The Leadership Framework That Transformed 1,000+ CEOs: Complete Guide to the 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership

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Introduction: Why the 15 Commitments Changed Leadership Forever

“Being ‘right’ doesn’t cause drama, but wanting, proving, and fighting to be ‘right’ does.”

This single insight from Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Klemp’s groundbreaking book The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership has transformed how thousands of leaders understand workplace drama, team dysfunction, and sustainable success.

If you’ve ever wondered why intelligent, well-intentioned leaders create toxic cultures, why teams get stuck in repetitive conflicts, or why short-term results come at the cost of long-term vitality, this framework provides answers—and solutions.

The Conscious Leadership Group has worked with over 1,000 organizational leaders including CEOs from major tech companies, venture capitalists, and founders, helping them shift from unconscious, fear-based leadership to conscious, trust-based leadership. The results speak for themselves: less drama, more innovation, higher engagement, and sustainable performance.

This comprehensive guide explores all 15 commitments, the revolutionary “above the line vs below the line” framework, and how you can apply these principles to transform your leadership and organizational culture.

Who Created the 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership?

The Authors and Founders

Jim Dethmer is a coach, speaker, author, and founding partner at The Conscious Leadership Group (CLG). He has personally worked with over 150 CEOs and their teams to integrate conscious leadership into their organizations. Jim leads monthly Forums for select leaders in Chicago and New York and has spoken at Conscious Capitalism, Wisdom 2.0, Mindful Leadership Summit, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, and USC School of Medicine.

Diana Chapman is an advisor to exceptional leaders who has worked with over 1,000 organizational leaders and many of their teams. She is a founding partner at Conscious Leadership Group and has created programs for clients such as Asana and Esalen. Diana facilitates YPO Forums and Chapters worldwide and has spoken at TEDx, Mindful Leadership Summit, Wisdom 2.0, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Haas School of Business.

Kaley Warner Klemp is a sought-after speaker, YPO and executive team facilitator, and transformational executive coach. She advises senior executives on core challenges in communication, trust, and culture. Kaley is an Enneagram personality model specialist and co-authored The 80/80 Marriage and The Drama-Free Office.

The Conscious Leadership Group

Founded in 2013, The Conscious Leadership Group is a movement committed to supporting the expansion of conscious leadership in the world by:

• Consulting with organizations
• Training through workshops and seminars
• Creating communities of leaders through Forums
• Certifying conscious leadership coaches

Their work has influenced major organizations including Google, Asana, and numerous Silicon Valley startups, helping leaders move from reactive, fear-based patterns to responsive, trust-based leadership.

Above the Line vs Below the Line: The Foundation

Before diving into the 15 commitments, you must understand the framework’s core concept: at any moment, you’re either leading “above the line” or “below the line.”

Above the Line Leadership

When you’re above the line, you are:

• Open rather than closed
• Curious rather than defensive
• Committed to learning rather than being right
• Operating from trust and possibility
• Seeing yourself as a creator of your experience
• Asking “What can I learn?” and “How am I creating this?”

Above the line leadership enables:

• Creativity and innovation
• Genuine collaboration
• Rapid problem-solving
• High engagement and energy
• Sustainable results

Below the Line Leadership

When you’re below the line, you are:

• Closed rather than open
• Defensive rather than curious
• Committed to being right rather than learning
• Operating from fear and scarcity
• Seeing yourself as a victim of circumstances
• Asking “Why is this happening to me?” and “Who’s to blame?”

Below the line leadership creates:

• Drama and gossip
• Silos and competition
• Repeated problems
• Low engagement and burnout
• Unsustainable results

The Critical Insight

Neither state is “wrong.” Going below the line is natural—it’s your nervous system’s threat response. The issue isn’t that you go below the line (everyone does), but:

1. How quickly you notice you’re below the line
2. How long you stay there
3. Whether you can shift back above the line

As the authors write: “Knowing when you are below the line is more important than being below the line.”

Leaders get into trouble when they’re below the line and think they’re above it. This “leadership blindness” is rampant in organizations.

The Four States of Consciousness: From “To Me” to “As Me”

Building on Michael Bernard Beckwith’s framework, the authors present four states of consciousness leaders operate in:

1. To Me (Below the Line – Victim Consciousness)

• You see yourself “at the effect of” external forces
• Cause is outside you
• Questions: “Why is this happening TO ME?” “Why can’t they get it right?”
• You’re being acted upon by circumstances, people, conditions
• Blame, complaint, and victimhood dominate

2. By Me (Above the Line – Creator Consciousness)

• You see yourself “at the cause of” your experience
• You recognize your role in creating circumstances
• Questions: “What can I learn?” “How am I creating this?”
• You’re consciously creating with life
• Responsibility, curiosity, and learning dominate

The 15 commitments focus on shifting from “To Me” to “By Me” because this is the most accessible and productive shift for most leaders.

3. Through Me (Advanced Consciousness)

• You notice something beyond yourself
• “Me” becomes less important
• Question: “What is life’s idea that wants to manifest through me?”
• You listen for what wants to emerge rather than controlling
• Surrender and letting go are central

4. As Me (Oneness Consciousness)

• Experience of no separation between self and other
• Absence of personal center
• No questions, no seeking, no suffering
• Unity consciousness

While states 3 and 4 are valuable, the book focuses on the shift from state 1 to state 2, as this is where most leaders need to develop.

The Complete 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership

COMMITMENT 1: Taking Radical Responsibility

Above the Line:
“I commit to taking full responsibility for the circumstances of my life and for my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. I commit to supporting others to take full responsibility for their lives.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to blaming others and myself for what is wrong in the world. I commit to being a victim, villain, or hero and taking more or less than 100% responsibility.”

Core Teaching:
Taking full responsibility for your circumstances (physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually) is the foundation of true personal and relational transformation. Blame, shame, and guilt all come from toxic fear.

The Drama Triangle:
Below the line, we play three roles:

• Victim: “Poor me, this is happening TO me”
• Villain: “It’s your fault, you’re the problem”
• Hero: “I’ll save everyone” (taking more than 100% responsibility)

All three roles avoid taking 100% responsibility for our experience.

Practical Application:

• Notice when you blame others or circumstances
• Ask: “How am I creating or perpetuating this situation?”
• Stop asking “Why is this happening to me?” Start asking “What can I learn?”
• Take 100% responsibility—not more (hero), not less (victim/villain)

COMMITMENT 2: Learning Through Curiosity

Above the Line:
“I commit to growing in self-awareness. I commit to regarding every interaction as an opportunity to learn. I commit to curiosity as a path to rapid learning.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to being right and seeing this situation as something happening to me. I commit to being defensive, especially when I am certain that I am RIGHT.”

Core Teaching:
Self-awareness and learning agility create sustained success in leaders—they form the foundation of conscious leadership. The issue isn’t being right, but wanting, proving, and fighting to be right.

Why We Need to Be Right:
The ego believes that if it’s not “right,” it won’t survive. Being wrong equates to death. This is why we defend our positions so fiercely—our nervous system perceives being wrong as a survival threat.

Practical Application:

• Notice when you’re defending your position
• Ask: “Am I more committed to being right or to learning?”
• Practice “wonder questions”: “I wonder why they see it that way?” “I wonder what I’m missing?”
• Shift from “I’m right” to “That’s interesting, tell me more”

COMMITMENT 3: Feeling All Feelings

Above the Line:
“I commit to feeling my feelings all the way through to completion. They come, and I locate them in my body, then move, breathe, and vocalize them so they release all the way through.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to resisting, judging, and apologizing for my feelings. I repress, avoid, and withhold them.”

Core Teaching:
Emotions are simply “energy in motion” (e-motion). Feelings are physical sensations in the body. They’re neither good nor bad—they just are. Resisting feelings creates suffering; feeling them releases them.

The Big Five Feelings:

1. Anger – Energy for change
2. Sadness – Energy for release and grieving
3. Fear – Energy for alertness and awareness
4. Joy – Energy for celebration and expansion
5. Sexual feelings – Life force energy

Practical Application:

• Name the feeling: “I’m feeling anger”
• Locate it in your body: “I feel it in my chest and jaw”
• Move, breathe, or vocalize to release it
• Let it complete naturally without story or judgment
• Typically takes 90 seconds to 10 minutes if you don’t resist

COMMITMENT 4: Speaking Candidly

Above the Line:
“I commit to saying what is true for me. I commit to being a person to whom others can express themselves with candor.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to withholding my truth (facts, feelings, things I imagine) and speaking in a way that allows me to try to manipulate an outcome. I commit to not listening to the other person.”

Core Teaching:
Candor is speaking the unarguable truth—what you actually see, feel, or imagine—without blame, judgment, or manipulation. Most organizational dysfunction comes from withheld truths.

The Four Levels of Candor:

1. Facts: What actually happened (observable data)
2. Feelings: Your emotional experience
3. Thoughts/Stories: What you’re making it mean
4. Wants: What you desire or request

Practical Application:

• Start with facts: “I noticed you arrived 20 minutes late to the last three meetings”
• Share feelings: “I feel frustrated and concerned”
• Reveal thoughts: “The story I’m making up is that this project isn’t a priority for you”
• Make requests: “Would you be willing to either arrive on time or let me know in advance if you’ll be late?”

COMMITMENT 5: Eliminating Gossip

Above the Line:
“I commit to ending gossip, talking directly to people with whom I have an issue or concern, and encouraging others to talk directly to people with whom they have an issue or concern.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to saying things about people that I have not or will not say to them. I commit to talking about people in ways I wouldn’t if they were there. I commit to listening to others when they gossip.”

Core Teaching:
Gossip is saying something about someone that you haven’t or won’t say to them directly. It’s toxic to culture, relationships, and trust. Ending gossip alone can transform team dynamics.

The Gossip Test:

• Would I say this if the person were here?
• Am I talking to the right person (the one who can actually address the issue)?
• Is my intention to solve a problem or to discharge feelings inappropriately?

Practical Application:

• When someone gossips to you: “Have you talked to them directly about this?”
• If you catch yourself gossiping: “I realize I should say this to them, not you”
• Make it safe for direct communication in your culture
• Model going directly to people with concerns

COMMITMENT 6: Practicing Integrity

Above the Line:
“I commit to the masterful practice of integrity, including acknowledging all authentic feelings, expressing the unarguable truth, and keeping my agreements.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to the opposite of integrity—not acknowledging feelings, withholding truth, and breaking agreements.”

Core Teaching:
Integrity has four pillars:

1. Radical responsibility (Commitment 1)
2. Candor (Commitment 4)
3. Feeling feelings (Commitment 3)
4. Keeping agreements (Commitment 6)

Organizations leak energy through integrity breaches, dampening leadership and employee engagement.

Agreement Mastery:

• Make clear, conscious agreements
• Keep them
• Renegotiate them when needed (before breaking them)
• Clean them up promptly when broken

Practical Application:

• Make only agreements you can and will keep
• Renegotiate as soon as you know you can’t keep an agreement
• When you break an agreement: acknowledge it, take responsibility, clean it up
• Don’t over-commit to prove you’re capable

COMMITMENT 7: Generating Appreciation

Above the Line:
“I commit to living in appreciation, fully opening to both receiving and giving appreciation.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to living in a state of entitlement. I commit to being dissatisfied with my life and feeling like there’s never enough. I commit to keeping score about what I have and how it compares to others.”

Core Teaching:
Appreciation expands what you value. Entitlement contracts and creates suffering. What you appreciate, appreciates.

Three Types of Appreciation:

1. Being: Appreciating someone for who they are
2. Doing: Appreciating specific actions or contributions
3. Having: Appreciating what you possess

Practical Application:

• Start meetings with appreciations
• Appreciate specifically, not generically: “I appreciate your thorough analysis” not “Good job”
• Receive appreciation fully: “Thank you” (not deflecting or minimizing)
• Keep an appreciation journal
• Notice entitlement thoughts and shift to appreciation

COMMITMENT 8: Living in Curiosity and Wonder

Above the Line:
“I commit to living a life of curiosity, exploring the mystery of not knowing.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to living a life filled with fear and anxiety. I commit to being obsessed with safety, security, and survival.”

Core Teaching:
Leaders often replace wonder with worry. Curiosity is the antidote to fear and the gateway to innovation, creativity, and breakthrough solutions.

Wonder vs. Worry:

• Worry: “What if it doesn’t work? What if I fail?”
• Wonder: “I wonder what’s possible here? I wonder what I’ll learn?”

Practical Application:

• Notice when you’re worrying
• Shift to wonder questions: “I wonder what wants to emerge?” “I wonder what this situation is trying to teach me?”
• Practice “not knowing” – release the need to have all the answers
• Ask more questions, make fewer statements

COMMITMENT 9: Aligning with Your Genius

Above the Line:
“I commit to discovering and aligning with my unique genius and creating a life of play. I commit to supporting others to discover and align with their unique genius.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to playing to the strengths of my reactive persona. I commit to compromising myself by working hard out of fear, obligation, and should. I commit to tolerating and enduring rather than trusting my deepest longing.”

Core Teaching:
Your genius is the intersection of what you love, what you’re great at, and what creates value. Most people spend their lives working from fear, obligation, or “should” rather than genius and play.

The Four Quadrants:

• Genius: Love it + Great at it = Flow state
• Excellence: Great at it but don’t love it = Sustainable but not energizing
• Competence: Can do it but not great = Energy drain
• Incompetence: Can’t do it well = Disaster

Practical Application:

• Identify your zone of genius activities
• Spend 70%+ of time in genius activities
• Delegate or eliminate competence/incompetence activities
• Notice when you’re acting from “should” vs. genuine desire

COMMITMENT 10: Discovering Your “Whole Yes”

Above the Line:
“I commit to finding my ‘whole yes.’ I commit to being aware of the stories that keep me from knowing what I truly want. I commit to being aware of when I am saying ‘yes’ from fear or when I’m saying ‘no’ from fear.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to avoiding naming what I truly want. I commit to confusing ‘wanting’ with ‘needing,’ and I commit to treating needing and wanting the same, as if I can’t have what I want unless I justify it as a need.”

Core Teaching:
Most people say “yes” or “no” from fear rather than authentic desire. Your “whole yes” comes from clarity about what you truly want, free from fear-based motivation.

Finding Your Whole Yes:
Ask these four questions:

1. What do I want?
2. What will I do to get what I want?
3. When will I do it?
4. How will I know when I have it?

Practical Application:

• Notice when you say “yes” from obligation or fear
• Practice saying “no” to create space for genuine “yes”
• Get clear on what you actually want (not what you “should” want)
• Make requests clearly without justification

COMMITMENT 11: Revealing Your Whole Self

Above the Line:
“I commit to revealing my authentic self by revealing my complete experiences. I commit to letting people know what my authentic experience is, by consistently revealing what is true for me. I am willing to be known.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to hiding aspects of myself. I commit to presenting myself in the best possible light and doing image management.”

Core Teaching:
Authenticity requires revealing your full experience—not just the parts that make you look good. The more you hide, the more energy you waste on image management.

What to Reveal:

• Your feelings (including fear, anger, sadness)
• Your vulnerabilities and uncertainties
• Your authentic desires and concerns
• Aspects of yourself you typically hide

Practical Application:

• Share “I’m feeling nervous about this presentation”
• Admit “I don’t know” when you don’t know
• Reveal the messy, imperfect parts of your experience
• Notice when you’re image managing and choose authenticity instead

COMMITMENT 12: Enough for Everyone

Above the Line:
“I commit to seeing all people and circumstances as allies that are perfectly designed to help me learn the most important things for my growth. I commit to seeing the world as an abundant, friendly place. I commit to seeing the universe as living and conscious and conspiring for my good and development.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to seeing the universe as a dangerous place, with scarce resources, where only the smartest and the fittest survive. I commit to being in competition with those around me.”

Core Teaching:
Your fundamental view of reality—abundant vs. scarce, friendly vs. hostile—shapes every decision and interaction. Conscious leaders operate from abundance and possibility rather than scarcity and competition.

Scarcity vs. Abundance:

• Scarcity mindset: Not enough resources, time, opportunities, love
• Abundance mindset: More than enough for everyone, including me

Practical Application:

• Notice scarcity thinking: “There’s not enough…” “I have to compete…”
• Shift to abundance: “There’s plenty for everyone, including me”
• Collaborate rather than compete
• Trust that resources flow naturally

COMMITMENT 13: Experiencing Connection

Above the Line:
“I commit to seeing that the opposite of being separate is being connected. I commit to seeing that we are all connected, that the world is fundamentally one.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to living in a way that validates my separateness. I commit to living in a trance of aloneness and disconnection.”

Core Teaching:
The fundamental human experience is connection, not separation. Leaders who operate from separateness create silos, competition, and “us vs. them” dynamics.

From Separate to Connected:

• Separate: Me vs. them, us vs. the world, individual survival
• Connected: We’re all in this together, what affects one affects all

Practical Application:

• Notice when you’re creating “us vs. them” divisions
• Recognize that your success is tied to others’ success
• Build bridges across silos
• See competitors as part of the larger ecosystem

COMMITMENT 14: Creating Win for All Solutions

Above the Line:
“I commit to creating win for all solutions. I commit to seeing that there are creative, third-way possibilities in conflicts.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to creating win-lose solutions in which either I win and others lose or I lose and others win. I commit to thinking win-lose is practical and ‘just the way it is’ in this competitive world.”

Core Teaching:
Most conflicts appear as win-lose because we’re thinking within limited parameters. Win-for-all solutions emerge when you’re above the line, curious, and open to creative third options.

Moving Beyond Win-Lose:

1. Get above the line (curiosity, not defensiveness)
2. Understand all perspectives fully
3. Hold creative tension without rushing to compromise
4. Allow third-way solutions to emerge

Practical Application:

• When facing conflict, ask: “What would a win for everyone look like?”
• Don’t settle for compromise (half-win for both)
• Stay in creative tension until a truly elegant solution emerges
• Trust that win-for-all solutions exist, even when not immediately apparent

COMMITMENT 15: Being the Resolution

Above the Line:
“I commit to being the resolution or solution that I am seeking. I commit to being the change I wish to see in the world. I commit to embodying the very essence of this commitment. I commit to doing my inner work of clearing my shadow beliefs before changing others or the world.”

Below the Line:
“I commit to waiting for the world to change and become more to my liking. I commit to trying to change others to agree with me and see things the way I see them. I commit to working on my outer world (circumstances) rather than my inner world (beliefs).”

Core Teaching:
You can’t change others or the world without changing yourself first. The resolution you seek starts with embodying it yourself. This is the ultimate commitment—be the change.

Shadow Work:
Before trying to change others or the world, do your own inner work:

• Clear your unconscious beliefs
• Heal your own wounds
• Embody what you want to see

Practical Application:

• Want more honesty? Be impeccably honest yourself first
• Want more collaboration? Become more collaborative yourself
• Want less drama? Stop creating drama yourself
• Do your inner work before demanding outer change

Practical Tools and Techniques

The Shift Move: Getting Back Above the Line

When you notice you’re below the line, use this simple process:

1. Pause

• Stop what you’re doing
• Take a conscious breath

2. Accept

• Acknowledge you’re below the line
• Don’t judge yourself for it
• “I’m below the line right now, and that’s okay”

3. Shift
Choose a shift move:

• Box Breathing: Inhale 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds, exhale 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds
• Change Posture: Move from defensive (closed, contracted) to open (expanded, relaxed)
• Wonder Question: “I wonder what I can learn here?”
• Responsibility Check: “How am I creating this?”

The Locator Question

Throughout your day, ask yourself: “Am I above the line or below the line?”

This simple question builds self-awareness. The goal isn’t to stay above the line 100% of the time (impossible), but to notice quickly when you’re below and choose to shift.

The Wonder List

Keep a running list of wonder questions you can ask when below the line:

• I wonder what I can learn from this?
• I wonder how I’m creating this situation?
• I wonder what this person is experiencing?
• I wonder what wants to emerge here?
• I wonder what I’m not seeing?

The Drama Triangle Awareness

When in conflict, identify which role you’re playing:

• Victim: “This is happening TO me, poor me”
• Villain: “It’s all YOUR fault, you’re the problem”
• Hero: “I’ll save everyone and fix everything”

Then shift to the Empowerment Triangle:

• Creator (not Victim): “I’m creating my experience, what do I want to create?”
• Challenger (not Villain): “I’ll challenge you to grow, not blame you”
• Coach (not Hero): “I’ll support you in finding your own solution”

The Book: How to Read and Apply It

“The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success”

Authors: Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, Kaley Warner Klemp
Published: 2015
Pages: 342
Available on Amazon

Book Structure

Part I: Introduction

• Preface
• Two Lives
• Leading From Above the Line

Part II: The 15 Commitments

• Each commitment gets its own chapter with:
• The above the line commitment
• The below the line commitment
• Theoretical framework
• Practical examples
• Exercises and practices

Part III: Implementation

• How to integrate conscious leadership
• Creating conscious organizational cultures
• Maintaining the practice

How to Read This Book

For Individual Leaders:

1. Read through once to understand the framework
2. Choose 1-2 commitments to focus on for 90 days
3. Practice daily with those commitments
4. Move to the next commitments once you’ve integrated the first ones
5. Revisit regularly as your practice deepens

For Teams:

1. Read together as a leadership team
2. Discuss each commitment in team meetings
3. Create shared agreements around practicing above the line
4. Hold each other accountable (with curiosity, not judgment)
5. Celebrate when you notice and shift from below to above the line

For Organizations:

1. Start with leadership team
2. Train managers and facilitate their practice
3. Integrate concepts into hiring, onboarding, performance reviews
4. Create cultural norms that support above the line leadership
5. Provide ongoing coaching and forums for practice

Additional Resources

The Conscious Leadership Podcast
Weekly episodes exploring conscious leadership concepts in depth.

CLG Forums
Small groups of leaders (typically 8-12) who meet monthly to practice conscious leadership together.

Workshops and Seminars
Multi-day immersive experiences to learn and practice the commitments.

Coaching Certification
Train to become a certified conscious leadership coach through CLG’s program.

Free Resources at conscious.is:

• Handouts and worksheets
• Assessment tools
• Video content
• Blog articles

Implementing in Your Organization

Starting Point: Leadership Team Alignment

Phase 1: Awareness (Month 1-2)

• Leadership team reads the book
• Identify current above/below the line patterns
• Share personal experiences vulnerably
• Commit to practicing together

Phase 2: Practice (Month 3-6)

• Weekly check-ins on commitments
• Use the locator question in meetings
• Give each other permission to name when someone is below the line
• Celebrate shifts from below to above

Phase 3: Integration (Month 7-12)

• Extend to next level of leadership
• Integrate into meeting structures
• Add to company values and culture
• Train new hires in the framework

Cultural Norms to Establish

1. Permission to Locate: Anyone can ask “Are we above or below the line right now?”
2. Shift Timeout: Anyone can call a pause to shift above the line
3. No Gossip Policy: Address issues directly or don’t address them
4. Feelings Welcome: All feelings are okay to express
5. Curiosity Over Certainty: Value learning over being right

Metrics to Track

While conscious leadership isn’t about metrics, these indicators show progress:

• Reduction in Drama: Less gossip, fewer repeated conflicts
• Faster Problem-Solving: Issues resolve more quickly
• Higher Engagement: Employee surveys show increased engagement
• Innovation Increase: More new ideas and creative solutions
• Retention Improvement: People choose to stay
• Above the Line Time: Self-reported percentage of time above vs. below the line

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge 1: “This Feels Too Vulnerable”

Solution: Start small. You don’t have to reveal everything at once. Begin with low-stakes situations and build your capacity for authenticity gradually.

Challenge 2: “My Team Won’t Go for This”

Solution: Start with yourself. Model the commitments without requiring others to participate. Over time, your example will influence the culture more than any mandate.

Challenge 3: “I Keep Going Below the Line”

Solution: That’s normal! The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is noticing faster and shifting sooner. Celebrate when you catch yourself, not just when you stay above.

Challenge 4: “This Takes Too Much Time”

Solution: Actually, drama takes enormous time. The time invested in conscious leadership practices reduces the time spent managing dysfunction, conflict, and repeated problems.

Challenge 5: “How Do I Hold People Accountable Above the Line?”

Solution: Accountability isn’t about blame. It’s about clear agreements and candid conversations about what happened and what’s next. You can hold someone accountable while staying curious and open.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “above the line” and “below the line” mean?
Above the line means you’re open, curious, and committed to learning. Below the line means you’re closed, defensive, and committed to being right. At any moment, you’re operating from one place or the other. Neither is “wrong,” but conscious leaders develop the ability to notice which state they’re in and shift when needed.

Who should read The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership?
Anyone in a leadership position—from team leads to CEOs. It’s particularly valuable for leaders who sense there’s a better way to lead than through fear and control, leaders dealing with chronic team drama, and organizations committed to building sustainable, high-performance cultures.

How is this different from other leadership books?
Most leadership books focus on external techniques and strategies. The 15 Commitments focuses on internal states of consciousness and being. It addresses the root causes of leadership dysfunction (unconscious patterns, fear-based thinking, ego-driven behavior