In Leadership in the Age of Not Knowing: Strategies for Leading in a Learning Way, Mary Ann Rainey and Jonno Hanafin offer a perspective for leadership that is well-suited for the current reality of organizational life. The authors contend that we are living in the Age of Not Knowing (ANK) where the context of life in social systems is so new and unfamiliar that leaders cannot easily discern what to do or how to do it. According to Rainey and Hanafin, continuous learning is the best option for success.

 

Relying on seminal research and theory in experiential learning and Gestalt theory and practice, and their experience as leaders and working with leaders, they have created the Relationship Strategy Vision Performance (RSVP) Fundamentals of Leadership Model, a holistic, integrated and adaptive framework of learning-leadership. For them, learning-leadership involves intentionally creating, sharing, applying and retaining knowledge for the betterment of social systems of all shapes, sizes and cultures.  

 

There are seven chapters in the book. Four of the core chapters are devoted to the essentials of what leaders do (the content of their work): Relationship Mastery, Strategy Mastery, Vision Mastery and Performance Mastery. A fifth core chapter is devoted to Presence Mastery and how leaders do their work. Rainey and Hanafin have studied and written extensively about personal presence. They hope readers are intrigued by their two-dimensional focus on leadership presence:

• Their four Roles of Presence that guide leaders in their use-of-self: Experiencing, Noticing, Making Meaning and Influencing
• Their four States of Be-ing of Presence that support leaders in bringing their humanity to work: Be-ing in Love, Be-ing in Wisdom, Be-ing in Justice and Be-ing in Courage

Competencies and skills are identified and operationalized for each of the five mastery areas.

 

Because we all live in an ecosystem where we are either leading or being led by self or others, this book is for everyone.

 

The Authors

 

Mary Ann Rainey, Ph.D: A globally renowned executive coach, consultant and teacher; an author and prolific writer on personal presence, experiential learning and Gestalt theory and practice; and with leadership experience as corporate Vice President and Vice City Manager.

 

Jonno Hanafin, MBA: An internationally recognised change-adviser with 45 years’ experience on six continents; a trusted adviser to CEOs and Boards around the world; and one of the foremost developers of leaders, cultures and social-change professionals in Gestalt theory and practice