Radical transformation leadership program for B.VOC team and Family members 

~ Poovizhi, Durai, Sribhavani

On February 18th, from 8:45 AM to 5:30 PM, C3stemland organized a radical transformation leadership program in Tamil at Auroville SAIIER conference hall. It was a one day program in Tamil, facilitated by Srilatha Juva, Professor at TISS. B.VOC students and teachers, SAIIER staffs, employees, volunteers and their family members were invited for the program.

Radical transformation leadership is an approach developed by Dr. Monica Sharma, who worked for the United Nations for 22 years as director of Leadership and Capacity Development. It is based on universal values of dignity, compassion, fairness, and equity. It enables people to shift from ego-systems thinking (what benefits me) to eco-systems thinking (what benefits all)

The primary objective of the program was to help participants identify their stand,fear, four profiles and gain a deeper understanding of their background conversations, system principles, and design from universal values. By participating in these sessions, participants were able to develop a new project that addressed their problem statement, focusing on self-growth or social issues, and using their potential to bring about positive change in themselves and their communities.

Around 55 people took part of the program. Throughout the program, participants collaborated with their partners, shared their reflections and insights, and engaged in a collective effort to create a better future.

The program was an interactive session with everyone and involved practicing the tools such as:

• Introducing oneself with what one deeply cares about or universal values that reflects one’s purpose and vision
• Identifying one’s own profile based on four dimensions: wisdom, social, personality, and professional
• Understanding one’s own background conversations within the family and how they influence one’s actions and choices
• Deriving system principles  based on universal values
• Designing projects based on universal values and system principles, noticing system and cultural norms, and shifting them by being in action

Throughout the session, everyone engaged with their partners and shared their reflections and insights on plenary.

Some of the insights from participants during the session were:

• I realized that I have been limiting myself by my own beliefs and fears
• I learned how to communicate effectively with others without being judgmental or defensive
• I discovered my passion for environmental sustainability and how I can contribute to it through my project
• I felt more confident and empowered to take action for my goals

Poovizhi

Organizing the program was an opportunity for me to stretch beyond my comfort zone and be in rigor. At the end of the session, I felt whole and fulfilled. I was able to ask for support from my team. I was able to notice my fear, my background conversations and that I judge myself  when I shared my personal example with everyone specially because most of the participants were from local area and were people I or my family members know. I was able to name my fear and be in my universal values and share.

Sribhavani

I was inspired by the participant through their insights. I saw this as an opportunity to remind myself to notice my fears and let them go by acting from my universal values. I was able to notice, what can I do differently and able to discern others perspective of thinking.