Running head: OGL 365 LEADERSHIP STYLES (WITH A MEDITATION ON THE TAO)

OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao)

Rachael E. Lohnes

Arizona State University

Author Note

Rachael E. Lohnes is an Organizational Leadership major studying at Arizona State University.

Contact: rlohnes@asu.edu
OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 2

Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao)

The following contains an analysis of various leadership paradigms discussed in Frederic

Laloux’s “Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next

Stage of Human Consciousness”. Paradigms include Impulsive-Red with a focus on Adolf Hitler

and fear-based leadership, Conformist-Amber with a focus on Warren Steed Jeffs and rule-

based leadership, Achievement-Orange with a focus on Sidney Toledano and heroic-based

leadership, Pluralistic-Green with a focus on Kevin Johnson and servant leadership, and finally

Evolutionary-Teal organizations. Concepts from “The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching

Adapted for a New Age” by John Heider will also be used in discussion and analysis of

Evolutionary-Teal practices and organizations.

PART ONE: LEADERSHIP STYLES

IMPULSIVE - RED: ADOLF HITLER AND FEAR-BASED LEADERSHIP

The emergence of Impulsive-Red leadership styles began around 10,000 years ago

(Laloux, Location 543). Per Laloux, Impulsive-Red leadership is very much power based and ego

driven. “One is largely unaware of other people’s feelings… this impulsiveness can extend

somewhat into the future with simple strategies using power, manipulation, or submission.”

(Laloux, Location 551). Impulsive-Red leadership is said to be suitable for hostile environments

such as combat zones, wars, and prisons (Laloux, Location 559).

Infamous Nazi leader Adolf Hitler is a prime example of an Impulsive-Red leader.

Hitler’s leadership of Nazi’s during World War II is the first thing that comes to my mind when I

think of Impulsive-Red (Fear-Based) Leadership. Hitler was known to be extremely impulsive.

As stated in the Encyclopedia Britannica, from early on in his career Hitler’s personal ambition
OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 3

was known to cause friction with fellow leaders in the Nazi party. “In July 1921 he became their

leader with almost unlimited powers.” (Lukacs, 2019). Throughout his rise to power, Hitler

demonstrated Impulsive-Red leadership. Strongly valuing his ego and beliefs that not all races

were created equally, Hitler was a leader who demonstrated an obvious lack of awareness for

other people’s feelings.

“While Red Organizations can be extremely powerful, they are inherently fragile, due to

the impulsive nature of people’s way of operating (I want it so I take it)” (Laloux, Location 573).

Hitler is the perfect example of Impulsive- Red leadership because “Anti-Semitism became

Hitler’s deepest and strongest conviction” which drove him to lead the Nazi’s eradicate a large

percentage of the Jewish population during World War II (Lukacs, 2019). Hitler made use of the

Impulsive-Red leadership style by use of power, manipulation, and large scale displays of

cruelty.

CONFORMIST - AMBER: WARREN STEED JEFFS AND RULE-BASED LEADERSHIP

Conformist-Amber leadership is most prevalent in civilizations, institutions, and

organized religions (Laloux, Location 582). Evolving past Impulsive-Red, in Conformist-Amber

there is a deeper consciousness and awareness of people’s feelings and perceptions (Laloux,

Location 591). “People internalize the rules and morality and feel guilt and shame when they

go astray. Authority to define what is right and wrong is now linked to a role, rather than to a

powerful personality.” (Laloux, Location 607). Overall, Conformist-Amber organizations thrive

on predictability and order as followers are encouraged to stick to the rules.

Warren Jeffs, former leader of the polygamist Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) is an example of a leader of a Conformist-Amber organization. Under

OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 4

Warren Jeffs’ leadership, members of the FLDS were expected to follow strict rules. These rules

impacted every aspect of daily life. Rules included no television or internet, specific dress codes,

and even rules regarding arranged marriages (Warren Jeffs, 2019). I chose to examine Warren

Jeffs as an example of a Conformist-Amber leader after viewing several episodes of the show

“Escaping Polygamy”. Watching “Escaping Polygamy” lead me to do further research into

Warren Jeffs and the FLDS.

“The way Amber Organizations try to restore trust is through control- creating

procedures that people across silos have to abide by.” (Laloux, Location 689). Warren Jeffs

exercises leadership through complete controls of his followers. In typical Conformist-Amber

fashion, Jeffs was born into power. Gaining leadership of the FLDS from his father after his

passing, Jeffs was seen to be a Prophet. Laloux states that from birth everything is mapped out

for you in a Conformist-Amber organization, this includes everything from how you behave,

think, dress, eat, and even who you marry (Laloux, Location 612). This holds true for members

of the FLDS. While Warren Jeffs is currently in prison, he is still the leader and president of the

Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Warren Jeffs, 2019).

ACHIEVEMENT - ORANGE: SIDNEY TOLEDANO AND HEROIC-BASED LEADERSHIP

Moving onto a leadership style that is less controlling we examine Achievement-Orange.

Achievement-Orange organizations make sues of hierarchy’s. “Managers and employees are

given room to exercise their creativity and talent and the latitude to figure out how they want

to reach their objectives, which can make work considerably more interesting.” (Laloux,

Location 775). Driven by material success, processes that are vital to Achievement-Orange

organizations include strategic planning, yearly budgeting cycles, and key performance
OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 5

indicators (Laloux, Location 770). Shadows of Achievement-Orange Organizations include

“innovation gone mad”. “With most of our basic needs taken care of, businesses increasingly

try to create needs, fueling the illusion that more stuff we really don’t need- more possessions,

the latest fashion, a more youthful body- will make us happy and whole.” (Laloux, Location

828).

Sidney Toledano is the current CEO of LVMH Fashion Group as well as Vice President,

Managing Director and Board member of the high fashion brand Christian Dior (LVMH). LVMH

Fashion Group and Christian Dior are Achievement-Orange organizations as they create a

consumer need for possessions. As the appeal of nostalgia plays a role in consumerism today,

the early 2000s Saddle Bag from Dior is currently one of the most sought after designer bags.

Ranging from $2,350- $8,500, brand representative Maria Grazia Chiuri says “I consider this

icon of the house’s recent history the perfect accessory to deal with the battle that is daily life.

Indeed, the saddle bag is a bag that is worn in exactly the same way as a shirt or jacket, and it’s

so comfortable to wear with its long strap that you almost forget it’s there” (Fisher, 2019).

High fashion items such as the Dior Saddle Bag are what help to classify organizations

such as the LVMH Fashion Group and Christian Dior to be Achievement-Orange organizations,

as they embrace a culture that values possessions and consumerism. Sidney Toledano is an

Achievement-Orange leader of one of the largest global corporations of the material world.

PLURALISTIC - GREEN: KEVIN JOHNSON AND SERVANT LEADERSHIP

“In Orange Organizations, strategy and execution are king. In Green Organizations, the

company culture is paramount.” (Laloux, Location 923). Shifting from the divided perspectives

of preceding leadership styles, Pluralistic-Green organizations value equality, fieriness,

OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 6

harmony, community, cooperation, and consensus (Laloux, Location 847). With a focus on

equality and empowerment, Pluralistic-Green organizations use servant leadership and invest in

their people. “To make it work, companies have found that they needed to very clearly spell

out the kind of Green leadership that they expect from people in senior and middle

management” (Laloux, Location 902). Leaders in Pluralistic-Green Organizations should listen

to their subordinates, empower them, motivate them, and develop them (Laloux, 903).

Speaking from personal experience, Starbucks and CEO Kevin Johnson are perfect

examples of current day Pluralistic-Green leadership. Starbucks places a great value in their

employees, whom they refer to as Starbucks Partners. “With our partners, our coffee and our

customers at our core, we life these values: Creating a culture of warmth and belonging, where

everyone is welcome. Acting with courage, challenging the status quo and finding new ways to

grow our company and each other. Being present, connecting with transparency, dignity and

respect. Delivering our very best in all we do, holding ourselves accountable for results. We are

performance driven, through the lens of humanity.” (Starbucks Coffee Company, 2019).

Starbucks’ values clearly exhibit characteristics of Pluralistic-Green organizations that

Laloux focuses on. “Leadership genuinely plays by shared values, you encounter incredibly

vibrant cultures in which employees feel appreciated and empowered to contribute” (Laloux,

Location 916).

PART TWO: REFLECTION ON THE TAO AND TEAL LEADERSHIP

THE TAO AND TEAL LEADERSHIP

Tao Te Ching means the book of how things happen or work (Heider, 2015,

Introduction). With a focus on natural law (how things happen), a way of life (or how to life in
OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 7

conscious harmony with natural law), and a method of leadership (or how to govern or educate

others in accordance with natural law) the concepts of Tao Te Ching closely parallel the

concepts of Evolutionary-Teal organizations and leadership.

9. A GOOD GROUP

“The wise leader settles for good work and then lets others have the floor. The leader

does not take all the credit for what happens and has no need for fame. A moderate ego

demonstrates wisdom.” (Heider, 2015, page 17). The Tao concept of a good group relates back

to Evolutionary-Teal role-modeling. Leaders in Evolutionary-Teal shape their organization. A

leader who practices role-modeling self-management, wholeness, and listening to purpose is

key to the success of an Evolutionary-Teal organization. As a leader, you are setting the tone

for everyone else within the organization. By role-modeling self-management, wholeness, and

listening to purpose an Evolutionary-Teal leader is embracing the concepts of Tao while

strengthening fellow members of their organization.

14. KNOWING WHAT IS HAPPENING

“Relax and look gently with your inner eye… become silent inside and listen to your

deepest self… The present is more available than either memories of the past or fantasies of

the future.” (Heider, 2015, page 27). This concept of Tao reminds me of sensing in

Evolutionary-Teal organizations. “We are all natural sensors; we are gifted to notice when

something isn’t working as well as it could or when a new opportunity opens up” (Laloux,

Location 4280). The importance in sensing what is happening in Evolutionary-Teal

organizations comes from the understanding that we cannot plan innovation or changes in the

environment. By sensing we are taking things as they come and truly understanding what is
OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 8

happening, as Tao suggests. “Stand back for a moment and be calm. When a person is calm,

complex events appear simple.” (Heider, 2015, page 27).

19. SELF - IMPROVEMENT

“No teacher can make you be happy, prosperous, healthy, or powerful. No rules or

techniques can enforce these qualities.” (Heider, 2015, page 37). Self-management can play a

huge role in self-improvement. A few of the biggest aspects of self-management include trust,

decision-making, responsibility, and accountability (Laloux, Location 4820). Self-management

directly correlates with self-improvement. Having a set organizational standard and being able

to hold yourself to that standard and be accountable for the contributions you make to the

organization is a large part of what Evolutionary-Teal organizations are all about. “If you wish

to improve yourself, try silence or some other cleansing discipline that will gradually show you

your true selfless self” (Heider, 2015, page 37).

A PERSONAL RELFECTION ON TEAL LEADERSHIP

All things considered, I feel that there are endless benefits to incorporating Tao and

Evolutionary-Teal aspects into my personal leadership style. Reading “Reinventing

Organizations” truly changed my perspective on leadership. Evolutionary-Teal organizations

work in a way that I have always dreamed organizations can work, but never realized it was

achievable. I believe that the three major breakthroughs (self-management, wholeness, and

evolutionary purpose) of Evolutionary-Teal organizations will help us to evolve as individuals

and as a society.

Self-management promotes a type of independence that I feel is not currently

encouraged in our society. By practicing self-management, I do believe that it allows a certain

OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 9

type of freedom that allows an individual to find their own inner motivation and purpose while

growing as an employee, student, or person. Self-management leads to a sense of wholeness

and one discovering their own evolutionary purpose. When you take away hierarchy, a need

for consensus, and the competition that comes from job titles with a strict set of responsibilities

individuals can embrace their inner wholeness and come to work feeling they can be their true

selves.

Currently in our society I feel that people choose their jobs based on what it can provide

them with. A six-figure salary? Top of the line health insurance? Several weeks of paid

vacation? Because of the way many organizations are currently set up, an evolutionary purpose

is left completely out of the picture. Embracing Evolutionary-Teal practices allows members to

position themselves where they feel they fit while also controlling how the organization runs

and what it can and will become.

While there are many benefits of Evolutionary-Teal leadership, I can only see one true

downfall. The downfall of Evolutionary-Teal leadership and organizations is the fact that it only

works if every member is on board and participate in Evolutionary-Teal practices. If members

go against Evolutionary-Teal practices, then either these practices will fail in the organization or

the members must leave the organization.

After learning all about Evolutionary-Teal organizations I cannot wait to incorporate

these practices into my personal style. I hope that as these practices grow and become more

widely accepted there will be more organizations that embrace the practices, structures, and

overall culture of Evolutionary-Teal organizations. Evolutionary-Teal aspects will not only

strengthen and help organizations and individuals evolve, it will help to promote sustainability
OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 10

and a consciousness for the way we treat our earth. As the Evolutionary-Teal perspective

continues to emerge, I look forward to seeing the impact it makes on our society.
OGL 365 Leadership Styles (With a Meditation on the Tao) 11

REFERENCES

Fisher, L. A. (2018, July 19). Your Early 2000s Dream Bag Is Officially Back and Available To Shop

Again. Retrieved December 4, 2019, from https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/tren

ds/a22466347/dior-saddle-bag-fall-2018-collection/.

Heider, J. (2015). The Tao of leadership: Lao Tzus Tao te ching adapted for a new age. Green

Dragon Books.

Laloux, Frédéric. Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the

Next Stage of Human Consciousness . Nelson Parker. Kindle Edition.

Lukacs, J., & Knapp, W. F. (2019, November 29). Rise To Power. Retrieved December 4, 2019,

from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adolf-Hitler/Rise-to-power.

LVMH. (n.d.). Sidney Toledano, Chairman and CEO of LVMH Fashion Group. Retrieved

December 4, 2019, from https://www.lvmh.com/group/about-lvmh/governance/execut

ive-committee/sidney-toledano-chairman-and-ceo-of-lvmh-fashion-group/.

Starbucks Coffee Company. (2019). Mission Statement. Retrieved December 4, 2019, from

https://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/mission-statement.

Warren Jeffs. (2019, April 16). Retrieved December 4, 2019, from https://www.biography.com/

crime- figure/warren-jeffs.