Anna Kovasna / Justine Afra Huxley
In a world where the dominant paradigm has separated humans from the rest of nature and is leading us ever deeper into chaos and polycrisis, this handbook of Kincentric Leadership offers a rich seam of hope and a radically different way forward. Rooted in the understanding that human beings are inseparable from the wider web of life, it invites readers to listen to, learn from, and work with the intelligence of the more-than-human world and an animate, sacred Earth. Drawing on Indigenous knowledge, the cutting-edge science of animal and plant sentience, ecological holism, biomimicry, systems thinking, decolonial theory, perennial wisdom, and embodied knowing, it invites readers to cultivate kinship with the more-than-human world and reimagine leadership not as a purely human affair, but as a practice of reciprocity and cocreation with all life.Kincentric Leadership weaves together sacredness, interdependence, animacy, kinship, diversity, justice, belonging, and the courage to navigate global crises, offering a holistic path for (re)weaving our relationship with the Earth. It speaks equally to personal, organisational, and systemic transformation, inviting a shift in how we live, lead, and collaborate as part of a living ecosystem of change. More than a manual, it serves as a trusted companion-supporting individuals, teams, and communities as they integrate kincentric principles into their daily lives and leadership journeys.Organised around eight guiding principles, thirty-four capacities, and over one hundred practices, the handbook offers practical, achievable pathways for placing the wellbeing of the whole web of life at the centre of governance, strategy, operations, and culture. It includes twelve inspiring stories of kincentric practice from around the world and a self-assessment benchmarking tool to celebrate strengths, identify new possibilities, set meaningful goals and track your journey over timeWhether you are taking your first steps into kincentric lifeways and leadership, or seeking to deepen existing practice, this book offers a comprehensive guide for both navigating the challenges and unfolding the real possibilities of our time. At heart, it is a call to action and a blueprint for a regenerative, just, and thriving world, rekindling our innate capacity to live in right relationship with all life. It is a doorway into a way of life that is both new and ancient, and into the power that lies in collaborating with the vast and diverse intelligences of our more-than-human kin. In an age of polycrisis, this is not only an ethical invitation but a practical and joyful pathway for finding our place within the communities of life that sustain our shared home. Through its invitation to serve, belong, and cocreate with an animate Earth, it calls forth a renewed sense of stewardship for the wellbeing of present and future generations.
