Margaret Wheatley is a consultant, senior-level advisor, teacher, speaker, and formal leader. Her work now focuses on developing and supporting leaders globally; leaders who put service over self, stand steadfast through crises and failures, and make a difference for the people and causes they care about. Margaret has written ten books, including the classic Leadership and the New Science, and been honored for her pathfinding work by many professional associations, universities, and organizations.

In Chapter 7, ‘Identities and Personas’, she reflects on her personal experience of how the identity of a leader changes across the lifespan.

Richard Rohr, Founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, is a Franciscan friar, contemplative teacher and author of numerous books including Falling Upward, The Wisdom Pattern,and Just This. He is an acclaimed international speaker and teacher, featuring in podcasts such as On Being with Krista Tippett and Super Soul Sunday with Oprah Winfrey.

Richard wrote the Foreword to The Contemplative Leader and is interviewed in Chapter 1, on the topic of ‘What is contemplation?’

Louise Chester first engaged in contemplative practices in 1994 when she was a Director at UBS Ltd. She found it helped her have balance in her life, while sustaining a pressured career in investment analysis and fund management. In 2010, she founded Mindfulness at Work Ltd. with the express intention of enabling people to easily access highly-effective mindfulness training, to enable them to create value and thrive not just in the workplace, but in all areas of their life.

Louise is interviewed in Chapter 2, ‘Our Leadership Journey’ on how both/and thinking and contemplative practice have shaped her leadership and her life.

Ben Keesey, former CEO of Invisible Children, has first hand experience of navigating the highs and lows of leadership in the public eye. Interviewed in Chapter 4, ‘Challenge and Failure’, Ben reflects on moving from the need to be perceived as a ‘successful leader’ to embracing a contemplative approach where his self-worth as a leader was based on far more than just his professional success. Ben’s story sheds a light on his belief that the contemplative mind can help bring forward the consciousness needed to awaken a more loving, just, and sustainable world.

Matthew McCarthy is the former CEO of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. He began his career working with his dad in a family printing business before he joined Unilever in 1997. Over 26 years at the company, he worked in brand management, marketing, sales, general management and, finally, as CEO of Ben & Jerry’s. Matthew has a deep passion for driving social impact and systemic change through the power of business. He considers himself an aspiring activist, learning every day how better to leverage the power of brands and business to address pressing social (e.g. Gender Equality) and environmental challenges.

In Chapter 5, ‘Values and Change’, Matthew reflects on the source of his values and how they have informed and shaped his leadership.