Wise Ways

Abstract

This article describes leadership as the process of evolving adaptive cultures by relating to reality in new ways. Leaders are change artists. They bring about change by creating institutions and communities where people learn to relate to each other in novel ways. Wise leaders transform the quality of relationships within organizations. They ask: What are we able to create together? In a transformational system monologue becomes multilogue. The article further explores the wisdom traditions of the world that have shed light on four fundamental values for personal and organizational excellence. Finally, the author argues that the way towards personal and organizational excellence is to explore the converging ground of these shared values in the form of four interrelated questions: What is right knowledge? What is right action? What is the right way to organize? How do we transform in order to sustain life?