Leadership on Empty: The Organized and Societal Toll of Extractive Decision-Making- #4 of the Extractive Series

Reclaiming Harmony Through an Indigenous Lens

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Extractive Thinking in Leadership: Part 4 of Our 5-Part Series

In the first three parts of this series (1, 2, 3), we explored the foundations of extraction, the Indigenous Circle's emphasis on balance, and the broad-reaching consequences of extractive thinking across environmental, social, and cultural dimensions.

These discussions highlighted how extraction disrupts harmony and commodifies resources, traditions, and communities, leading to systemic harm. Now, we turn to a critical area where extraction has a profound and often overlooked impact: leadership.

In Part 4, we investigate how extractive thinking shapes leadership practices—driving decisions that prioritize short-term profits and power over sustainability and equity.

From corporate boardrooms to political institutions, we’ll examine how this mindset depletes not only resources but also trust, morale, and social capital. By understanding these patterns, we can reimagine leadership that fosters regeneration, reciprocity, and long-term vision.

This exploration sets the stage for the final section, where we’ll discuss pathways to restore balance and embrace Indigenous wisdom in decision-making. Let’s uncover the ways extractive leadership operates and the cost it imposes on all of us.

Extractive thinking in leadership mirrors the extractive practices of industries like mining or logging: taking as much as possible without giving back, creating short-term gains but leaving long-term harm in their wake.

This mindset often dominates corporate and political decision-making, prioritizing immediate success at the expense of sustainability, equity, and trust.

How Extractive Thinking Manifests in Leadership

1. Profit Over People
   Many leaders focus narrowly on maximizing profits or outputs, sidelining the well-being of employees or communities. For example:

   • Corporate Exploitation: Fast fashion brands frequently prioritize high turnover rates of cheap clothing, relying on underpaid labor in unsafe working conditions. These decisions increase short-term profits but deplete human capital and social trust.

   • Burnout Cultures: Leaders in tech or consulting industries may enforce relentless "hustle" cultures, extracting maximum productivity from workers without fostering environments that support mental health or innovation. Over time, this erodes trust and loyalty within the organization.

2. Resource Depletion Without Reinvestment
   Leaders in resource-driven sectors often fail to replenish the very systems they exploit:

   • Environmental Neglect: Oil companies extracting fossil fuels without investing in renewable energy alternatives perpetuate environmental degradation while ignoring the long-term implications of climate change.

   • Organizational Burnout: Leaders who focus on squeezing every drop of efficiency out of teams without reinvesting in training or development create stagnation, where employees feel undervalued and disengaged.

3. Short-Term Political Decisions
   In the political arena, extractive thinking appears in policies aimed at immediate popularity rather than addressing systemic issues:

   • Tax Incentives for the Wealthy: Leaders push short-sighted economic policies like corporate tax cuts to fuel growth. These often lead to ballooning deficits, diminished public services, and increasing inequality.

   • Environmental Rollbacks: Politicians may deregulate industries for immediate economic benefit, leading to long-term harm, such as increased pollution and public health crises.

You’ve read the complimentary part 4 of a 5-part series

(the balance is for paid subscribers)

How will we approach »»» Reclaiming Balance and who is willing to face the consequences of extractive thinking in a world of shared resources?

This is a 5 part series for Leaders + Learners where you and I take an honest look at “What is Extractive Thinking?”

Here is a succinct outline of what you can expect in this first of five posts in this series here on Verbal Vortexes.

Thank you for joining me and my mind-heart-gut approach to where we can do the work both internally (with our inner game) and externally (our expression the outer game)

• What’s Extraction- Read Here

• The Indigenous Circle: A Framework for Balance- Read Here

• Consequences of Extractive Thinking- Read Here

• Extractive Thinking in Leadership- Is This One You Are Reading

• Restoring the Balance: Lessons from Indigenous Wisdom

• Practical Action + Conclusion

A gentle reminder, this body of work you are reading and listening to here on Verbal Vortexes is produced from Dyslexic Thinking. What do you know or remember learning with me about Dyslexic Thinking?

Share with me in the comments below.

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RESTORATION IN ACTION

Part of restoration is recognizing and paying for emotional and intellectual labor instead of only honoring physical labor.

The first in this series is free. You can read it here.

You are asked to become a paid member to access the rest of this post and the rest of the series.

Those who honor and take action to rebalance reciprocity are appreciated.

P.S. Founder Members receive a 1-on-1 session with me and all my written guides + workbooks. You’ve read part 4 of a 5-part series