About Vibeke Vad Baunsgaard
This curiosity about how to navigate successfully and why hurtful strategies and approaches are chosen by people, societies, nations, and governments has puzzled my mind. Now, for 25 years, a passion for deep insight into our inner Being, social relations, cooperation, and communication has been the main driver in my work. In the entanglement of these subjects rests the key to almost all human interaction. In my research, a particular interest is the influence of power relations on societies and organizations and how dominant ideologies (logics) govern the direction and development of organizations. In essence, how do we organize and why do we organize as we do?
When understanding the different logics (also referred to as ideologies), which “govern” organizations – then we can track the barriers to strategies, developments, and goals. Specifically, we can observe in which direction any development is leading the organization. Hence, we can pose the question: Is this direction beneficial for the purpose of the organization? If so, then we continue. If not, then changes must be made.
An understanding of one’s own and others’ dominant logics provides a more honest viewpoint from where we can view our strengths and weaknesses with greater clarity. In this way, we can create a more trusting environment where advanced opportunities for innovation, creativity, and initiatives arise – an environment that motivates and engages leaders, managers, and employees.
Organizations are relatively easy to optimize. Yet traditional ways, habits, logics, and the ‘normal/familiar approaches to challenges often obstruct the path of change and reduce a true readiness for change. As an advisor, I can move an organization a long way in a short period of time when the readiness for change is present. When there is no courage or willingness for change, organizational development takes a looooong time!
Thankfully, more and more leaders, managers, and employees find the courage to walk new ways. This gives rise to new energy and creativity, so all are eager to get up in the morning and go to work.
Conscious Life Leadership
Conscious life leadership has been a huge interest in recent years and is a gift to work with. Quite literally it allows me to create major positive changes in people’s lives, which is enormously giving.
Conscious life leadership is about leading one’s own life with great awareness of both one’s inner and outer world. You need to be able to lead your own life, first and foremost, to be able to lead other people and organizations. And we are all leaders – if not of others, then of ourselves.
In order to master life management, we must know ourselves in-depth and be able to see below the surface when we observe people, situations and structures, etc. How many actually know their core values, activity values, drive, passion, purpose, goals, and more. We can not make hopes of recognizing it in others if we have not even taken the trouble to know these things in ourselves. Learn conscious life management and live a harmonious life where you stand strong, as an authentic human being, and have a meaningful life.
Today, when setting goals there is often an exclusive focus on we are going. A stone is thrown out in the future and people run tirelessly after it for years – without really knowing why! What is the chance that the place of arrival matches your personality? It’s like closing your eyes and spinning around while throwing a dart – hoping to hit the target – bullseye; it is not very likely.
In order to set some rewarding goals that will delight you, both on the journey and when you arrive, you must know the starting point – yourself.
In innovation guru, Clayton Christensen describes in his TedTalk the reunion parties from Harvard Business School, held with five-year intervals. At the first reunion parties, they had all gotten beautiful wives, children, and large houses. As the years progressed, they became divorced and alienated from their children. They were successful in terms of their CV but lived unhappy lives. As Christensen says – none of these Harvard colleagues made decisions to live a miserable life. Instead, they had made decisions based on quick rewards in their working life and not invested long-term in their families, etc. They lived, in other words, unaware of, and not in agreement with, their values.
When you match your starting point with a customized goal, then you are going in the direction that is right for you. Your everyday life is now experienced as meaningful, and you have activated your inspiration and passion. Helping people along this path is a gift that I have been allowed to give and for that, I am very grateful.
ManageMagazine as Part of the Calling
Gathering knowledge, wisdom and increasing a deep awareness in order to lift, guide, and help other people is part of my calling.
Hence, the founding of ManageMagazine is part of this calling. As a global platform for knowledge, ManageMagazine allows researchers and experts the opportunity of sharing knowledge with all interested in leadership and management for the benefit of people, organizations, and societies.
With the global platform of ManageMagazine, it is possible to share knowledge with large numbers of people. This is very rewarding as a researcher therein most research is hidden away in inaccessible databases. Research about leadership and management is to be shared with practitioners and all who can benefit from it. After all, you paid for it (at least this is the case in Denmark where research is government-funded through taxes).
It is free to read ManageMagazine. Go have a look for yourself at ManageMagazine.
Core Values as the Foundation for a Happy Life
My private and professional standpoint in this world is based on a few basic values. A happy life is simple, as Einstein says. Not necessarily easy, yet simple. For me, it is about love, integrity, and wisdom – about being a good person; kindness is central. Be good to others and yourself! Never compromise your values. Not even in situations where it requires some cumbersome, unpleasant, or awkward conversations or actions.
A simple guiding star is Kant’s theorem:
Be on to others as you want them to be to you
When we treat each other with the same care and respect as we ourselves hope to receive – then we’re likely on the right path. If in need of guidelines for action, you get a quick answer by asking yourself the question: What would I think if the action was aimed at me?
If you read Danish, there is more about my view of life in the magazine Aarhus Panorama.
Too often people search the external world for ways to be happy; material commodities in particular. Research shows that beyond 360.000 DK KR., more wealth will not increase your happiness. So financial wealth in itself is not interesting. The curious, wise, and creative person is however hugely interesting. You do not know the consequences of your actions (intentions, thoughts, words, and practice) yet you are part of the effect. Kindness is a great place to start. I cherish and note every friendly individual who crosses my path in my mental notebook.
A smile typically starts with another smile
From Sociologist to Honorable Research Associate and Editor in Chief and Advisor of Conscious Life Leadership
You cannot directly change behaviour of others, yet you can change your own behaviour and get a different response
Some paths that have contributed to forming my professional identity and my CV are in brief:
Diploma in General Arts & Science from Centennial College, Canada (1992).
Bachelor in sociology from the University of Aalborg (2001).
Master of Science in sociology (and traveling British Columbia) from the University of Copenhagen (2005).
Ph.D. from Copenhagen Business School in organization studies and innovation management (2011).
Lecturer and research assistant Aarhus University (2011-2012)
Honorable Research Associate at the University of Technology, Sydney (2013-2019).
Consulting Officer at the Municipality of Favrskov (2013-2015)
Founder and Editor-in-chief at ManageMagazine, which goes live online in September 2016 (2016-)
On the drawing board at present is Global Change United. An educational ‘bank’ for making positive change that increases the quality of education, leadership, water, health, and equality around the globe.
Board member and Advisory Board member.
Speaker and course instructor.
Advisor: personal advisor, spiritual advisor, and leadership advisor.
I am a thereto a strategic advisor for selected CEOs, who are ready to create positive growth and change.
At present, I instruct the certified course: Conscious Life Leadership for Leaders