As humans, we often consider ourselves to be the most intelligent and capable species on the planet. This paradigm, often referred to as ‘human exceptionalism’, which views humans as superior and separate from the natural world, is one of the main contributors to the current crisis we are facing today.

The world faces an array of challenges that require strong leadership. Unfortunately, the crisis of leadership in many areas has led to a lack of trust, confidence, and faith in those in positions of authority. In this article, I want to highlight how both research and principles found in nature can inform the development of effective leadership strategies that will help us overcome the challenges we face as humans.

Throughout my years as a social scientist and while researching for my doctorate, I explored leadership theories ranging from the "Great Man Theory" posited by Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle in the mid-1800s to late 20th-century literature on leadership. This body of work shifted from a purely leader-centric approach to one focused on a follower-leader dynamic. Transformational leadership, servant leadership, and later "post-heroic," "post-transformational," or "distributed" leadership theories emerged, followed by the aesthetic, emotional, dramaturgical, and embodied leadership approaches. My thesis centred on a more recent, mindful-based approach to leadership. However, as a researcher and social change maker, I felt that these theories somehow missed the mark.