What is a Conscious Business Leader?
Labeling yourself as “conscious” nowadays seems to be the new, trendy, “woke” thing to do. But what exactly does it mean? I’ve seen several different definitions floating around and even seen those who call themselves by this title not really having their actions match their words.
::cringe::
I want to be very clear on what a conscious business owner means to me and those that I choose to align myself with in a working/business relationship, as my desire is to be totally transparent in all that I’m doing.
Consciousness Defined…
Per Merriam-Webster:
Conscious (adj) -
*perceiving, apprehending, or noticing with a degree of controlled thought or observation
*personally felt
*a:likely to notice, consider, or appraise
b: being concerned or interested
c: marked by strong feelings or notions
*done or acting with critical awareness
Further Definitions:
*apprehend - grasp with understanding; recognize the meaning of
*critical - crucial, decisive
Based on this definition, a conscious business leader is one who recognizes, understands, has strong feelings for, and takes action with critical awareness of something. (yes, I realize I’ve combined all of the above possible definitions together, but they all play out in certain ways imo).
What are we “conscious” of?
Inequity. Racism. Injustice. Etc.
Not only are we conscious of these things, but through that consciousness we are TAKING ACTION.
Signs of a Conscious Business Leader…
What are some signs of a conscious business leader?
-committed to anti-racism
-committed to speaking out against injustice and inequity
-committed to giving a voice to those who are marginalized
-committed to a business model that is centered around the betterment of ALL not just the betterment for ONE
-takes personal responsibility for their actions + decisions
-open to inner-reflection and changing + shifting when needed
-committed to learning, growing, and expanding...even when it’s uncomfortable
A Conscious Business Leader is one who is + has:
Ethical
Honest
Open Communication
Takes Personal Responsibility
Inclusive
Respectful
Anti-Racist
True Ally
This obviously isn’t an exhaustive list. I’ve added to it considerably the more learning and growing I personally do. Please let me know what you would add ♡
Conscious Business Leaders are NOT…
I do want to make a note of some of the things conscious business leaders are NOT as this was once a circle I ran in for quite some time, ignorantly unaware of the harm that I was causing to others:
Conscious ≠ white wokeness or spirituality
Conscious ≠ spiritual bypassing
Conscious ≠ claiming to be in 5D and “unbothered” by 3D
Conscious ≠ high vibes only
I don’t share these things to stand in judgment or call anyone out by name. I feel it’s important to identify that these above things are literally harmful to others, and that actions must be taken to shift into behaviors and actions that will benefit ALL.
Moving Forward…
Conscious business owners aren’t perfect; we’re doing the inner work and fucking up at the same time as we try our best to integrate what we’re learning. We’re dismantling white supremacy and speaking out against injustices. We’re far from perfect, and those who expect perfection or look down in judgement are not themselves doing the work.
The work is never over. Ever.
It’s exhausting and frustrating and infuriating and heartbreaking.
But one that white folks especially need to prioritize and commit to each and every single day.
Again, I’m not an expert in this and I continue to grow and learn myself each and every single day. I am committed to the inner work and to aligning myself with those who choose to do the inner work as well. There’s no outward change without inward change, and it all begins within each of us.
I’m planning a podcast episode to dive more deeply into this topic in a future season. In the meantime, I would love to hear your thoughts on this and what being a Conscious Business Leader means to you.
As always, sending lots of love,
