Podcasts
Here are some podcasts that add dimension to the conversation about The Merlin Advantage and Integral Process Leadership.
1) A return trip to GroundWork Leadership Institute for another in depth and enriching conversation with Chris Pineda.
2) A great visit with Chris Pineda from Groundwork Leadership Institute - an epicenter for transformative leadership development and community action.
3) One from way back with my brother Zach who runs VUVIVO, a faith-based, non-profit with a uniquely aligned mission to re-enchant reality and elevate human flourishing.
What's with the Wizard?
The IPL wizard icon honors the imaginative roots of the IPL system described in the book The Merlin Advantage: Re-Discovering the Power of Collaborative Leadership. Throughout human history, shamans, priests, and wizards worked alongside chiefs, kings, CEO's, and presidents to navigate complexity, chaos, and risk. But, because no one really knew what these "lanes" were about, there were lots of problems - and there still are. This is where IPL comes in. With a new lens on neuroscience, psychology, personality theory, and leadership best practices, IPL rebalances- or even re-enchants - modern systems of work and governance.
Using wizard imagery can feel a bit unserious to people who operate with a left brain preference (which is most people in business or organizational leadership today). In reality, though, the symbolism of the The Merlin Advantage and Integral Process Leadership is grounded in neuropsychological truths behind centuries, if not millennia, of organizational behavior. These insights are often portrayed in literary and movie character juxtapositions like Merlin and King Arthur or Gandalf and Aragorn. While these portrayals can feel like fantasy, they are actually reflections of very surprising and powerful realities.
Perhaps most intriguing, these wizards are not extinct or irrelevant. They don't dress like Gandalf, usually don't have long white beards, and are not always men. But, they are out there and they are the secret sauce behind high performance and human flourishing.
Recommended Reading
Important background and context for Integral Process Leadership
The Master and His Emissary - Iain McGilchrist. 2009. Explore the stunning implications of left and right brain influences in the evolution of civilization and culture.
The Neuroscience of Personality - Dario Nardi. 2011. This book introduces the basics of the 16 Myers-Briggs types, four temperaments, and eight Jungian cognitive processes using compelling insights drawn from Nardi's brain research lab.
The Fearless Organization - Amy C. Edmonson. 2018. This book explores the vital concept of psychological safety, and provides a blueprint for making it reality. Succinct and informative scenario-based explanations provide a clear path forward to a culture where it’s “safe” to express ideas, ask questions, and admit mistakes.
The End of Management - Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith. 2002. A critical look at traditional management systems and structures and a deep dive on more effective collaborative approaches.
Both hemispheres are needed at full expression for high performance and human flourishing.
