Location. Location. Location.

Conscious Leadership Group

• Find them at: www.conscious.is

Animation by

• Graeme Franks
• Website: www.Graemefranks.com

Core Question

• "Where am I?"

The Tool: The Line

• Description: A simple black line
• At any moment, leaders and people are either above or below the line

Above the Line

• Attitude: Open, curious, committed to learning
• Beliefs:
  • Learning and growing > being right
  • People and circumstances are allies for growth
  • From a distance, almost everything is funny
• Behaviors:
  • Live in curiosity
  • Listen deeply
  • Speak unarguably
  • Question all beliefs
  • Live a life of play

Below the Line

• Attitude: Closed, defensive, committed to being right
• Beliefs:
  • Scarcity mindset: not enough money, time, space, energy, love
  • Story about the situation is right
  • Perception of threat to approval, control, or security
  • Situation seen as serious
• Behaviors:
  • Clinging to opinions
  • Fault-finding and blame
  • Gossiping
  • Explaining, rationalizing, and justifying
  • Getting overwhelmed
  • Avoiding or pursuing conflict to win

The Brain and Survival Mode

• Hardwiring: The brain is programmed to perceive threats and react defensively
• Chemical reaction: Threats trigger a "chemical cocktail" leading below the line behavior
• Evolution: This reaction helped survive physical threats but...
• Modern Issue: Brain often can't distinguish between physical threats and threats to ego/identity

Impact on Leaders

• Below the line = Not in a brain state for creativity, collaboration, innovation, relational connection
• Survival mode vs. thriving mode

Key Leadership Practice

• Location. Location. Location.: Regularly ask "Where am I?"
• Being truthful about current location starts essential conversations about conscious leadership