1: Leading Regenerative Systems: Evolving the Whole Instead of a Part

What is the purpose of leadership in this time and context? We are facing significant challenges today that require leadership to adapt to the growing complexity and dynamic interdependent systems in which we live (Allen, Stelzner, & Wielkiewicz, 1998). Complex issues like globalization, increasing stress on the environment, increasing speed and dissemination of information, technology, scientific and social change, including public health, racial justice, growing polarization demand a different purpose for leadership in the twenty-first century. The interactions of all these issues are creating the increasing need to have leaders hold the needs and perspective of the whole system front and center for the world. Along with holding the whole, leaders are now required to help create a generative rather than degenerative environment. As Allen, Bordas, Hickman, Matusak, Sorenson, and Whitmire (1998) wrote in Leadership in the 21^st Century, the purpose of leadership is to: