Leadership

Activism or Service: What kind of leadership does our world need right now?

  • 8:55 am
  • July 10, 2025

Ever since my husband swapped his high flying banking career to become a primary school teacher 15 years ago, we seem to find ourselves locked into the same debate every time he comes home and shares a story about the latest curriculum change, cut in funding or school inspection process. More often than not I fly into some tirade about the educational system, the politicians, and the children deserving better than this. And then the conversation goes something like this:

He continues, “Why are you getting all worked up about this? You can’t change the whole system.”
“But you have to fight the problem at a systemic level otherwise nothing will ever change…” I reply.
“I’d rather work with what I’ve got to make a difference right now for the children in my school and my classroom.”
“Well that’s defeatist.”
“No, it’s pragmatic.”

End of conversation. Until the next directive from the Education Secretary.

Activism v.s. Service

Essentially, this debate boils down to the difference between those of us who focus on changing the systems we live and work in for the better and those of us who focus on making a difference to the lives of the people around us, in our communities and organisations in the here and now. For the sake of brevity, lets call it the difference between activist spirit and service spirit. You could argue that both are relevant and needed, and even from my more activist vantage point, I have to admit that I admire my husband’s ability to stay calm, focussed and committed to doing his best and finding creative and fun solutions in an increasingly pressured environment.

It seems that the relationship between activism and service is what Meg Wheatley is challenging us to consider in her new book Who do we choose to be? I feel both curious and deeply challenged by this, given that Meg has dedicated her life to working with global leaders and organisations on systems change, researching and publishing seminal works on the topic. Has she given up? Is she being defeatist too? Or is she seeing something that I am missing?

Facing Reality… even if its not the one we want

In the first few chapters of her book, Meg Wheatley challenges us to face the current reality of the world we live in. Based on the cyclical law of all natural systems (birth, death, rebirth) and on the historical evidence of the rise and fall of all the great civilisations, she’s dispelling the ‘myth of progress’. This is the notion that our civilisation is on a constant linear path of evolution whereby we will always adapt to circumstances and emerge stronger and better. She catalogues the ills of our modern time and matches them to the same ills that plagued other great civilisations before their collapse (my children are studying the Greeks and Romans this term and I can see a whole different learning dimension emerging!).

What’s the alternative?

As a natural optimist, and dedicated change agent, frankly I don’t like the idea of accepting that our civilisation is in collapse. However I can’t deny the reality around me: increasing economic disparity, the rise of populism, creeping nationalism and protectionism, increased threat of nuclear war, terrorism, migration & displacement, mindless consumerism, cult of celebrity, virtual living. Are my optimism and focus on creating a better future just a form of denial? If I accept that we’re headed towards inevitable collapse, do I stop trying to change things for the better and join the defeatists? Hedonism or fear and despair are just around the corner and they’re no place for me. What’s the alternative?

“What does it mean to be a leader in a time of collapse?” Meg Wheatley asks.
“These leaders cannot prevent the unravelling of our global civilisation and that is not their ambition. They aspire to make a profound difference locally, in the lives of people in their communities and organisations (…) every one of them is grounded in an ethic that places people at the centre of all decisions and actions. Sanity in action.” Perhaps then, my husband has been on to something all along!

Where can we start?

At Future Considerations, developing the kind of leaders that the future needs lies at the heart of our purpose. We also know that all change starts with our self. So we decided to invite Meg to host a weekend retreat in the heart of the Sussex countryside. We invited a diverse community of 35 like-minded people from across sectors and walks of life who share a sense of responsibility to do what matters in today’s world, to come together in conversation, debate and deep reflection to explore how we can:

  • face the reality of this time and make sane choices for how best to respond
  • serve this time well with what we have, from where we are, right now
  • use our passion, motivation, and influence to make a meaningful contribution to the people, organisations, communities and causes we care about

We will share our shared experience of the retreat and how those attended found a source of strength and resilience in support of their work in the world.

Here’s your chance to tell your story: How would you describe your leadership preference:  Activism or Service? Which do you think the world needs most urgently? Write your thoughts and feelings in the comments below and share your leadership journey with other readers (perhaps you’ll find some allies?).

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Jules brings over 45 years of experience to boosting people’s motivation and purposeful contribution to their roles and organisations. With first-hand experience of senior leadership in the private and non-profit sectors and 15 as a consultant.

Jules designs and delivers leadership development and partnering programmes for all levels of leaders and managers. Trained to coach individuals and teams to build trust, techniques and resilience in a volatile and complex world. Clients include Arup, Philips, PwC, Aegon, British Council, and both Universities in Sheffield.

Jules specialises in bringing personal insight and awareness to individuals and teams to help transform their effectiveness and productivity. Jules brings humanity and lightness to the serious work of deepening understanding between people and developing the skills and mastery needed for cooperation to thrive.
Pete has over 20 years of experience helping individuals and organisations achieve their aims. He works with individuals, teams, and entire organisations to this end and has worked with organisations across the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Previous clients include Barclays, Boston Consulting Group, HSBC, KPMG, and the UK and Singapore Civil Services.

His speciality lies in the area of Embodied Leadership and Somatic Coaching, where he has written a book and completed a PhD. In addition, he works with conflict in organisations, an area where he has a keen interest. He has many years of experience in action and self-managed learning processes and supervises PhD students on Hult Ashridge’s Doctorate in Organisational Change.

Pete lives in Brighton with his wife and young daughter, reads widely, loves to cook, and practises martial arts.
Lycia’s work is about unlocking potential in pursuit of our dreams to make the world a better place. Her focus is on teams and the magic of what people achieve together.

She takes a systemic approach that shines a light on the deeper dynamics influencing our perception and choices. She accompanies and resources leaders and ‘top teams’ in their role as shapers. She helps groups build cultures for innovation and extraordinary partnership. She helps people explore resistance and stuckness, and what is limiting their success and fulfilment. People are able to act with more awareness, alignment, impact and ease.

Lycia works with groups of all flavours and sizes, sectors and industries.
She is somewhat of a complexity nerd, and is certified in Leadership Circle and Collective Leadership Assessment, the Organisation Workshop (the work of Barry Oshry) and has trained continuously since 2011 in systemic constellations.
With 20 years’ experience working in the international arena, James has coached leaders of international organisations and multinational corporations for performance enhancement in multi-cultural settings and develops the capacity of senior management to work productively in diverse teams.

As a facilitator, James excels in working in multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary teams using innovative, solution-oriented methodologies. He facilitates multi-stakeholder processes to co-create joint strategies and plans for joint ventures, mergers and collaborative poverty reduction strategies. In order to ensure success of these plans, James provides coaching on change management, organisational culture and performance management.

James uses a range of coaching tools and techniques which support learning and performance and has certificates in Systems Coaching, embodied Coaching and Constellations. Clients include JP Morgan, Daimler FS India, Pertamina, The Australian Embassy in Jakarta, Kantar, IFC Hong Kong and Bank Negara Indonesia.
Patricia is a deep listener, being able to see what is really needed and alive beyond what is initially said or seen (making the invisible visible). She establishes a safe and inviting learning space where people feel comfortable to step out of their comfort zone and stretch themselves to the edges of their abilities.

She designs learning programmes, workshops and coaching interventions that are fit to the challenge of growing people and that are fresh, engaging and motivational and she facilitates with compassion, depth and humour. She is a ICF certified coach, specialising in systemic coaching of organisations and individuals.

She has over 20 years business experience, including as head of Learning and Development for a large bank before starting her own business in leadership and organisational development - consulting, training, facilitating and coaching. Her clients are globally spread in different industries and sectors including finance, automotive, insurance, pharmaceutical, supply chain, manufacturers.
Jaroslav has been developing leaders for over 20 years during which he designed and delivered more than 10,000 hours of global development programmes, coaching sessions, workshops and learning interventions for clients such as Bayer, HSBC, Shell, Mars, Vodafone, Microsoft, Ford, KPMG and Accenture.
He specialises in leadership coaching, innovative learning design and helping people successfully partner with AI in their life and work.

Jaroslav has personally coached close to 500 senior and mid-level leaders on topics such as improving performance, career progression, building a high-performing team and others. He has designed and built numerous self-paced and cohort-based online development programmes, which include virtual coaching and delivery.

He has also been trained as a futurist at Singularity University and spent close to 10 years training and coaching future-focused innovators, entrepreneurs, business owners and thought-leaders globally.
Celine is a coach, consultant and facilitator, working with change-makers to reshape the world of work, business and society. With 30 years’ experience across brand strategy, sustainability, organisational development and coaching, Celine works with leaders and teams to align Purpose, Meaning and Impact. Her clients include large corporations, NGOs, charities & foundations & educational institutions.

Celine is a certified practitioner and trainer with Map of Meaning International, bringing a powerful framework for cultivating meaningful work at individual, team and organisational levels. She is also the founder of Meaningful Futures, a social innovation project giving young people the skills and confidence to craft meaningful and regenerative careers.

Celine holds an MSc in Responsibility and Business Practice and advanced coaching qualifications. She draws on a wealth of experience in personal transformation and systems thinking to help clients build confidence and clarity to lead complex change from who they are, or put simply: to be themselves and do what matters.
As a facilitator, Louie’s practice includes the design and delivery of structured learning solutions for organisations and teams for both local and international companies located in the Philippines, wider Asia region and the world.
His interests are in the realm of leadership, individual and team development. Louies 22 years of experience includes working with middle management up to the C-suite level. As a coach, Louie combines somatic practices to support his clients in understanding the connection of mind, heart and body. He uses a wholistic approach as a base to provide space for sustainable change. He encourages people to break barriers, challenge what is current and move them to a space of choice and action.

Louie’s training and education involve Somatics, Emotional Intelligence, Interactive Strategies, Action Reflection Learning, NLP, Spiral Dynamics, Improvisation, Transition Coaching, Appreciative Inquiry and he is a certified coach.
Dick brings over 30 years of experience helping organisations navigate complex change and is passionate about helping people engage in purposeful work in a meaningful way.

He delivers leadership development programmes, coaching individuals and teams to build capability, confidence and resilience in a changing world. Recent clients include Arup, Aegon, Zurich, Prudential, and Phillips, with experience spanning from new managers to senior leadership and board level.

His work focuses on systemic approaches to organisational transformation, new ways of working such as self-managing systems, and effective governance. Dick brings a calm, grounded presence and is known for his ability to hold space for deep reflection and practical progress.
Laura specialises in embedding growth mindset at the heart of how organisations operate, lead, and evolve. Her mission is to help people and their organisations become more adaptable in today’s complex world, without the disruption and resistance that often accompany traditional change programmes. By fostering a culture of continuous learning, resilience, and psychological safety, Laura empowers individuals and teams to challenge assumptions, shift behaviours, and drive sustainable transformation.

With over 20 years of commercial experience, Laura brings a unique blend of strategic insight and human-centred practice. Beginning her career at Unilever, she has since worked across many sectors, including Infrastructure, Defence, Finance, Healthcare, Energy, and Government - leading large-scale programmes and enabling leadership development from graduate to C-suite levels. Her work focuses on equipping people with the skills and mindsets needed to lead change, collaborate effectively, and perform at their best in uncertain environments.

Laura loves horse riding and rowing and has 2 young children that occupy much of her spare time!
Since 2000, Beth has been a consultant, coach and facilitator. Beth has coached C-suite executives all over the world. She coaches leadership teams, including those in start-up or transition. Beth has also been part of the development staff in many leadership faculties for multinational organisations such as Shell, Philips, Adidas, Jollibee Food Corporation, British Petroleum and others. Her ability to work across multiple cultures has been honed through her leadership responsibilities as a global senior executive at Johnson & Johnson and through worldwide and regional assignments in leadership development for a range of multinationals as a programme developer and executive coach.

Abundant energy and physical stamina, Beth has an infectious but grounded energy. Her communication skills carry her comfortably from the lecture hall to the boardroom. Her coaching skills can give an invaluable boost to rising, or temporarily sputtering, organisational stars. She has been recognised for her unique ability to draw out extraordinary performance in organisations and teams with diverse members.
Jon’s early career designing applications led to him becoming IT director for a market-leading multinational. His systemic perspective, allied with a background in psychology and subsequent leadership experience inside major organisations was followed by intensive learning in personal development, values systems and multiple intelligences. Brought together, these create a transformational perspective for understanding and developing organisations as living systems.

Jon is a master trainer in Spiral Dynamics, a founder director of the UK chapter of Conscious Capitalism and a certified Spiritual Intelligence coach. He is the author of several books and articles and is developer of Relational Being, a visionary whole-systems approach to evidence-based spirituality, complexity science, human emergence, societal change and conscious business. This breadth of experience and deep understanding informs his work as a consultant, coach, trainer and facilitator
Jon Freeman, UK

Jon’s early career designing applications led to him becoming IT director for a market-leading multinational. His systemic perspective, allied with a background in psychology and subsequent leadership experience inside major organisations was followed by intensive learning in personal development, values systems and multiple intelligences. Brought together, these create a transformational perspective for understanding and developing organisations as living systems. Jon is a master trainer in Spiral Dynamics, a founder director of the UK chapter of Conscious Capitalism and a certified Spiritual Intelligence coach. He is the author of several books and articles and is developer of Relational Being, a visionary whole systems approach to evidence-based spirituality, complexity science, human emergence, societal change and conscious business. This breadth of experience and deep understanding informs his work as a consultant, coach, trainer and facilitator.