Is leadership conscious when it leads by example?

Something happened this week that highlights what I believe conscious leadership is.

I remember a conversation with Brendan Norris (co-administrator) about 5 years ago regarding his interest in sustainability and renewable energy. He tired of the debate that it was impractical and ‘pollyannaish’ to want to live more sustainability and said ‘The only way to show people this isn’t true is to ‘walk the walk” That conversation resulted in him heading to New Zealand and building a house powered by solar and hydro-electric whilst running two businesses powered by satellite internet. He purchased and had installed a biolytix sanitation system, doing away with the need for a septic tank and using worms to process waste with little impact on the environment. He didn’t know at the time but he had installed the first biolytix system for domestic use in NZ AND the first ever biolytix system powered by solar!

Many people have marvelled at Brendan’s ingenuity and vision to demonstrate that it is possible to live comfortably and creatively with minimal negative impact on the physical environment. He showed ‘by example’ that is it not only possible to do what he has done but desirable and cost effective.

This week he received a ‘thank you’ and accolade by the Australian manufacturers of Biolytix Systems. They said that in two years they had gone on to instal another 410 systems, thanking him saying ‘Look at what you’ve started!’

I believe his behaviour – fuelled by his values and determination – demonstrate an aspect of conscious leadership. Leadership is not about saying ‘this is the way follow me’ or cajouling people into the rightness of our own choices but rather, acting on our values and intentions and offering people the choice of another way of being. 410 households have followed his example in a short time – I guess that if he had tried rhetoric and sound argument to change their behaviour, he would still be appealing to them. By example, he has made this possibility one which people now desire to make real in their own lives!

What are your thoughts?