We are in times of multiple crises – exactly the moment we feel a hunger for clear, just and secure leadership. But it seems we are finding that it’s comprehensively absent without leave; or we’re beginning to understand that we’re vainly looking for entirely the wrong thing. Yet at this moment of environmental, economic and social disruptions, when we are beginning to understand that much needs to be done, if we look hard enough, in the right light, we can see a new leadership emerging, in individual businesses, third sector organisations, community groups, public sector bodies – individuals re-understanding the role that we must each take to move our direction of travel to something more sane, realistic and connected. Contrary to both habit and emotional reflex, leadership may not be locked into one role, or job, or individual; some aspects are open and accessible to all, in “moments of leadership” that invite a collective effort of critical thinking, imagination, positive deviance and human inventiveness from *us all*, in turn, and across our social strata, as we tackle these mountainous challenges ahead. These moments are made possible by other aspects of leadership that affirm and contain the value of attachment, hope, reason and choice. Providing such conditions is a seldom-recognised resource, well worth identifying and celebrating. 

For those working in delivering change in the world of environmental growth, in understanding the pros and cons of the notion of natural capital, in economic progress, in social justice, Jonathan Gosling, of international repute in this new investigation of what leadership means, will bring an unexpected and provocative understanding of what we can all be doing to deliver the future we wish to occupy.

More information on Jonathan can be found here: https://www.jonathangosling.com/about-me

Professor Gosling advises several companies, international agencies and government departments on their leadership-related issues. He is a Fellow of the Leadership Trust Foundation, Lancaster University’s Leadership Centre, and the Singapore Civil Service College. He served more than 10 years on the Advisory Board of the UK Defence Academy, and is a co-director of the European Leadership Centre. He has long been interested in unconscious aspects of organsiational and social life, and has directed and been on the staff of many working conferences including Tavistock Institute of Human Relations ‘Leicester conferences’; he has recently adapted these ideas for a ‘Community Mashup’ in a global health programme; and developed a tool for founding multi-sector collaborations – ‘Mindsets for Partnering’. He is on the scientific council of the Gordon Lawrence Foundation for ‘social dreaming’.

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This event is a collaboration between Cafe Disruptif and Tevi, and possible owing to the generous support of Tevi (Cornish for ‘grow’)  –  a new, unique and exciting EU-funded project dedicated to helping Cornish SMEs make the most of innovative thinking around the circular economy and environmental growth.  Circular economy is all about running economic activities in ways that close loops and reduce waste, in all its forms.  Environmental growth is the idea that, here in Cornwall, we need more nature; larger amounts of biodiversity, better connected, better protected, better supported, more diverse.   Tevi is about bringing these two concepts together, and helping SMEs to play their part because economic activity relies on that environment, and vice versa.  The work is led by the University of Exeter, and is delivered in partnership with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Council and the Cornwall Development Company.