Progression Towards Presencing Mastery With a Growth Mindset and Theory U

Abstract

Contemporary discourse surrounding leadership, creates a context for presencing mastery as a practice. Globally, we are living in times of disruption, with institutions failing because of a blindness to the inner core of understanding with respect to transformation and leadership (Scharmer, 2018). Corruption is endemic in South Africa, with a lack of accountability and mindful leadership through standardization of systems that no longer serve the people. It is argued that an inner shift needs to occur where one is able to broaden one’s thinking capacity to think beyond the self (ego) and move from ego-system awareness, centred around care for oneself only, towards eco-system awareness, centred around care for the benefit of all (Scharmer and Käufer, 2013; Scharmer, 2018). When this inner shift takes place in leadership, conditions for activating “wisdom-based leadership development become present” (Gunnlaugson, 2021, p. 4). I argue further that this inner shift can only occur when you surrender to the Divine Presence within.