We’ve not been here before … or have we?

Reorientating to a new reality

Art: The Grey Zone, by Jon White

Author: Karise Hutchinson

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of The Little Prince

There is a lot of talk about this moment in history. Notwithstanding the geological debates about the fundamental altering of the natural world, there is also a dawning realisation of the serious altering of society. This moment requires a different type of leadership, not because it is a new season, but because it is a new world (Korn Ferry, 2023). In this letter, we invite leaders to step out of comfort into non-anxious responsiveness and into a new terrain, reminiscent of a vast and endless sea.

Where are we?

The digital revolution in the late 20^th century ushered in a new era which has transformed the way we live, work, and interact with the world. But the story of change continues to evolve - technology and geopolitics are now shaping a new landscape for leaders to navigate. Whether a digital native or not, leaders are experiencing more than change of a season or a vibe shift. The data tells us there is a new reality unfolding, which is challenging not only our competencies and skills, but our imagination. We call it the grey zone - an overlap of two eras marked by the passing of one and the emerging of another.

Have we been here before?

Whether our response is joy or anxiety, one truth remains - change like this has always been present in the world. History teaches us an important lesson - this is not the first profound transformation for humanity. With the benefit of hindsight, we know each previous era represents a significant leap forward in our collective history, reshaping societies, economies, and the world around us. And every era brings with it a choice - entrepreneurial opportunity or fear of the unknown.

Humans tend to see the limits and dangers before the opportunities in the grey zone. A long time ago Socrates, arguably the greatest thinker of all time, worried that the art of writing would implant forgetfulness in the soul of men. In the mid 15^th century, when Johannes Gutenberg first introduced the printing press, there was both great excitement and fear - despite the advance in communication there was a threat to older, cherished ways of thinking (and control!). There was a similar response to the first locomotive steam engine in 1825, and not so long ago in 1991, when the world wide web was created.

The answer is…

While the future has never been fixed, there is a strong belief that technological advancement is radically transforming every single aspect of human life across all categories of human organisation and society. While we find ourselves in another historical grey zone moment, a very different landscape is emerging. The greyness of the new terrain casts a fog, making it difficult to see what is really there. It is disorientating but the choice is the same for leaders in plotting course – respond with opportunity or fear.

How are leaders responding to this grey zone?

New adventures are not without dangers and challenges. Previous changes in society also tell us that not all grey zone moments lead to positive impact and results for the world. It is important that leaders pay attention not only to the opportunities, but the wider signals of incoming danger. Life has always been uncertain for humans, but biology teaches us that our bodies and minds are designed for uncertain terrain (or we would never have survived as a species!).

For some leaders, a grey zone is a playground for wanderlust - a deep, almost magnetic pull to explore new places and discover what lies beyond our everyday world. Those leaders - often entrepreneurs and pioneers - crave novelty and thrive in uncharted and complex waters. But this is the default response of a small percentage of leaders. According to Steve Cockram and Jeremie Kubicek and their 5 voices tool, this type of pioneer leader represents only 7% of the working population.

The reality is many more leaders feel the displacement of the grey zone, finding themselves forced and unwilling to travel to a new destination. This response is not always a sign of a lack of leadership confidence or capability. Neuroscience teaches us certainty gives us a hit of dopamine (reward) when our expectations are met, whereas uncertainty triggers the amygdala part of the limbic system in the brain responsible for survival instincts (read more about human wiring in the brain by David Rock).

The unfolding reality

We live and work at a time of information abundance where attention is limited, yet highly valuable. Attention is the foundation for nearly all we do, from the relationships we build, to the way we act as co-workers, consumers and citizens. This is the argument presented by Chris Hayes, in his book The Siren’s Call, arguing that a global, ubiquitous, chronically-connected social media has brought us a new era and a addiction – the pursuit of attention.

At a time of fragmentation and disconnection, attention is the currency of social capital – the glue that helps leaders make sound judgements, informed decisions, and meaningful connections in community and across the system. Some leaders are embracing the entrepreneurial opportunity but with less than desirable motives. Whether it is exploiting attention by distracting and attracting consumers and clients through algorithmic manipulation to like and buy more or seeking attention to build celebrity status and reputation (or votes), the long-term outcome of the pursuit of attention is worrying.

As Chris Hayes explains, “Public discourse is now a war of all against all for attention; commerce is a war for attention; social life is a war for attention. And we are all feeling battle weary.” The wider ramifications of this new terrain are profound – emotionally, socially, and ethically. Is there another response that will help leaders reorientate and plot the course? The answer lies in how we think and reason.

The scout

Humans see what they want to see. But, in the grey zone, leaders must be able to see things as they really are. This means giving up certainty because nothing is assured. If leaders don’t do this, disorientation will only continue, leading to poor judgment and decision-making. Research by Julia Galef explains the inability to see clearly is like the mindset of a “soldier” - leaders driven to defend the ideas they most want to believe and shoot down those they don't. But there is a different response for leaders, and it is emotional.

For leaders in the grey zone, it is not about how smart they are or what they know (IQ), but it is about the openness to new evidence and making sense of the data (Adam Grant’s scientist lens). It’s what Julia Galef calls a “scout mindset”. Leaders who are like scouts are curious, love to learn new information, and solve problems. They believe in challenging their own beliefs and are willing to admit when they get it wrong. In a battle, both solider and scout are critical.

When it comes to navigating the grey zone, there is a need for scout leaders who have good judgement and sound reasoning. After all, in the words of de Saint-Exupery, the limiting factors are less about the ship and more about the mindset of the captain and their openness to sail the vast and endless sea.

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The old era has passed, and a new era is emerging - we are living in the grey zone. In this in-between space, a new leadership paradigm beckons. In these deep waters, leaders need to be explorers, not observers. Leadership is no longer solely about the leader but the people they serve, and how they serve them in the face of great change and unpredictability.

In this second annual publication of Illuminaire, we are drawing on science, strategy and story to bring light to what really matters when it comes to leading in the grey zone. These pages consider the leadership response-ability of the “me” (leading self), “we” (leading teams and organisations) and “all of us” (leading in the larger eco-system) to help leaders develop the courage and capacity to be makers in a new and uncertain world.

Launching Spring 2025.
Join the waitlist here.

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Want to learn more about the ideas in this piece?

Kubicek, Jeremie & Cockram, Steve (2016) Five Voices: How to Communicate Effectively with Everyone You Lead, Wiley

Galef, Julia (2024) The Scout Mindset, Piatkus

Grant, Adam (2021) Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

Jackson, Maggie (2023) Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure, Prometheus Books

Jaworski, Joseph (1996) Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership, Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Sayers, Mark (2021) Non-Anxious Presence: How a Changing and Complex World Will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders, Moody Publishers

Senge, Peter (1990) The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, Crown Currency