Every day, everyone—including you—has the capacity to make a profound and lasting impact on the lives of others and the world around you. Wise leadership—rooted in humility, values, and genuine concern for others—is what can uplift, energize, and inspire us, even during the most challenging times.
In The Art of Power, Thich Nhat Hanh emphasized that the Sangha is our future leader. If you feel uncertain about the future of leadership, lean on and invest in community. We can create collective leadership that is aware, inclusive, kind, and wiser together.
In this talk and meditation, guest teacher Dr. Diana Hill explores 7 principles to grow our wise collective leadership.
You can find a list of these principles listed below the videos.
I hope you find it helpful. You are welcome to join my free Wednesday Meditations – which are open to everyone!
Meditation: Embodying Wise Leadership
Talk: 7 Practices to Grow Stronger Together
After offering a meditation on Embodying Wise Leadership, Dr. Diana Hill offered these 7 principles to grow our wise collective leadership in her talk:
- Be a positive energizer: Research shows that the greatest predictor of success in organizations is not influence, personality, charisma, or power—it is relational energy. Showing up in a way that is authentic, uplifting, caring and present, is what makes a leader truly effective.
- Practice wise speech: Before you speak ask yourself: Is this helpful? Is this true? Is this kind? Is it timely?
- Engage in Noble Silence: Sometimes it’s best to say nothing at all. Have a daily practice of silence, and bring some silence into your community – before dinner, at the start of a work meeting, on your car ride – this time allows us to listen better to our own and each other’s wisdom.
- Be aware of privilege, positionality and power: Draw an E on your forehead. Which way does it point? Did you draw it so that others could read? Or did you point to yourself to read? When you are in a position of power, you are less likely to take other’s perspectives into account. Be aware of positionality and if your E tends to point towards you, change its direction and get curious about others’ point of view.
- Don’t hurry: Wise leaders go slow, together. When we slow down, we turn our weak ties into strong ties, act with intention, and find refuge in the present moment together.
- Let the children lead: The children are our future. When we empower youth by providing them opportunities and tools to lead, we can harness the energy of their creativity and passion. Put children at the front of the line, as Thay did, and listen to their wisdom.
- Engage a wise mindset: Climate leader Christiana Figueres outlines three wise mindsets we can apply to strengthen the future of our planet: Stubborn optimism. Radical regeneration. Endless abundance. Step out of the realm of probability and into the realm of possibility. We can do this together.
About Dr. Diana Hill:
Dr. Diana Hill is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and sought-out speaker on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and compassion. She hosts the podcast Wise Effort with Dr. Diana Hill and is the author of the ACT Daily Journal, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, and the upcoming book Wise Effort. Diana works with organizations and individuals to develop psychological flexibility so that they can grow fulfilling and impactful lives.
