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Leader as Shambhala Warriorwith James Gimian, Jerry Granelli & Margaret WheatleyAs fear and aggression escalate in society and organizations, what is our role as leaders? How do we maintain focus, courage, integrity? When good initiatives and projects get swept aside by crises and cut-backs, how do we avoid cascading despair? How do we not succumb to aggression and fear ourselves? Such times call forth a new yet timeless kind of leadership. We are called to practice warriorship as described in the Shambhala tradition. Warrior-leaders are working within the systems of power, but claim a different basis for their leadership. They are warriors for human goodness, whose unshakable strength and confidence arise from gentleness. They demonstrate compassion and clarity of insight. From being grounded in their own authenticity, they develop the capacity to remain open to what is, to encounter experiences fully. In this way, they become fearless and effective leaders, even in the midst of turmoil. As module leaders, we recognize the need to develop warriorship in ourselves and others. We also know this works best when it is a collective effort, when we can support and inspire one another. Therefore, this module is designed as a joint inquiry/experiment into how we practice warriorship with ourselves, with each other, and within our organizations. We aspire to create a community of learners willing to explore fearlessly and practice warriorship moment to moment during the life of the module. Our intent is to go deep and engage with people who already claim their leadership as Shambhala warriors. Meg Wheatley brings her many years of experience as a consultant and student of leadership; Jerry Granelli brings his music and artistic process; James Gimian joins brings his knowledge of Sun Tzu's The Art of War. Both Jerry and James also bring many years of teaching in the Shambhala tradition. In order to encourage depth, risk-taking, and community, we have developed criteria for participation:
"Warriorship here does not refer to making war on others. Aggression is the source of our problems, not the solution. Here the word 'warrior' is taken from the Tibetan pawo, which literally means 'one who is brave.' Warriorship in this context is the tradition of human bravery, or the tradition of fearlessness. The North American Indians had such a tradition, and it also existed in South American societies. The Japanese ideal of the samurai also represented a warrior tradition of wisdom, and there have been principles of enlightened warriorship in Western Christian societies as well." 
Margaret Wheatley, Ed.D. writes, teaches, and speaks about how we might organize and accomplish our work in chaotic times, and willingly step forward to serve. She is co-founder and President emerita of The Berkana Institute, a charitable global foundation that works in partnership with a rich diversity of people around the world who strengthen their communities by working with the wisdom and wealth already present in their people, traditions and environment. She has written five books: Leadership and the New Science (in twenty languages and third edition), Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future (7 languages and second edition 2009,) A Simpler Way (with Myron Rogers), Finding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time, and Perseverance (forthcoming 2010). Her numerous articles appear in both professional and popular journals and may be downloaded free from her website. Wheatley received her doctorate in Organizational Behavior and Change from Harvard University, and a Masters in Media Ecology from New York University. She has been a global citizen since her youth, serving in the Peace Corps in Korea in the 1960s. She was a practicing consultant for more than 30 years to an unusually diverse variety of organizations on all continents. She travels the world willingly, speaking and teaching in organizations, communities, universities, churches and at conferences. She lives in the mountains of Utah; her large family is now dispersed throughout the U.S.
For over twenty-five years James Gimian has taught seminars, corporate retreats, and leadership programs on how to apply effectively the strategies and principles of The Art of War in a wide range of contexts. James studied strategy with the Tibetan teacher Chogyam Trungpa, who introduced the Shambhala teachings to the West. He is currently the publisher of the Shambhala Sun magazine and the co-director of the Denma Translation Group, which produced a critically acclaimed and best-selling translation of The Art of War. James is the co-author of The Rules of Victory: How to Transform Chaos and Conflict–Strategies from the Art of War (2008).
Jerry Granelli, jazz drummer, composer, bandleader, and teacher, began his musical career in San Francisco in the 1960s, as a member of Vince Guaraldi's group, and then later as the rhythm-section mate of Charlie Haden. Over the years he has frequently worked with Mose Allison, and has been regarded as the star pupil of legendary drum master Joe Morello. Jerry spent much of the 1970s and early '80s teaching in various innovative and prestigious music programs, such as Seattle's Cornish Institute and Boulder's Naropa University. In the mid-1980s he returned to active recording and performing, first in a trio with Ralph Towner and Gary Peacock, and then with the group Quartet. He now leads his own quartet, Berlin-based UFB. His recordings include Another Place, A Song I Thought I Heard Buddy Sing, News from the Street, and Broken Circle. Jerry presently teaches at the Hochschule der Kunst in Berlin, and also lives and performs in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Module ListAction Inquiry: Transforming Leadership in the Midst of Action Adaptive Action, Artful Perception Building Capacity for Wise and Skillful Action with Circle, Brush, and Sword Catalyzing Organizational Change Embodying Power and Love: Two Essentials for Effective Leadership Leader as Shambhala Warrior Solving Tough Problems: Co-creating New Realities in Complex Systems Women and Leadership: Life Cycles, Power, and Work |
“What I treasure most are the moments of pure connection that happen so often in the midst of all the synchronistic, informal conversations. I can recall conversations from three years ago with uncommon clarity. I sometimes describe the June session as a kind of mental nudist colony. There's no need for mental protective gear.” Sustain and integrate the learning, deepen the impact. Pathways for Authentic Leadership is a nine-month course that begins with the Summer Institute and continues in your home organization. |
