Leadership Notes -- Thoughts on Leading People and Making a Difference in Organizations

Word count this issue: 347

Estimated reading time:  2.15 minutes

I’m currently working on one of the final chapters of my forthcoming book, 5 Thrives for the Digital Revolution. The chapter is called, “Disruptive Spirituality,” and one story from it seems apropos given the news from south of the border about a government employee saying that her religious beliefs preclude her from giving marriage licenses to same-sex couples. 

Here’s the story.

In April of 2004, H.H. The Dalai Lama was in the midst of one of his trips to Vancouver. He, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Human Rights Activist Shirin Ebadi were being awarded honorary doctorates by Simon Fraser University. The convocation was held at Christ Church Cathedral, and I was fortunate to be one of the invited guests.

His Holiness spoke to the gathering of 500 or so academics, civic and religious leaders and students. He began his remarks saying, “Buddhism is the greatest religion in the world.” There was a pause, then he said, “for me.”

Disruptive Spirituality is a fundamental thrive for the digital revolution. It gives us a radical and life changing perspective between and around the binary and dualist elements of the digital world. It helps us see the big picture, the grey between the black and white. In that way it is disruptive as it challenges the yes or no, 1 or 0 world that is unfolding around us. 

Spirituality is not disruptive when it falls into that very binary and dualistic perspective itself. Such a ‘spirituality’ is more likely based on fear and ignorance, and that is not healthy. Leadership is about leading people forward into difficult and challenging times. Times that challenge our past ways, times that push against our fear and ignorance, and may well spark deeper fears. Having a discipline around spiritual practice at its best gives us each a new perspective on ourselves, on each other and on the cosmos. And most importantly a disruptive spirituality gives us courage to face those very fears.