Conscious Leadership, a Reciprocal Connected Practice. A Qualitative Study on Postsecondary Education

Conscious leadership is grounded in the sociocultural knowledge of reciprocity, which allows leaders to perceive patterns in the environment, see the interconnectivity of multiple problems, and subscribe to a participatory leadership style, which incorporates the idea of shared responsibility and problem solving. This research provides evidence which supports the idea that being conscious is one of the most authentic skills needed for an accountable and responsible leadership practice. Eight postsecondary educational administrators were selected to participate in a qualitative research design. First, the participants took the Consciousness Quotient Inventory. Second research step included in-depth semi-structured interview with all the participants. The interview questions consist of 35 items, including various aspects of the conscious leadership practices. Results suggests that participants practiced aspects of what is being termed conscious leadership. Overall, leaders demonstrated an awareness of: (a) a social systems orientation or approach to leading; (b) recognized patterns and themes which informed their work environment; and (c) noted the benefits of a shared or participatory leadership practice. These findings provide valuable insight into actual conscious leadership practices and offers direction for developing future conscious leaders in postsecondary education.