Learning to Lead From the Inside Out, a Step-by-Step Approach to Transforming Leaders

BY Stephanie Reed | October 30, 2024

Hans-Werner Kaas, co-author of The Journey of Leadership, believes today’s leaders must become more vulnerable, self-aware, and humanist. Kaas has helped guide more than 500 CEOs internationally to achieve authentic self-development and actualize their professional goals of running successful organizations as the co-dean of McKinsey & Company’s CEO leadership program “The Bower Forum.”

The Inside Out methodology used in the program equally upholds personal and professional integrity. This methodology upholds self-awareness as evolved and palpable leadership resulting in a more engaging and ethical company culture and sustainable organizational success.

In a thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s September virtual conference, Kaas emphasized that adapting to today’s climate calls for collaborative and human-centered strategies.

Our society has evolved past the outdated notions that one person, the tunnel-visioned “imperial CEO,” has all the answers or will be the smartest in the room, Kaas says. Accordingly, it’s essential to align with evolving needs where personal transparency, integrity, and values drive effective leadership, foster meaningful connections both within and beyond the workplace, and create a greater impact in inspiring others.

More meaningful goals and solutions are created with honest dialogue. People connect more deeply with a leader who openly shares their journey toward personal and professional fulfillment.

Kaas cited the importance of self-assessments, such as CEOs reflecting on their respective sense of belonging to determine if they create that sense of belonging for people around them. “How do you show up?” Kaas asked.

Leading From the Inside Out

The Bower Forum involves 3-5 CEOs seeking guidance from mentors such as Kaas, co-author and colleague Ramesh Srinivasan, and other former CEOs. It consists of a two-fold program combining internal and external sources and factors.

First, the attendees are asked to describe their personal and organizational progress. Before arriving at the forum, they are also encouraged to bring feedback from their executive teams, mentors, family, or friends on their emotional outlook, self-awareness, empathy, vulnerability, and humility.

After attendees share their current stage in their leadership journey, they participate in a listening and immersion exercise. During this exercise, they listen to their peers’ stories, exploring the experiences and motivations that may have shaped specific behaviors or thought patterns in each individual. Their peers brainstorm solutions to those existing behavioral and thought patterns that may prevent them from achieving the kind of leadership they aspire to.

Hans-Werner Kaas, the co-dean of the CEO leadership program “The Bower Forum,” spoke during the thought leadership spotlight (company photo)

Next, Kaas helps develop ways for the attendee to self-actualize their vision of becoming the leader they want to be for their executive team and organization. The emphasis is on the humanistic aspect of achieving their vision: “Because leadership change starts with yourself,” Kaas said.

Attendees proceed to create a commitment plan: a roadmap of how they can effectively take charge of their personal lives and then show up for their teams and organizations with the same commitment to authenticity, well-being, and their vision of success.

The Bower Forum incorporates several elements of the self-assessments found within the book “The Journey of Leadership.” For example, at the end of every chapter in the book, there are questions for self-reflection where readers can pinpoint their current position in life, where they want to go, and who they want to be.

The book also contains examples of renowned industry pioneers incorporating more vulnerable leadership. Mark Fields, former CEO of the Ford Motor Company, initially experienced dissent in Japan and sought a listening and immersion session from his peers and mentors to gain more perspective of Japanese culture and empathy and understanding of the executive team questioning his leadership.

The Bower Forum has run more than 145 programs over 12 years with CEOs in business and non-business sectors, gaining unique insight and comprehensive leadership guidance contributing to the success of “The Journey to Leadership,” says Kaas.

What sets the program and book apart from other leadership coaching is the strong focus on human-centered leadership. This marks a monumental shift from the traditional, authoritative CEO model to one centered on empathy and connection. “No surprise, the change, and the transformation always starts with ourselves. But it’s also the hardest thing to take a step back.”

Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, McKinsey & Company, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. 

Stephanie Reed is a freelance news, marketing, and content writer. Much of her work features small business owners throughout diverse industries. She is passionate about promoting small, ethical, and eco-conscious businesses.

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Drawing from his experience as a benefits leader at large and mid-size companies, Harty provided insights into implementing personalized healthcare strategies that not only improve employee well-being but also drive long-term savings for companies.HR teams are facing unique challenges as well as opportunities. “We all know that Covid pushed the boundaries for remote and hybrid working, adding pressure to attracting and retaining our top talent,” Harty said. It also increased the need for mental health support for employees. “Healthcare has never been more complex or costly,” Harty said, and HR teams are working harder than ever to make sure employees are getting the right level of support.One in three adults don’t have a primary care physician, and 40% choose the wrong doctor when it comes time to get help, says Harty. 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Katie Chambers | October 28, 2024

Understanding Perimenopause: Key Symptoms, Treatments, and Workplace Solutions

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Many individuals have been forced to manage overwhelming stress due to shame or fear of discrimination, with some even leaving their jobs when the burden became too great,” Dr. Saltzman said. “However, organizations have the opportunity to create a significant positive change – normalize conversations about menopause, provide accessible education so people understand what to expect and how to seek treatment, and build workplaces that support individuals through these major life transitions.”Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner, Ovia Health, for supporting this sponsor spotlight.Katie Chambers is a freelance writer and award-winning communications executive with a lifelong commitment to supporting artists and advocating for inclusion. Her work has been seen in HuffPost and several printed essay collections, among others, and she has appeared on Cheddar News, iWomanTV, On New Jersey, and CBS New York.

Katie Chambers | October 22, 2024

Building Cultures of Connection

Company culture plays a major role in key outcomes of any organization. It is part of a central nervous system that plays an important role in the health of a company. A healthy company culture fosters coordination, teamwork, engagement, and resilience.Theodore M. and Catherine C. Alfred Professor in Management, and Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University, John Paul (J.P.) Stephens studies company culture. More specifically, he studies work relationships and coordination in groups. 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In a study Stephens conducted on emotional carrying capacity, or the ability to express emotion in a constructive way, he found positive performance metrics followed in the wake of high quality connections. “From staff to top management, being enmeshed in a set of high quality connections, where you could share positive and negative emotions in a constructive way, seemed to predict resilience – a sense of being able to bounce back from adversity.”In another study with product development teams, he found teams that were able to constructively express negative emotions could “better access crucial knowledge and then integrate that knowledge in ways that enhance[d] both the project outcomes, in terms of performance, and budget adherence.”Promoting Relational Significance“I do think that leader role modeling of constructive emotional expression is really important. 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Matthew Koehler | October 21, 2024