FOUNDER
EARLE DE BLONVILLE, FRGS
BEAR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
"I'm here to reveal the harsh realities of leadership in action that I've learned the hard way, in the crucible of life, leading wilderness expeditions, major public events, regional economic and cultural development and complex corporate problem solving.
These realities don't favour those deluded by the false hope of Business School certificates, based on untested academic intellectual theories, consultant fashions and those who, let's face it, have never actually led anything: have never felt the emotional pain of physical uncertainty, the visceral fear of the crushing unknown, the weight of other people's need to survive the unexpected. Leadership demands absolutely everything you have, and sometimes more.
With global Climate Crisis advancing daily, the denialism of business-as-usual is finished and we are facing major survival challenges at every level of society, business and government.
People around the world are increasingly demanding exceptional leadership, which Business Schools cannot provide. But as a Leadership Maverick, I can help you discover and grow your Leadership Self Mastery."
Read about Earle's extraordinary life of leadership here: deblonville.net
BEAR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
"I'm here to reveal the harsh realities of leadership in action that I've learned the hard way, in the crucible of life, leading wilderness expeditions, major public events, regional economic and cultural development and complex corporate problem solving.
These realities don't favour those deluded by the false hope of Business School certificates, based on untested academic intellectual theories, consultant fashions and those who, let's face it, have never actually led anything: have never felt the emotional pain of physical uncertainty, the visceral fear of the crushing unknown, the weight of other people's need to survive the unexpected. Leadership demands absolutely everything you have, and sometimes more.
With global Climate Crisis advancing daily, the denialism of business-as-usual is finished and we are facing major survival challenges at every level of society, business and government.
People around the world are increasingly demanding exceptional leadership, which Business Schools cannot provide. But as a Leadership Maverick, I can help you discover and grow your Leadership Self Mastery."
Read about Earle's extraordinary life of leadership here: deblonville.net
EXPERIENCE
What has also emerged for me from one of life's toughest crucibles is that no one really knows themselves as a leader - or team member - until they have faced pivotal challenges, forcing them to abandon old certainties, and discover new opportunities despite constant disruption to plans and hopes. Only when we have let go of the past can new hope, inner strength and clarity of meaning enable us to find our unique higher purpose and Leadership Mastery.
Guiding wonderful clients through significant personal change has taught me some universal essentials of leadership: inexperience is no barrier to commitment; one person can give infinite hope to many others; affiliation underpins action for change; and love alone is what makes us human.
My executive leadership catalyst mantra, developed in 2002, is this: "Leadership is neither born nor taught: it is circumstance calling forth a champion". As Climate Crisis begins to impact every facet of life on earth, we face unprecedented circumstance that will reshape the leadership we need.
Having saved the lives of over a dozen people and almost lost mine - four times on one expedition - my commitment to your leadership development draws on the deep personal impacts of my field experience.
PROGRAMS
In designing my programs I am drawing on 50 years of expertise that combines experiential learning in the field, C-Suite catalyst work, and ongoing doctoral research into advanced leadership qualities.
The B1 Bespoke Catalyst and B2 'Bildung' Leadership Development Programs are inspired by the 18th century Deutsche Romantik 'Bildung' concept, aimed at the comprehensive development of the whole person.
The B3 Postformal Leadership Program draws on 40 years of research into higher adult development by Harvard research psychologists, and takes advanced leadership into a new framework of highly evolved human qualities. Completion of B2 is the required gateway for embarking on the B3 program.
The B1 Bespoke Catalyst and B2 'Bildung' Leadership Development Programs are inspired by the 18th century Deutsche Romantik 'Bildung' concept, aimed at the comprehensive development of the whole person.
The B3 Postformal Leadership Program draws on 40 years of research into higher adult development by Harvard research psychologists, and takes advanced leadership into a new framework of highly evolved human qualities. Completion of B2 is the required gateway for embarking on the B3 program.
IN DEPTH
B1 Bespoke Catalyst
Coming Soon. Knowing yourself as leader. Bespoke Executive Catalyst: supporting you in deep preparation for new leadership roles, and in navigating career hurdles, personal development shifts, professional blockages, personal challenges, and workplace conflict. Here you can create a new world where you have personal control of your future.
Learn MoreB2 Bildung Leadership
Coming Soon. Knowing the people you lead. Bildung means development of the whole person. This Flagship Leadership Program is designed to meet today's search for personal meaning and purpose to enrich professional careers. A structured and guided six-month personal engagement will take you to deeper vistas of life, self and leadership futures.
Learn MoreB3 Postformal Leadership
Coming Soon. Knowing how to change the world. Advanced Experiential Program to develop the Nine Qualities of Postformal Leadership, discovered by the groundbreaking work of Harvard research psychologists in higher adult development. You will work in a collaborative setting to develop the framework of your ongoing personal leadership growth.
Learn MoreSERVICES
DEVELOPMENT
“Remarkably diverse leadership experience with direct analogies to the workplace. Has credibility, a sharp intellect and empathy for the difficulties of leadership.” – World Wide Entertainment
Learn MoreCONSULTING
“A motivating, strategic and intelligent leader with an outstanding track record in delivering success. A person of vision and integrity who truly understands people.” - Boston Kennedy
Learn MoreKEYNOTES
"Amazing insights. Inspirational. Very relevant for businesses encountering challenges in uncertain times. Held the audience in the palm of his hand." - The Switzer Group.
Learn MoreENDORSEMENTS
DNA
Leadership is in our DNA, and has not changed in a million years.
Science has shown that a million years ago our Early Pleistocene ancestors sailed north from Africa to Europe,
across the Strait of Gibraltar.
A people who had only ever walked on land became seafarers who built seagoing vessels and risked their lives afloat
to discover new worlds.
Some 70,000 years ago, almost yesterday, geologically, those ancient seafarers landed in Australia.
To travel by sea was a cooperative project that benefited everyone and, to work, it first required great leadership.
Your people need to be inspired, encouraged to take the plunge into the unknown, and agree to
risk everything for the expedition.
Without your team, your people, there's just you and untested ideas.
But when your team unites behind your ideas, they are understood for the first time.
Science has shown that a million years ago our Early Pleistocene ancestors sailed north from Africa to Europe,
across the Strait of Gibraltar.
A people who had only ever walked on land became seafarers who built seagoing vessels and risked their lives afloat
to discover new worlds.
Some 70,000 years ago, almost yesterday, geologically, those ancient seafarers landed in Australia.
To travel by sea was a cooperative project that benefited everyone and, to work, it first required great leadership.
Your people need to be inspired, encouraged to take the plunge into the unknown, and agree to
risk everything for the expedition.
Without your team, your people, there's just you and untested ideas.
But when your team unites behind your ideas, they are understood for the first time.
ACTION
'Theory without experience is mere intellectual play.’
- Immanuel Kant, Philosopher
Ask yourself this, how many of the leadership experts selling you their ideas have actually gone out and put everything to the test, found their tribe and created something of lasting value that moved humanity forwards?
Curiosity and exploration lie at the core of mankind's DNA. And the crucial aspect of exploration is leadership. Mankind's capacity for leadership begins with our emergence as a species, two and a half million years ago.
To really understand leadership, take your mind out of the office, out of the business, out of the hierarchy, out of reporting to others, and into the world of the constantly unexpected, a world of responsibility and risk, where all people need each other to succeed.
As a leader, you are an intrinsic part of the apparatus of human-centred enterprise that benefits everyone.
- Immanuel Kant, Philosopher
Ask yourself this, how many of the leadership experts selling you their ideas have actually gone out and put everything to the test, found their tribe and created something of lasting value that moved humanity forwards?
Curiosity and exploration lie at the core of mankind's DNA. And the crucial aspect of exploration is leadership. Mankind's capacity for leadership begins with our emergence as a species, two and a half million years ago.
To really understand leadership, take your mind out of the office, out of the business, out of the hierarchy, out of reporting to others, and into the world of the constantly unexpected, a world of responsibility and risk, where all people need each other to succeed.
As a leader, you are an intrinsic part of the apparatus of human-centred enterprise that benefits everyone.
CHALLENGE
“Hell is other people” observed French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre in his 1944 book 'No Exit', which argues that human relationships are essentially fraught with conflict. It's the timeless normal.
This is the first lesson of real leadership, but you won't find it taught in business schools. You only discover this when the plans have failed, and your people are immobilised by fear and uncertainty. Or worse.
The second lesson of leadership is outmoded convention: that when a plan fails, it needs another plan, and another, with leadership reduced to a series of prisons of false hope, needing continuous counselling. Or medication.
The third lesson of leadership is that life has never delivered anything other than a continuous flow of the unexpected, one that painfully explores and reveals the hearts and souls of us and our people.
Leadership cannot be taught any more than intuition, trust, or love can. But instead, you can develop your self-knowledge and awareness, and a deep understanding of others, so that when you are called to any leadership situation you will know in your heart that you're ready.
This is the first lesson of real leadership, but you won't find it taught in business schools. You only discover this when the plans have failed, and your people are immobilised by fear and uncertainty. Or worse.
The second lesson of leadership is outmoded convention: that when a plan fails, it needs another plan, and another, with leadership reduced to a series of prisons of false hope, needing continuous counselling. Or medication.
The third lesson of leadership is that life has never delivered anything other than a continuous flow of the unexpected, one that painfully explores and reveals the hearts and souls of us and our people.
Leadership cannot be taught any more than intuition, trust, or love can. But instead, you can develop your self-knowledge and awareness, and a deep understanding of others, so that when you are called to any leadership situation you will know in your heart that you're ready.
MINDSET
How does discovering your Expedition Mindset
develop your Leadership?
What is the Expedition Mindset? Great explorers are typically great leaders. Their journeys challenge convention, defy old beliefs, push through false limitations and create new realities. Explorers are driven by curiosity, always going ‘towards’, not going ‘away-from.’
The Expedition Mindset is a switch. The moment an expedition is ‘on’, leader and team switch into their ‘go’ mode and almost miraculously everything begins to fall into place, drawn by a shared energy.
Leadership’s Secret is Commitment
Before you can be ready for the Expedition Mindset switch to work, the first stage of commitment is to yourself, a deep dive to challenge old stories, unresolved issues, limiting beliefs, and relationships. Add career hurdles, professional blockages, and workplace conflict. Everything is examined.
The second stage of commitment is to the Bespoke Leadership Catalyst to summon and foster your inner leader in preparation for new challenges and conscious shaping of your future roles.
The Expedition Mindset is what great explorers have. Now you can discover its leadership secrets yourself.
develop your Leadership?
What is the Expedition Mindset? Great explorers are typically great leaders. Their journeys challenge convention, defy old beliefs, push through false limitations and create new realities. Explorers are driven by curiosity, always going ‘towards’, not going ‘away-from.’
The Expedition Mindset is a switch. The moment an expedition is ‘on’, leader and team switch into their ‘go’ mode and almost miraculously everything begins to fall into place, drawn by a shared energy.
Leadership’s Secret is Commitment
Before you can be ready for the Expedition Mindset switch to work, the first stage of commitment is to yourself, a deep dive to challenge old stories, unresolved issues, limiting beliefs, and relationships. Add career hurdles, professional blockages, and workplace conflict. Everything is examined.
The second stage of commitment is to the Bespoke Leadership Catalyst to summon and foster your inner leader in preparation for new challenges and conscious shaping of your future roles.
The Expedition Mindset is what great explorers have. Now you can discover its leadership secrets yourself.
ULTIMATE
Climate Crisis is Now The Ultimate Test For Leadership
There is now no place on Earth that is not impacted by rising climate crisis:
Floods, Fires, Hurricanes, Drought, Rising Seas, Coastal Erosion, Species Extinction, Destroyed Crops, Disease.
There is no business of any kind or government at any level that does not now need exceptional new leadership.
This is a whole ‘new expedition’ into the unknown for mankind, one that will push leadership to new limits.
There is now no place on Earth that is not impacted by rising climate crisis:
Floods, Fires, Hurricanes, Drought, Rising Seas, Coastal Erosion, Species Extinction, Destroyed Crops, Disease.
There is no business of any kind or government at any level that does not now need exceptional new leadership.
This is a whole ‘new expedition’ into the unknown for mankind, one that will push leadership to new limits.