In this first episode of Series 2 of the Pocket Dojo podcast, Asha is in conversation with Katherine Long, a renowned regenerative practitioner in leadership and organizational development.

Katherine shares her journey from teaching English in Japan to focusing on cross-cultural communication and coaching. She discusses the principles of living systems, the concept of regeneration, and the importance of intuition in her work.

The conversation explores healing as an ongoing process, the relational dynamics within systems, and the need for a holistic approach to change. Katherine also reflects on the impact of technology on regenerative practices and emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptation.

Katherine dives deep into the concept of regeneration and its ties to living systems principles. She and Asha explore how understanding the seasonal cycles of regeneration and degeneration can guide us in our roles within the larger context of the earth.

Katherine’s insights highlight the importance of surrendering to a sense of purpose and tuning into our natural rhythms.

The conversation also embraced the essential idea of healing as a vital approach to regenerative change.

Healing isn't a fixed destination; it's a continuous journey of integration and evolution. Katharine shared her perspective on healing as an innate capacity of living systems, including humans. She stressed the importance of partnering with this natural healing ability through core principles and a holistic approach.

'Even the most depleted soils and rivers, and even our own bodies and communities, given the right conditions, have the capacity to heal and reliably so.'

She points the way for scaling regenerative practice by noting that when we understand how to partner with the power of healing, it

Her words remind us that, with the right conditions, profound healing and change is possible and point the way for scaling regenerative practice in our organisations, communities and families.

📖 To read more of Katherine's writing, follow this link to her Substack

🔗 Connect with her here on Linked In where you can subscribe to her newsletter:

🌎 To find out more about the specifics of her work follow this link to her website

🌱 If you’d like to explore opportunities to work and learn new skills on organic farms around the world follow this link.World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms | WWOOF

In this first episode of Series 2 of the Pocket Dojo podcast, Asha is in conversation with Katherine Long, a renowned regenerative practitioner in leadership and organizational development.

Katherine shares her journey from teaching English in Japan to focusing on cross-cultural communication and coaching. She discusses the principles of living systems, the concept of regeneration, and the importance of intuition in her work.

The conversation explores healing as an ongoing process, the relational dynamics within systems, and the need for a holistic approach to change. Katherine also reflects on the impact of technology on regenerative practices and emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptation.

Katherine dives deep into the concept of regeneration and its ties to living systems principles. She and Asha explore how understanding the seasonal cycles of regeneration and degeneration can guide us in our roles within the larger context of the earth.

In series 1, Asha and I tackled several topics about leadership practice, the challenges of team working and the wider context of shifting from the idea of the need for sustainable practices in business to that of regeneration.

Woven through this was the simple idea that significant, avoidable costs erode profit where there is misalignment, miscommunication and unresolved conflict.

It was an opportunity for us to find our voices and learn the art of preparing, recording and publishing a podcast together consistently every two weeks.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to listen or watch one or more episodes.

In Series 2, the theme is ‘The Spaces In Between’. We’re going to be paying attention to gaps in our knowledge, our practices and each other in the ways we choose to lead ourselves and each other.

The difference this time around is that we are having conversations with practitioners, thinkers and artists to develop a deep and well-rounded perspective on the idea of regenerative leadership practices for individuals and teams.

All of our guests have a unique perspective to share and our initial conversations, as expected, offer unique insights.

So, consider diving in to this episode which sets the scene on Series 2. We can’t wait to bring you the first conversations from June 10th onwards.

Welcome to the final episode of Series 1. Thank you to everyone who has watched or listened to one or more episodes. We hope it's been thought-provoking and helpful to you.

In this episode: 

🔑 Key Lessons & Ideas:

Principles of Practice: We took a deep dive into the art of practice and how it's the backbone of leadership development. Remember, it's about being patient, mindful, and dedicated to your growth journey.

The Grace Framework®: The framework helps you navigate emotions and life's hurdles with more... well, grace. It can be a game-changer to accelerate the process of developing personal mastery.

Learning Through Doing: Asha, shared her insights on collective team development. It's all about action, reflection, and refinement.

Collective Leadership Assessment: We also touched on assessing leadership effectiveness, not just individually but as a cohesive unit by taking a litmus test of your team's culture. It's about the power of 'we' over 'me.'

🎙️ Special Guest Wisdom:

Finding Your Voice: Jennifer Hamady graced us with her expertise on authenticity and self-expression. She's a beacon for anyone striving to be their truest self in the workplace and beyond.

🌱 Creativity & Team Development:

Creativity in the Workplace: We discussed the hurdles to creativity and how to cultivate an environment that breathes innovation.

Frameworks for Teams: Asha brought to light how observing, exploring, and experimenting can lead to robust team leadership, especially in diverse and complex settings.

This episode is more than just a conversation; it's a toolkit for anyone ready to elevate their leadership and team dynamics. So, if you're curious about transforming your leadership practice, finding your voice, or fostering creativity where you work, tune in to this episode of the Pocket Dojo podcast. 

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📖 To read more of Asha's writing, follow this link to 🗞 https://ashasingh.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web&r=5flfv

📖 To read more of Paul's writing, follow this link to his substack at 📖 https://thepocketdojo.substack.com?utm_source=navbar&utm_medium=web&r=5flfv

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Find out about Paul's work here: 📎 https://linktr.ee/theelevatepartnership

Find out about Asha's work here: 📊 https://www.learningthroughdoing.com

We hope you enjoyed this episode. 

Thanks for listening!

Welcome to the final episode of Series 1. Thank you to everyone who has watched or listened to one or more episodes. We hope it's been thought-provoking and helpful to you.

Regenerative leadership is an approach to leadership practices that focus on creating positive, long-term impacts for both people and the planet. It’s about moving beyond simply doing less harm or minimising negative impacts to actively regenerating and restoring the systems we rely on to support how we live in future.

Put succinctly, the pursuit of sustainability is no longer sustainable.

Whilst it’s an important first step in raising awareness and beginning to change our behaviours, the planet remains on a trajectory to becoming uninhabitable.

Legacy sustainability refers to what most of us heave become familiar with and refers to mainstream practices such as footprint reduction, net zero goals and carbon offsetting. It applies to a small share of all the industries present today and there is a need to alter our course to make life on our planet possible for future generations.

Regenerative leadership practices are achievable in our modern business world, and it requires significant changes in mindset, structures, and practices. It requires us to shift from extractive to regenerative, to being willing to conserve natural resources, repairing degenerated ecosystems and rewilding to increase the planet’s capacity to reverse existing damage, renewing and revitalising the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere

Here are some reasons why regenerative leadership is achievable:

* Changing Consumer Expectations: Consumers are increasingly demanding that businesses prioritise social and environmental responsibility, and the adoption of regenerative leadership practices can help meet these expectations.

* Technological Advancements: Advances in technology, such as renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, and circular design, are helping to create new opportunities for businesses to create a positive impact (e.g. Dyson Farming in the UK)

* Competitive Advantage: Businesses that embrace regenerative leadership can and do differentiate themselves from competitors and attract customers, employees, and investors by walking their talk and looking for ways to work in harmony with our ecosystems

* Collaborative Networks: Networks of businesses, NGOs, and governments are emerging to promote regenerative practices and support businesses in their transition towards regenerative leadership.

However, there are also some challenges to implementing regenerative leadership in the modern business climate:

* Short-term Pressure: The pressure to deliver short-term profits and meet shareholder expectations is familiar and can make it difficult for businesses to prioritise long-term sustainability and regeneration.

So how might we make progress?

There are a number of things that can be done to begin your regenerative journey and arguably, how we leader ourselves and each other is perhaps the most important first step.

In this episode…

…we recap some of the essential human themes of developing leaders and teams using a regenerative lens.

🔑 Key Lessons & Ideas:

Principles of Practice:  We took a deep dive into the art of practice and how it's the backbone of leadership development. Remember, it's about being patient, mindful, and dedicated to your growth journey.

The Grace Framework®: The framework helps you navigate emotions and life's hurdles with more... well, grace. It can be a game-changer to accelerate the process of developing personal mastery.

Learning Through Doing:  Asha, shared her insights on collective team development. It's all about action, reflection, and refinement.

Collective Leadership Assessment: We also touched on assessing leadership effectiveness, not just individually but as a cohesive unit by taking a litmus test of your team's culture. It's about the power of 'we' over 'me.'

🎙️ Special Guest Wisdom:

Finding Your Voice: Jennifer Hamady graced us with her expertise on authenticity and self-expression. She's a beacon for anyone striving to be their truest self in the workplace and beyond.

🌱 Creativity & Team Development:

Creativity in the Workplace: We discussed the hurdles to creativity and how to cultivate an environment that breathes innovation.

Frameworks for Teams: Asha brought to light how observing, exploring, and experimenting can lead to robust team leadership, especially in diverse and complex settings.

This episode is more than just a conversation; it's a call to action for anyone and any business ready to elevate their approaches to developing leadership practice and nurturing team dynamics to be a positive force for good in the world.

So, if you're curious about transforming your leadership practice, finding your voice, or fostering creativity where you work, tune in to this episode of the Pocket Dojo podcast. 

In this episode, Paul and Asha, revisit the concept of regenerative leadership and its importance in today's rapidly changing world.

They discuss how martial arts principles can inform leadership, the role of technology in supporting life, and the need for leaders to reconnect with nature and integrate mind, body, and spirit.

The episode also touches on the unique challenges senior women leaders face and the potential for future discussions with experts on technology's impact on leadership.

The conversation concludes with reflections on personal change and the interplay between our inner and outer worlds.

We’re coming to the end of Series 1 of The Pocket Dojō podcast. If you’ve taken the time and trouble to download and a listen to any of the episodes, both myself and my talented co-host, Learning through doing appreciate you. Thank you.

It’s been fun to learn what it takes to put a podcast together and to find our podcast voice in the process.

In this episode (and the upcoming final two episodes) we wanted to underline and summarise the key themes and topics that are evolving and coming to the fore during these uncertain and turbulent times.

The Essence of Leadership in Today's World

Leadership is a term that's been dissected and discussed for ages, and yet it remains as elusive as ever. In 2019, Forbes magazine highlighted the staggering $366 billion spent annually on leadership development worldwide. Despite this investment, we continue to grapple with the challenges and opportunities that leadership presents.

In our conversations, we've come to understand leadership not just as a set of qualities or skills but as a dynamic process of learning and adapting in real time. The complexity and rapid pace of change in our world demand that we evolve our understanding of leadership from problem-solving to creative exploration.

Regenerative Practice: A New Paradigm

During our discussions, Asha and I delved into the concept of regeneration, which can mean different things to different people. For me, regeneration is about fostering conditions that allow life, in all its forms, to thrive. It's about people and place, evolving together over time.

We drew parallels with natural ecosystems, where species must adapt quickly to survive. This adaptability is something we must emulate in our organizations and teams, especially in the face of technological advancements like artificial intelligence.

The Role of Technology and AI

Technology, including AI, should serve as tools that enhance biological and social life rather than control it. While AI currently focuses on narrow goals, we must consider its broader impact on the systems it's meant to help. This is a topic we plan to explore further in future episodes of the Pocket Dojo podcast.

Nurturing Relationships and Learning Through Doing

One of the key insights from our podcast is the importance of nurturing relationships. We are social creatures, and even those of us who are introverted or solitary cannot exist in isolation. Our relationships shape us, and we shape them in return.

Art emphasized the value of diversity and the need to learn from people with different perspectives. Although this can be challenging, it is essential for developing resilience and adaptability.

Truth-Telling and Cultural Shifts

Another critical area we discussed is the importance of truth-telling. We must confront the illusions we hold about nature, such as the belief in unlimited economic growth on a finite planet. Addressing our fears, guilt, and shame about the past is crucial for moving forward.

A Framework for Team Development

Asha introduced a powerful framework for team development called "learning through doing," which consists of three parts: step back, go deeper, and experiment and refine. This process encourages teams to observe reality, connect the dots, and engage in deeper conversations to create a shared vision and purpose.

The Leadership Circle Collective Leadership Assessment

I shared the Leadership Circle Collective Leadership Assessment, a tool that evaluates how effectively a collective works together. Understanding the culture, language, and behaviour patterns within an organization is vital for driving change and achieving goals.

The Power of Conversation and Storytelling

Both Asha and I highlighted the significance of quality conversations and storytelling in shaping organisational culture and driving regenerative leadership.

These elements are foundational for reflecting, collaborating, and adapting to complex challenges.

Looking Ahead

As we wrap up the first series of the Pocket Dojo podcast, we're excited to share two thematic episodes in May while preparing for the second series.

We'll be featuring guests who will discuss their regenerative practices and work, offering fresh perspectives and insights.

In conclusion, the journey of leadership and regeneration is ongoing and multifaceted. It requires us to be reflective, collaborative, and adaptable.

By embracing these principles, we can navigate the complexities of our world and create conditions for success that are not just sustainable but regenerative.

Stay tuned for more discussions on the Pocket Dojo podcast, and thank you for joining us on this exploration of leadership and regeneration.

In this episode of the Pocket Dojo podcast, host Paul Crick and Asha Singh recap previous discussions on leadership, regenerative practice, and team development frameworks.

They explore the evolving concept of leadership, emphasizing the need for adaptability in the face of change and the importance of nurturing relationships and learning through doing.

Asha introduces the idea of regenerative practice as creating conditions for life to flourish and discusses the role of technology and AI as tools to support this goal. They also touch on the need for honesty and confronting uncomfortable truths about resource consumption and societal issues.

The episode concludes with a practical framework for team development, focusing on observation, dialogue, and experimentation.

The upcoming podcast series - Series 2 - promises to delve deeper into regenerative practices with expert guests.

In this Pocket Dojo podcast episode, hosts Paul Crick and Asha Singh delve into frameworks for team development. Paul introduces the "Leadership Circle Collective Leadership Assessment," a data-driven tool used in senior leadership teams, while Asha presents "Learning Through Doing," a three-part process for collective team growth.

They discuss the significance of trust and peer feedback, with Paul sharing the Naikan process. The episode touches on various frameworks for different team challenges and concludes with a preview of the next series, focusing on the interplay between individuals and teams. The conversation highlights the value of frameworks in fostering team dynamics and driving organizational change.