Viewpoints: Growing in uncertain times

Paolo Giuricich CA(SA) Founder and Owner of Smarter EQ

Eighteen months ago, my fascination for a particular approach to psychology was roused. I decided to further my studies in Gestalt psychology with application to organisations through my work. The essence of Gestalt is the pursuit of wholeness and completeness in life. The pre-eminent works of Fritz Perls and Kurt Lewin formed the basis of this approach with application to organisational life and leadership.

The Gestalt approach can be summarised in the following flow: In any particular situation we are faced with, we will experience sensation and then awareness of something. Once we are in an awareness state, we will start to have energy to act in response to the sensation and awareness. Using the energy, we confront and make contact with the challenge, and then something happens. We reflect on what happened and close the experience by withdrawing from the situation. The completeness of this flow of energy allows us to move on. When closure does not happen, we experience unfinished pieces of the experience and we always remember and hold on to this unfinished business more than to those things that are whole and complete. This is called the Zeigarnik effect (Bluma Zeigarnik, 1927).

If we now apply this approach to any situations in the world and organisations we lead, some very interesting opportunities arise to flex our leadership styles and ways of being.

Being stuck in the data and numbers was what we were socialised to do as financial-oriented leaders. Our ability to remain grounded in sensation and awareness will serve our organisations better if we slow down and understanding what is happening with our own state and those of others and our environment. With full awareness of the data that is provided, combined with our risk-based quantitative metrics, our ability to be intentional in our actions and decision-making and go with the informed ‘energy’ will yield surprising results. Translated into an example we understand, we must lead fully and intentionally with our head, heart and intuition.

When we are leadership congruent as a human in the workplace using a Gestalt approach, our personal presence is elevated. This provides greater comfort and trust for those that we lead, as we display authentic behaviours and don’t project presupposed leadership ‘masks’. Our ability to connect as humans increases and our collective ability to weather the storms ahead as global citizens will be enhanced.

The history of the world is forever changed through this modern health pandemic, and the silver lining of growth opportunities will be our collective awareness and resulting humanity. We have reset for an intriguing and curiously different future. Welcome Global Planet 2.0.

Gestalt leadership wisdoms

• Leaders are mindful of themselves, others and the environment.
• Leaders understand context and lead broadly.
• Leadership is relational and leadership development takes place in relationship.
• Heightened awareness is the catalyst for change.
• Understanding that change is constant and the essential context of leadership.
• The intentional actions of a leader create a ripple effect on different parts of organisations and outcomes can be unintended too.
• Leaders notice differing energies in the organisational structures and attend differently to these energies.
• Leaders are agile, resilient and perpetual lifelong learners.

So, whatever your age …

• Understand your financial planning framework and objectives for each class of asset.
• Don’t ‘bet the house’ on your business with your retirement investments.
• Protect your business assets and personal wealth with appropriate assurances for when ‘business or life happens’.
• Invest the wealth from business assets prudently whether for business growth or building personal or retirement assets.
• Evaluate the legal structures, estate planning, tax planning, and cash flow planning options available to you.
• Have a clear understanding of the value of the business you own and your exit strategy.
• Seek professional financial advice in each category.