Oct 11, 2018

Learned at The Culture Conference

Carolyn Clark Beedle
Director Audience Development
The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership book cover

One Workplace hosted The Culture Conference again this year, an immersive event for business leaders committed to building positive teams and cultures. Among the CEOs, global corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, Aspen Fellows, nonprofit founders, professors and culture gurus who attend The Culture Conference, there are also culture consultants and writers. In the spirit of active participation, all 200 conference attendees roll up their sleeves, agree to open their minds and to promote a culture of sharing. The overarching 2018 theme focused on Diversity and Cultural Inclusivity.

This year Diana Chapman, in her keynote conversation and her accompanying book, kicked off support to the 2018 conference theme. She shared a common-sense message with transformational potential for leaders, readers and culture champions. Be a conscious leader, take radical responsibility for how you show up to lead your team.

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Chapman, Dethmer and Klemp encourages us to embrace integrity, candor, emotional intelligence and gratitude. Spoiler alert: “commitment” is definitely the operative word in the title. The book challenges us to be aware of above the line or “By Me” thinking as opposed to below the line or “To Me” reacting, and to build a daily practice around that change. The challenge is supported by a handful of simple tools; Statements, Behaviors and Beliefs shared in a single handout represent both thought patterns.

Diana delivered an engaging and succinct review on “How to Create Full Engagement by Leading Above the Line”. She shared experience from years of consulting with thousands of business leaders, she sampled the suggested tools, and she challenged members of the audience to build a conscious conference culture by remaining open, curious and committed to learning. Her key message was that each of us can choose to show up positive, choose to remain above the line and model the positive behavior, if we can commit to making the shift.

If you're looking for a holiday gift for leaders, managers or friends that will keep on giving, this book should be on your list.