Manifesto of
Humanistic Leadership
The basis of the identity of Miticoro Foundation
Forword
Leadership attracts and repels people in equal measure, some are interested or simply fascinated, others shy away because they feel inadequate or see only the selfish uses. In any case, all of us can be asked to become leaders; it happens at various levels of organizations, in sports, in the family and is linked both to the roles we assume and to the contingent situations in which we are called to play a leadership role.1. PEOPLE HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP places people at the center of decisions
People understood in a broad sense: a humanity with its own characteristics, its own selfishness, its contradictions, but also with ethical values, resilience, the ability to evolve, to build beauty, to absorb even the hardest traumas, to survive in hostile environments and above all to accept the most daring challenges. “Thinking lightly about oneself and deeply about the world” (Miyamoto Musashi, 17th century samurai)
2. VALUES
To guide the decision-making process, HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP adopts the values of democratic ethics, fairness and long-term orientation.
Democratic ethics understood as a decision-making approach that involves not only taking risks but also responsibility towards those involved in the decisions and towards the organization that recognizes us as leaders. HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP works to ensure that the organization is fair and that each individual increases awareness of their own value; in the decision-making process, it always evaluates that decisions are not only correct, but also fair. Long-term orientation does not reduce the contingent focus on the scarcest resource, time.
3. THE CHALLENGES
HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP addresses the deepest critical issues of decision-making processes: complexity, fragility, knowledge, information
Leaders must develop knowledge of themselves and the world around them to consciously deal with the growing complexity of reality and with their own fragility and that of other individuals. They act surrounded by ever-decreasing certainties in values and knowledge while receiving exuberant information that distracts from the focus of action. HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP does not look for heroes, but proactive and responsible individuals within organizations who, faced with their own fears, fear of hurting themselves and others, know how to manage and control them and draw inspiration from them.
4. COMPLEXITY
HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP develops the awareness and flexibility needed to manage complexity
Complexity characterizes the reality in which we live and undergoes critical evolutions when it is subjected to accelerations. HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP reacts to multiple transformations, both exogenous and endogenous, adapting to the metamorphoses that such changes generate in individuals, in the team and in the organization.
5. THE FUTURE
HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP is aimed at young people
Young people are all those who plan the future by pushing themselves to project their choices and imagination beyond the known horizon, following their ethical principles and recognizing intergenerational
comparison and relationships as fundamental growth factors. They are the engines of change and, by demonstrating the will to plan the future, they are ready to generate impact at the various levels of organizations.
The positive effect of consistent behaviors and conscious decisions made by the leader spreads to the team and then expands, coherently, to the entire organization, finally reaching the society that surrounds us. In productive organizations, HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP has a positive impact because it creates a healthy and constructive work environment, thus also increasing people’s productivity and economic return.
Trust is the cornerstone for individuals and organizations that want to collaborate. Trust is the basis for distributed leadership. With HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP, a leader’s goal is to create new leaders and not new followers.
Before deciding, we must approach multiplicity without prejudice, know how to listen and be ready to find compromises between different positions. In organizations, the growing complexity of internal and external scenarios requires an approach of collaboration extended over time and not limited to moments of risk perception only.
HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP teaches how to read weak signals, to govern doubt, using wisdom to recognize the error and courage to transform it into experience. Within the organization it is strengthened with mentoring activities, fuels consensus on objectives with a convincing narrative and adopts rationality and creativity to guide the entire organization towards a shared future.
6. THE IMPACT HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP amplifies the impact of leaders’ actions
The positive effect of consistent behaviors and conscious decisions made by the leader spreads to the team and then expands, coherently, to the entire organization, finally reaching the society that surrounds us. In productive organizations, HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP has a positive impact because it creates a healthy and constructive work environment, thus also increasing people’s productivity and economic return.
7. SUSTAINABILITY
HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP pursues the sustainability of values
The sustainability of values allows everyone to look to the future with confidence, confident that the rules and values with which they act will be a certain point of reference. HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP also pursues economic sustainability as a solid basis for social and environmental sustainability. Economic, social and environmental sustainability creates the conditions for freedom to express itself in every sector, always respecting the freedom of others.
8. CULTURE
HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP fights cultural arrogance
HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP fuels the development of internal cultures of organizations, and is strengthened by intercultural experience, favoring integration. HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP denies all discrimination, fights the fear of confrontation, fuels curiosity and lateral thinking.
9. TRUST HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP is based on the principles of trust and delegation to amplify the power of doing.
Trust is the cornerstone for individuals and organizations that want to collaborate. Trust is the basis for distributed leadership. With HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP, a leader’s goal is to create new leaders and not new followers.
10. COLLABORATION HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP aims to enhance the individual, but overcomes the limits of individualism.
Before deciding, we must approach multiplicity without prejudice, know how to listen and be ready to find compromises between different positions. In organizations, the growing complexity of internal and external scenarios requires an approach of collaboration extended over time and not limited to moments of risk perception only.
11. THE UNKNOWN HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP inspires in facing the unknown
HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP teaches how to read weak signals, to govern doubt, using wisdom to recognize the error and courage to transform it into experience. Within the organization it is strengthened with mentoring activities, fuels consensus on objectives with a convincing narrative and adopts rationality and creativity to guide the entire organization towards a shared future.
12. POWER, KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION The resources of HUMANISTIC LEADERSHIP to build the possible future
Power as a force destined for action to achieve an ethical goal; knowledge as a compass that guides action by contrasting the arrogance of ignorance; passion as energy to lead others to share objectives and to innovate, imagining the world as it could become. “They didn’t know it was impossible, so they did it” (Mark Twain)