Let’s normalize conscious leadership

Not just for those at the top, leadership is for everyone

Bevin Niemann-Cortez
4 min readMay 27, 2021

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If you asked most people to describe what a leader looks like, you might receive answers like:

  • the CEO of a large corporation
  • a high position in a country’s government
  • a 30 to 40-something, white, cisgender male
  • authoritative, controlling and has all the answers
  • lone wolf, disconnected from their team
  • someone with many followers or admirers
  • wealthy, influential, powerful
  • driven, hustles and pushes others

There’ve been amazing leaders throughout history, as well as incredibly dysfunctional and destructive personalities. No leader is perfect, nor should they have to live up to unrealistic expectations. However, there are crucial differences between power hungry leaders and those who use their position in the community to uplift and empower everyone else.

We’re acculturated to believe only a few people can attain a leadership role. You must climb an invisible ladder, stepping on others to get ahead. Your title is a status symbol and how much money you have in your bank account demonstrates worthiness. More is better, sometimes to the tune of billions of dollars.

The question is, who pays for a small number of ‘special’ people to become successful? Usually hundreds, thousands or even millions of everyday folks through sweat, pain and sacrificing their mental, emotional, physical, and financial well-being.

This is the leadership system we currently participate in, at our species’ current level of evolution. Crude and unequitable.

However, that old-school philosophy is being challenged every day. A multitude of voices are speaking out — no more! It’s no longer acceptable to perpetuate a system that rewards a privileged few, while leaving everyone else behind. Highly sensitive people are many of those rising voices.

We know there’s a better way to structure our societies and we’re not willing to sit by and be silent about injustices. Empaths are role-modeling new ways of being, living and serving.

What if we redefined a leadership as:

  • a person with a heart for service
  • applies their gifts towards individual and collective solutions
  • walks the talk, to the best of their ability
  • a deep listener who honors everyone’s voices
  • views everyone’s contributions as equally valuable
  • asks probing questions when the path is unclear
  • is fine with not being the smartest person in the room
  • collaborates rather than competes
  • shares resources openly
  • transparent and honest, especially about mistakes
  • makes the well-being of people and our planet their top priorities
  • able to chuckle at their own fallacies
  • honors our rainbow of diversity in word and deed
  • shows genuine appreciation for others
  • understands that one succeeds unless everyone succeeds

Most people have never experienced conscious leadership. Never had a role-model, publicly or privately, who committed to applying higher principles in their everyday lives. This is what we, and so many others across our planet, are striving to change.

One conscious interaction, blog post, book, mentoring session, podcast episode and election campaign at a time.

Embodying conscious leadership might feel like pressure; you must become something you’re not. You have to push yourself to be out in the world, compete within the current system. I disagree. Sensitive people are innate leaders. We’re adept at reading the room, knowing just what needs to be said and when. We understand when to be a listening ear and when to share our wisdom. We truly care about leaving a brighter future for next generations.

To stand solidly in your conscious, sensitive leadership requires courage. You’ll likely face skepticism or negative comments from those who say you’re naive, unrealistic or a dreamer. Let them critique, what they believe doesn’t define you. Our world needs dreamers who take action to bring their visions into form.

What’s inside you, other people need to hear. It only takes one spark to light the fire of consciousness. One kind word, one empathetic choice to shift the energy. My perceptive friends, this is why we came here.

We’re the change-makers, compassionate guides holding the light high as we enter a new era of human awareness, equity, love and empathy.

For too long, sensitive people contracted our energy and watched from the sidelines. We held legitimate fears of being trampled in the rush to the top.

But things are changing. We’re experiencing the largest mass awakening ever on our planet. Wherever you are, we feel your Divine spark, helping and serving. The time is ripe. There are millions of visionaries, empathic souls stepping in and owning their leadership abilities.

Let us unite in resonance, create a support system for each other.

Please know, what you’re contributing has an immense impact, regardless of how small a single conversation or choice point might seem.

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Bevin Niemann-Cortez

Social-Emotional Healer | Sacred Space Designer | Budding Herbalist