Shakti Leadership: Embracing Feminine and Masculine Power in Business

Summary

The current model of leadership isn't working for the planet because business has diminished values and outlooks that are traditionally thought of as feminine. Seeking to reclaim feminine power and restore balance for both women and men, this book charts a new path based on timeless Indian wisdom. Our current one-sided notion of a leader's power is a root cause of a host of contemporary problems, including social breakdown, environmental degradation, an epidemic of depression, and corruption in business and government. Whether we are male or female, we have been trained to value leadership qualities that are traditionally thought of as masculine: hierarchical, individualistic, militaristic. Reaching into ancient spiritual and mythical teachings, the authors revive a feminine archetype of leadership: generative, cooperative, creative, empathetic. In the Indian yogic tradition, these qualities are associated with Shakti, the source of creation, sustenance and transformation that powers the cycle of life.  Bhat and Sisodia seek to restore a long-lost balance, for men and women alike, of masculine and feminine energies. All leaders should learn to value and understand "Shakti Leadership," meaning acting from a consciousness of life-giving creativity and sustainability to achieve self-mastery and be of selfless service. When leaders of both sexes learn to embrace this mindset, we can restore sanity, elevate humanity and heal the planet by evolving consciously together.