Nature as Teacher and Transformer

At the leading-edge of future-fit business not only do we recognize that our leaders and organizations are living systems intimately entwined with the wider ecology of life, but we also learn how to embody this in practice. For this, we embrace Nature as Teacher and Transformer.

Giles Hutchins is an experienced leadership-immersion facilitator, who facilitates out-door leadership nature-immersions for leadership teams, senior executives and management teams.

These nature-immersions provide space for simultaneous self-reflective and group-reflective work, embodiment practices, generative dialogue, deep listening, and transformational learning.  Giles specialises in agile leadership and the application of systems-thinking and living-systems logic to systemic leadership capacities which aid leaders self-awareness and systemic-awareness (so vital in this agile age).  Activities are also undertaken that provide for leadership and organisational development insights and learning, to allow the leaders to sense into how to embrace the emerging future during times of change and volatility.  Activities can also be undertaken to deeply explore Purpose and Legacy, the ‘organisation-as-a-living-system’ and the organisation’s ‘eco-system of stakeholders’.

Giles Hutchins is a senior executive adviser, coach, thought leader and author on living-systems, systems-thinking, biomimicry, leadership nature-immersions, regenerative and agile leadership. Giles has spent over two decades in business specialising in business transformation and over a decade specialising in the application of living-system/nature insights to organisational development and leadership development.

‘The Nature Immersion with Giles was just what I needed! Giles beautifully crafted a deeply nurturing atmosphere where the group could connect with self, others and nature. I was able to deeply reflect on my life, my purpose and the changes that I needed to make in my life, to enhance my effectiveness as a leader within my work at a business school.
– Sharon Olivier, Programme Director, Ashridge Business School

 ‘I have just attended one of Giles Hutchins’ wonderful ‘Nature immersion’ days and I’m feeling very refreshed and inspired. Giles has an incredible way of effortlessly bringing people together to share the intimacy of sitting around a woodland camp fire to share their stories, meditate among the trees amidst the sounds of nature, and taking time out from the demands of busy careers to spend time re-connecting to nature and re-connecting to themselves. Giles is the perfect host and facilitator who makes everyone feel at ease and I would definitely recommend his ‘Nature Immersion’ days’ – Joe St Clair, Managing Director, Laszlo Institute

 ‘What I didn’t expect when I signed-up to attend a one-day nature immersion retreat with Giles was the opening up of a whole new world. The experience opened my eyes to the energy and beauty of this amazing place. During the final campfire session I felt a deep connection to the group and something much bigger than all of us. I highly recommend this programme.’
– Michaela Wright, Director, HSBC

Forest Sunrise

As we learn to attune with Nature – at personal, team and organizational levels – we embrace what Carl Jung referred to as a process of ‘individuation’, and what Peter Senge and Otto Scharmer, at MIT and The Presencing Institute, call ’presencing’, whereupon the quality of our attention and way of relating with the world transforms as we learn to become more human within our more-than-human-world by opening up beyond our daily habituations, constrictions, judgements, projections and fears to embrace the fullness of life with an open heart, open mind and open will. This is what organizational specialist Frederic Laloux refers to as ‘Teal’ whereupon we lead and operate with wholeness, emergence and evolutionary purpose.

By learning to transcend our self-imposed and acculturated limitations that stifle our potential for greatness, we allow ourselves and our organizations to shift toward life-affirming future-fit business.
Nature provides us with the insight and wisdom we need for our 21st Century challenges in business and beyond. Nature is both a powerful Teacher and Transformer:

As Teacher: we apply living-systems thinking; cultivate a mind-set of emergence and action research; embrace Nature’s cycles, flows, rhythms, interconnectedness, holistic and systemic thinking-and-being; explore biomimicry, bio-leadership and Nature’s principles;

As Transformer: through Nature immersions we experience neurological and psychological shifts that aid our personal, team and systemic transformation; encouraging a coherence of our natural ways of knowing (intuitive, rational, emotional, somatic) and our natural intelligences (IQ, EQ, SQ), catalysing epistemological (knowing) and ontological (being) thresholds to be crossed as part-and-parcel of deep transformative leadership and organizational development work, attuning our soul-purpose in harmony with Nature.

The Future Fit Leadership Academy runs bespoke one-day and multi-day Future-Fit and Regenerative Leadership sessions in a stunning and secluded ancient woodland with easy access from London and airports, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Sussex – 45 minutes direct train from London. Please visit Leadership Immersions for more information.

For more on bespoke coaching or workshops contact Giles Hutchins on info@ffla.co