Existing within and throughout the whole of the Universe, including all of nature and humankind, are the principles of Yin and Yang energy, constantly working together to achieve balance of the whole.

This ancient Chinese philosophical concept embraces paradox, the tension of the opposites, equilibrium, and change.

Yin and Yang energies are manifested as:

• Sun and Moon

• Light and Dark

• Male and Female

• Eros and Logos

• Life and Death

• Heat and Cold

To each there is an opposite.

Every manifestation in our known universe will, in various proportions, embody both the Yin and Yang energies.

The Yang principle is creative, generating, initiating, stimulating, aggressive, strong, striving, battling, and in forward motion. It is represented by heat, light, sun rays, swords, discipline, order, discernment, and spirit.

The archetypal symbols of Yang energy have been constellated into figures such as the father, the hero, Zeus, Ares, and the wise woman/man.

The Yang principle fights, creates, and destroys.

The Yin principle, on the other hand, is receptive, enclosed, intuitive, withdrawn, passive, gestating, instinctual, contained, and unknown. It is represented by coolness, wet, dark, space, emotions, womb, nature, earth, and moon.

The archetypal symbols of Yin energy have been constellated into figures such as the great mother, Venus, Aphrodite, Nature, and the fierce Kali.

The Yin principle forms, births, and is unknowable.

As a society, we are much more familiar with the expressions of the Yang principle. Order, separation, initiation, individualism, and dominance is a large part of our everyday life and constitute the primary energy at play within our workplaces, governments, education systems, medical institutions, etc.

The Yin, however, is more puzzling and even scary. It is the center, or the womb, from which all life pours forth. Yin is unpredictable, emotional, unmoving, unordered, and runs instinctually on inner ebbs and flows.

Yin represents the ‘We’, not the ‘Me’.

Yin leadership considers the Whole in every business decision – not just about my business, my values, my bottom line, this is about long-term impact to the whole, everyone, our community, the planet. 

Yin leadership looks like:

• Leading from emotion, not facts.

• Harmony between understanding data and being self-aware enough to ultimately utilize intuition.

• Following non-linear modes of process.

• Making space for non-doing, rest, grief, and the emotional realms.

• This is where we start to differentiate our humanity from the world of AI.

• Empathy, emotional intelligence, intuition, collaboration, co-creation.  

• Moving at your own rhythm and timing, governed more by internal ebb and flow.

• Embracing with curiosity the unknown, being willing to sit the questions while having no clue of the answers. Leaving space for something new to be born spontaneously.

• Embracing and prioritizing silence – before meetings, during the day, focused time to do nothing but be, time in nature, meditation, silence in conversation

Cognition, reason, understanding all belong to Yang while flow, indifference, and receptivity belong to the Yin.

Yin leadership makes space for the darker, shadowy, negative aspects of ourselves, our decisions, our work and its impact on us and the world.

Creation and leadership from a place of love, passion, connection, not just for monetary gain and satisfaction and forward advancement.

Advancements in AI represents Yang energy, and we as humans can balance this with our Yin.

In this new era of work, with technology taking care of daily, rudimentary work, our presence, alignment, and energy speaks to your consumers and employees more than information and education.

This is what facilitates deep transformation.

Those who bring depth and are able to lead with the Yin principle are going to emerge as our world’s new leaders.