the lives of people in fast food.”
Eileen Fisher, CEO and Founder of
EILEEN FISHER, is transforming the
clothing industry by creating a supply
chain which respects human rights and
promotes “radical sustainability.” In
addition to working with organic fibers, the
company also promotes women and girls
from all backgrounds. One of their ways
to lift women out of poverty is by sourcing
artisanal scarves from cooperatives of
women with HIV to promote income-
generating opportunities in Africa.
In our study of leaders who are
creating positive transformations in their
companies and the world, we have found
that conscious leaders:
• Use language to inspire and
innovate
• Work from strengths, and promote
the strength of their teams
• Invest in people
• Create a set of values that guides
their companies and organizations
• Feed forward
LANGUAGE MATTERS
Each of these leaders uses language
to inspire people and to create new
paradigms. Greyston has coined the
terms “Open Hiring” and works on
“pathmaking” or creating opportunities
for all of its workers: pathways to a
better future and upward mobility. Eileen
Fisher – in her quest to develop a new
kind of fashion company and a new way
of making clothes – talks about “radical
sustainability.” Most of all, these leaders
use empowered language. They are on a
quest, which transforms those around
them to be fully engaged. Each of us has
168 hours per week. Conscious leaders
make every hour count – partly by creating
a culture of vision and empowerment.
WORK FROM STRENGTHS
Restorative leaders mobilize teams
by encouraging people to lead with their
strengths. Each person has strengths but
we need to learn how to access, develop, and
leverage these strengths. Each strength
has both a shadow side and a light side:
a basement and a balcony in the words
of “CliftonStrengths” Finder. Conscious
leaders work from their strengths and
can leverage the strengths of others
to complement their own strengths.
INVEST IN PEOPLE
Restorative leaders invest in training,
as a way to motivate, inspire, retain, and
reward employees. John Pepper invests
in training for all of his employees, as
he knows that if his workers are well
trained they will be more effective and
fulfilled. All Boloco employees receive
training on life skills (including strengths
training) and, if required, English
language training.
This investment
helps employees to interact in better
ways with customers. Each worker
learns how to receive and give feedback.
At Greyston, all employees receive
access to training on job and life skills.
CREATE A SET OF VALUES
The leaders we studied lead with values.
Jim Koch, the founder of the Boston Beer
Company and the iconic brand, Sam
Adams, has created a set of values that
guides his company. Among these values
are: “we discuss the undiscussable.”
These values are used to train all new
hires and help guide the company’s work.
All of the leaders we profiled work to
create a culture based on shared values.
FEED FORWARD
Restorative leaders know how to
receive and give feedback. We prefer to
say “feed forward”. Getting and receiving
insights helps us to grow and overcome
those patterns that hold us back. These
leaders create a culture of openness
where any employee can challenge
decisions and make suggestions. When we
work from strengths, it becomes easier to
incorporate the guidance of others and to
shift future actions and responses.
Please give us feedback on who
you think is a good example of a
transformational leader. Please write to
us at [email protected] or susan@
susanvibe.com.
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Susan Leger Ferraro
Susan Leger Ferraro is social
entrepreneur and humanitarian. She
is the founder of several companies,
including ImagineThat; Peace, Love
and Real Estate; and G3, which
provides training to companies like
Boloco, South Bay, and Greyston.
susanvibe.com
Deborah Leipziger
Deborah Leipziger is an author,
consultant, lecturer, and professor.
She advises companies around the
world on social innovation, values,
human rights, and sustainability.
deborahleipziger.com
To learn more about training
programs on strengths, diversity,
and inclusion and other areas,
contact Krysta O’Neill at G3
[email protected].