work. Why?
From a people point of view because it is too brutal, short-sighted and unsustainable.
And from the point of view of the planet and the wider world, because it is too self-orientated and/or damaging.
Here are some facts: –
- Disengagement, stress and burn-out
There is a steady stream of reports being published that highlight the degree of exhaustion, stress and burn-out being experienced by the workforce globally – including (perhaps most worryingly) among the younger generation (see the Gallup 2023 State of The Global Workplace Report as an example). The pandemic added an extra dimension to people’s exhaustion – and highlighted the issue – but the epidemic of worn out workers pre-dates Covid. What are we doing to our teams?
What’s more, there is ample evidence – if you really need it – of the link between engaged, ‘happy’ teams and high performance (see McKinsey report on ‘Reframing Employee Health’, 2023).
Finally, we have all heard about ‘quiet quitting’. As another McKinsey reports asks, is the problem ‘bore out or burn out’? Surely neither are any good.
- Complex global problems
Daily headlines provide more than ample evidence of the prevalence of social, economic, ecological and geo-political problems that exist in today’s world and which need everybody’s help to tackle. Again, the younger generation is increasingly demanding that employers demonstrate a purpose beyond profit that evidences their commitment to making the world a better place. As Paul Polman puts it in his book ‘Net Positive’:
“Business cannot be a bystander in a system that gave it life.”
- The rise of AI
And in a year during which the rise of generative Artificial Intelligence, and its associated dangers, have been well rehearsed in the worldwide press, the argument for an increase in humanity over robots and machines is more compelling than ever.
The role of ‘Deeply Human’ leadership
So I am taking a stand for what I have come to call ‘Deeply Human’ leadership. I am issuing a call to action to as many organisations as possible, in as many sectors and industries as possible, to take a good hard look at their leadership culture. My deepest wish is that we do more together to equip leaders with the skills and capabilities they really need to do a better job of creating organisations that are a force for good on the inside and out. In this way we can better serve the needs of both people and organisational performance.
It is not easy to lead. It is lonely, requires long hours, and can often feel thankless. It is over-glorified, takes patience and huge skill. Not everyone can do it and often those who are promoted to leadership positions are not those best suited to the role. We must do more to support our leaders to succeed (and perhaps do better at choosing those that are genuinely suited to it).
And I want to be really clear: I am not just talking about the ‘for profit’ sector – such as the world of finance or technology – which is often highlighted as needing to up its game. I am also talking about the purpose-led sector and all those organisations whose mission statements talk about positive social impact but whose workforces are on their knees. The UK National Health Service is one example of this. The humanitarian sector as a whole is another. There are many, many others.
So what exactly is ‘Deeply Human’ leadership?
People are increasingly asking me to explain what it is that I mean by the term and I am always happy to answer. There are five dimensions to this style of leadership which I call ‘The Five Cs’ and which are shown in the diagram below. I actually developed this model eight years ago but until recently there were only four ‘C’s. After some consultation with clients, I introduced the fifth ‘C’ this year: – Care. That is the ability to demonstrate care for yourself, your team(s) and the wider world.
Misconceptions about ‘Deeply Human’ leadership
It is clear to me from conversations I have had over the course of this year that there is still some confusion about what I mean and some misconceptions that I want to clarify in relation to each of the ‘Five Cs’. So here we go.
Clarity of Purpose
Purpose is active not passive. Knowing your purpose is not enough. Stating your purpose is not enough. Purpose is not about memorable marketing words and pithy sentences (though they may help). It is about a deep-seated genuine intention, that is baked into processes, systems and structures and brought to life in the actions and words of leaders on a daily basis. Only in this way can everyone understand what their role is in making that purpose a reality. Only in this way can they avoid feeling lost in a hamster wheel of relentless activity, inside which all semblance of meaningful purpose is lost.
Connection
Just because you ask people how their weekend was, does not mean you have developed relationships that inspire trust, confidence and followership.
If you build relationships as a means to an end, you are still in a transactional mindset.
If your team(s) does not really feel a sense of belonging to or inclusion in something resembling a community, then you have more to do. This post that I wrote last year talks about the power of connecting a team more closely to each other and the impact it can have.
Consciousness
Being bright and capable is not enough. Great leaders are not necessarily those with the highest IQ.
Emotional intelligence – the ability to manage our emotions and understand the emotions of others – is a critical leadership capability.
There is never an end to the process of developing self-awareness and self-mastery.
If you think you’re the finished article, then you have probably only just begun.
Creativity
Leaders do not need to be artistic or talented in creative expression. But leadership is about bringing something new into being.
The ability to foster creative energy and thinking in the workplace is a leadership responsibility. As is the ability to create an environment where people believe that anything is possible.
Care
Leaders need to demonstrate care, compassion and empathy for their teams.
This is very different to being nice – which usually ends up in simply trying to please everyone.
Leaders also need to prioritise self-care. This does not mean being selfish and only caring about yourself. It does mean making sure you are in the best state possible to lead and look after others.
The Deeply Human Culture Club
If you have read this far, I suspect you may already be a believer. You are likely to already advocate for developing leadership capability in our organisations that can enable more people to do their best work and more of the world’s problems to be alleviated. If you are one of those people, I would love to hear from you. I am developing The Deeply Human Culture Club for people in leadership positions who advocate or embody this style of leadership and who would like to share ideas and experiences with like-minded folk. It is growing in numbers and is by invitation only.
I am also available to discuss how I can help develop the ‘Deeply Human’ leadership capability in individuals or teams in your organisation. Book a call with me here or email me.
If you have got this far and are still not convinced, I would also love to hear from you. Please get in touch with me. I would really love to chat and exchange ideas.
When I talk to people about my purpose, some say to me:
“But Kate, that’s just the world of work”.
I say to them:
“Says who?”
What do you say?