Episode 9 - Bryan Ungard on Paradigms, Waking Up, and Doing the Developmental Work So We Can Thrive and Flourish

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Bryan is on a personal mission to wake us up from what he calls the “conscious flatlands”. In this episode, we have an insightful conversation about what it means to flourish and how important it is for us to wake-up on so many levels. On the individual level, we are largely being unconsciously run by our emotions and reacting to life. The problem is that, when there’s no pause between stimulus and response, we end up usually regretting it - either now or later. So we have to tend to the messy, uncomfortable, yet critically important, inner work in order to wake up and show up present, less reactive and more connected to others. On the organizational and societal level, we must be aware that how we engage with paradigms are shaping the outcome of our lives and that we have work to do if people are truly going to show up whole and expressing our uniqueness - at work and in the rest of their lives. This life-giving conversation will challenge your thinking and provide a new perspective of what it will collectively take for us to create a thriving future for us all.

Bryan Ungard, Chief Purpose Officer - The Decurion Corporation

Bryan is the Chief Purpose Officer of The Decurion Corporation, a 70 year old company with businesses in movie theaters, commercial real estate, and senior assisted living. Bryan is accountable for the ways in which Decurion operates its businesses so there is no tradeoff between excellent business and human flourishing.

Bryan joined Decurion as its Chief Information Officer. He received his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Hiram College and his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Michigan. He has studied human development and consciousness through many lineages and traditions.

He is the founder of the Deliberately Developmental Organizations (DDO) Practitioner Network, a global network of developmental change agents. He is also co-founder of The Decurion Institute for Wholeness and Development.

Bryan holds a 2nd degree black belt in Aikido.

Show Notes

The Practice of Self-Management: A Handbook for Walking the Path from Reactivity to Presence and Connection by Christopher Forman and Bryan Ungard

This book anchors on the premise that the more centered, present, and authentic you are as an individual, the more effective you will be in your work and in your life. Christopher and Bryan share time-tested lessons, meditations, and daily-life practices they’ve used at the Decurion Corporation that will help you expand your awareness, deepen your understanding, and transform your connection with those around you.

An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization by Robert Kegan and Lisa Laskow Lahey

This is the book we reference about Deliberately Developmental Organizations (DDOs) that features The Decurion Corporation.

No More Feedback: Cultivate Consciousness at Work by Carol Sanford

This is the book Bryn mentions that he used to understand paradigms. Carol Sanford disrupts commonly held beliefs to reveal:Why feedback undermines employee development, the impact it has on our 3 core human capabilities, and the alternative that leads to self-regulating employees.

Deliberately Developmental Organizations (DDO) Practitioner Network this is the global network of developmental change agents that Bryan founded.

The Decurion Institute for Wholeness and Development - Bryan also co-founded this institute which grew out of the quest of The Decurion Corporation to discover a better way of doing business. The institute’s purpose is “to change the conversation about the Future of Work to one that embraces wholeness and development in a way that includes more leaders, future leaders, industries, communities, and sectors so that new possibilities are cultivated and flourish.”

My Antelope Loves Cantaloupe by Robert Kegan. This is the new children’s book Bob just released that Bryan mentions in our conversation.

Behind the Scenes

2 Comments

Jennifer StevensJanuary 30, 2021

These two people are both personally influential in my life. I can’t believe how small the world feels at times. Thank you both for your leadership in my life!

Colin KoachFebruary 1, 2021

Rosie – congrats on the new podcast. I personally really enjoyed this conversation. You and Bryan have both helped me see organizations and my vital role within them in completely different ways. Its fascinating. Thanks!