Conscious Leadership: Leading with Intention

How Women Can Practice

Conscious Leadership Every Day

Hello and welcome to the first installment of our new blog series on cultivating personal leadership mindsets. This series is for every woman, regardless of her role—whether you are a founder, a CEO, a frontline team member, or currently navigating your career path. Our goal is to give you tools to help you thrive at work by developing your own inner leader. 

Today, we'll explore Conscious Leadership, a mindset that is about leading with intention and self-awareness. 

1. What is Conscious Leadership? 

Conscious leadership is about being deeply aware of our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, and how they influence our actions and impact others. It’s a way of leading that starts from within, focusing on self-awareness and integrity. 

The AMOC report defines Conscious Leadership as being "deeply connected with who you are and what is truly important to you" and "demonstrating a heightened awareness of how your behaviour impacts others". 

In our daily lives, this can look like: 

• Checking in with yourself: Before reacting to a challenging situation at work, you take a moment to understand your own emotions. 

• Considering your impact: You are mindful of how your words or actions might be received by a colleague or a client. 

• Aligning actions with values: You ensure your daily decisions, big or small, are in sync with your personal values, such as integrity or empathy. 

2. Why Does it Matter? 

For women, conscious leadership is not just a strength—it is a superpower. It helps us navigate the complexities of our professional and personal lives by creating a foundation of authenticity and resilience. By leading consciously, you can foster a sense of trust and psychological safety in any environment. 

This mindset allows you to: 

• Navigate with clarity: When you understand your own biases and motivations, you can make more ethical and fair decisions, grounded in integrity. 

• Build stronger connections: Leading with empathy and transparency builds trust and fosters an environment where others feel safe and supported. 

• Find your unique voice: Conscious leadership encourages you to tap into your "feminine leadership strengths" like empathy, intuition, and collaboration, allowing you to lead in a way that is authentic to you. 

3. How to Develop Your Conscious Leadership 

Conscious leadership is not a destination; it's a daily practice. Here are a few things you can do to cultivate this mindset: 

• Develop self-awareness: This is the foundation of conscious leadership. Start a journaling practice, reflect on your day, or try mindfulness meditation to better understand your thoughts, emotions, and motivations. 

• Practice intentionality: Before starting a project or a difficult conversation, set a clear intention. Ask yourself, "What is my goal here, and how can I achieve it in a way that aligns with my values?" 

• Listen more, talk less: Conscious leaders listen with the intent to understand, not just to respond. This simple shift can transform your interactions and help you gain a more complete view of any situation. 

• Embrace vulnerability: Admitting you don't have all the answers or sharing a learning moment from a mistake is a sign of strength, not weakness. It builds trust and encourages a culture of learning and growth. 

• View challenges as allies: Instead of seeing people or situations as obstacles, try viewing them as opportunities to learn and grow. This reframes your perspective and helps you find solutions rather than getting stuck in blame. 

4. Resources for Your Journey 

If you want to dive deeper into this topic, here are a few recommended resources: 

• Dare to Lead by Brené Brown: This book explores the importance of vulnerability, courage, and empathy in effective leadership. 

• The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman: This book investigates why women often lack confidence and provides strategies to boost it, an essential component of conscious leadership. 

• Conscious Leadership: A Journey from Ego to Genius by John Mackey and Steve McIntosh: This book, while not specifically for women, provides a powerful framework for personal growth in leadership. 

This is the first of many blogs on developing your personal leadership. Our aim is to help women build confidence, emotional intelligence, and resilience for a more fulfilling work life. We know this journey isn't easy, but we are here to help.

How We Can Help 

At WOOT, we believe in equipping you—the individual—to resolve the problem, challenge, or opportunity in front of you. We’re here to help you make a difference in your own world, starting with what’s within your circle of control. 

While our research aims to inform long-term solutions and drive systemic change, we know that changing the system will take time. That’s why we’re focused on creating a movement within each of us—empowering women to take action, build resilience, and thrive right now. 

Here’s how you can take the first step: 

• Book a 1:1 Session: Get personalised advice and support tailored to your specific situation. 

• Sign Up for a Workshop: Join our heavily discounted workshops on topics like confidence building, leadership, and more. 

• Join Our Research Project: Share your story and help us shape the future for women in the workplace. 

• Check out our shop: for other resources that might help and our podcasts for other women's stories. 

You Don’t Have to Face This Alone 

Ready to take control of your financial future? Click here to explore how we can help you.  With empowered action, The Women of Our Time Team 

P.S. Know someone who could use a confidence boost with their money? Share this blog post with them. Let’s lift each other up and create a brighter future together.