I'm Taryn Sydow, a recovering accountant and former head of Operations and Finance for a merchant bank. I was young and ambitious and I was on a fast track to the top. I didn't realise how my approach to work was robbing me of my life-force until my executive coach asked me a simple question:

"Is your life getting in the way of your work?"

That's when I realised how work can be toxic to your sense of wellbeing. Even work you love! I also realised it didn't need to be that way. That was in 2004.

Since then I've been curious about how to create a new kind of workplace. One where people do not need to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, but where they can show up authentically and contribute their unique talents and gifts to a cause greater than themselves.

We have worked with hundreds of senior executives and their teams to find ways for them to create a workplace that feeds and fulfills them, individually and collectively.

Your best defence against this waste of energy is a new way of leading.

We call it LightHearted Leadership.

If you have found this page, chances are you're already a LightHearted Leader, looking for ways to change your organisation for the better.

When you learn the LightHearted Leadership philosophy and techniques, you will start seeing more people pulling in the right direction. Fewer people will be passive spectators, and even fewer will be pulling in the opposite direction.

LightHearted Leaders are:

Self-Aware (they invest in themselves) — this is about paying attention to yourself and learning about who

you are in your leadership role. In this way you can heal and grow and be conscious of what is going on for

you as you embrace this sacred opportunity called leadership.

Accountable (they own the impact they have) — this is awareness of how you impact people and the

culture around you. To what extent do you believe that things happen to you? And to what extent do you

step into the curiosity and power of how you contribute to your environment? By taking accountability for

your impact, you can start to make a difference as a leader.

Empathetic (they care about others) — this category brings awareness around the relationship dynamics in your

work environment. Engaging with people in a humane, compassionate way is a key facet of being a

LightHearted Leader. This creates a sense of healthy community and care in the workplace.

Visionary (they inspire change) — this brings awareness of the level of desire you have for creating a new

world of work and your willingness to demonstrate courage in the way you lead your teams.