Great and effective leaders are those that have mastered the power of wholesomeness, a leadership style that is centred on creating a positive and supportive work environment where individuals can thrive and reach their full potential. A wholesome leader is one who leads with empathy, kindness, and integrity, and who prioritises the well-being of their team members. I engaged Cynthia Chirinda (CC) on the subject of wholesome leadership.
Cynthia Chirinda is leadership development practitioner and strategist. She is the founder of Women Politicians Incubator Zimbabwe, Wholeness Incorporated and director of Africa Reform Institute.
JN: What is wholesome leadership?
CC: Wholesome leadership is a paradigm which frames a clear-cut roadmap and executes actions through self-awareness, people awareness and surrounding awareness. This perspective of leadership is based on an understanding of our intrinsic “oneness” and “interconnectedness.”
JN: What are the building blocks of wholesome leadership?
CC: Wholesome leadership embodies wholeness in what is found in one’s heart, hands and their emotions. At the core of wholesome leadership are healthy relationships, disciplined thought and action, a holistic stakeholder-inclusive mindset and solution-focused thinking.
JN: How do I develop wholesome leadership as an individual?
CC: A dynamic leader with a wholesome perspective plays an important role in creating a support system where everyone feels empowered and responsible towards achieving the common goals. This requires an individual to become grounded in “self-mastery.” Self-mastery is a function of personal leadership, it implies both being aware and in control of our attitudes, thoughts, preferences and mental paradigms. It involves understanding that we have tools and options for thinking, and having the discernment and awareness to know what to use at the appropriate time. Above all it starts with leading ourselves well which is a key attribute of emotional intelligence.
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JN: What is the importance of wholesome leadership in the corporate space? And how do we develop it?
CC: Wholesome leaders actively deliver value to all stakeholders. Leaders, irrespective of their industry, need to be good at creating a powerful vision, inspiring people to follow that vision, thinking strategically through various business options, adding value through innovation, leading teams and people and most importantly, being in integrity and acting as role models for their teams. Self-mastery is an ongoing journey for a leader. At every stage in the professional life of a leader, they need to work on themselves at the foundation level to go to the next level of capability and effectiveness. This is best done by working at the roots of awareness and building self-understanding to mature to the next level.
An organisation could be making huge profits, while the ecological footprints of its operations may have a huge negative impact. That becomes short-sighted thinking when we don’t care or don’t attend to the future. Taking care of all stakeholders ensures that our corporations will be sustainable for now and future generations.
Developing wholesome leadership, therefore, requires a leader who lives their values, is futuristic in their thinking, remains authentic, shows courage coupled with audacity and consistently manifests an attitude of abundance.
JN: What are the benefits of wholesome leadership?
CC: Leaders with wholesome ability can build a community where productivity, trust and well-being are closely interwoven. A wholesome approach helps leaders to connect with others without being judgmental. When a leader is aware of his surroundings including the struggles and strengths of his team, he is able to bring out the best from each of the members.
A dynamic leader with wholesome perspective plays an important role in creating a support system where everyone feels empowered and responsible towards achieving the common goals.
JN: What are your final words of motivation on wholesomeness?
CC: Finding wholesomeness is something that all humanity should strive for. Being wholesome applies to what benefits, builds up, or sustains physically, mentally, or spiritually. When wholesome leaders are created, they operate out of a sense of ease, joy and a desire to enable success for others.
