“The only way any life can matter is if all life forms matter as well.”

Prof. Mila Popovich, Founder of EVOLving Leadership, joined a conversation with Honorary POP Ocean Mentor, Ana Hanhausen and other POP youth leaders focusing on using art to communicate science, as part of “POP Climate Leadership Conversations: A Tribute to Our Chief Mentor” on June 25, 2021.

Prof. Popovich began the conversation by sharing her perspectives on leadership. She spoke of the detrimental effects of conventional leadership and the subsequent need to change them. She noted that a new model of social and collective leadership was emerging; the sharing of our stories and knowledge would lead to the emergence of a collective intelligence, which would have the capacity to be greater than the parts. She emphasized that we were all bound to each other for survival and evolution, and to develop and enact our vision of shared vulnerabilities and futures. “What leadership consists of is the capacity to mutually, dialogically, develop the potential of each other,” she said.

Investing in arts, humanities, and cultural programs

Jerome enquired how science could be taught through art and how this practice could bring young children, especially those in developing countries, closer to science at a young age. Prof. Popovich answered that the polarization between science and art was a result of fallacious separation, and that the first funds that were cut were those of art, humanities, and cultural programs. “The only way you can create sustenance, the only way you can create meaning to sustain human spirit, is to actually invest in that which moves human ingenuity and human spirit,” she said. She further observed that developing countries, societies, communities, and regions had the largest social and cultural capital, and asked that developing nations not emulate or imitate the industrialized countries.

Transformational Leadership

Ana Carrillo, Honorary POP Mentor, asked what transformational leadership was, and what role it could play in solving the environmental crisis. To this, Prof. Popovich responded that transformational leadership was multiple practices through art and culture. She then said that one’s consciousness had to evolve as part of transformational leadership, and that consciousness would evolve regardless of personal choice. She believes that the essence of transformational leadership is already seeded in people. “Your purpose is the love for the planet, the love for your life, the love for other life forms,” she said. She emphasized the importance of recommitting to our purpose everyday, and of evolving our mindset and continuously choosing the direction and quality of our growth.

Protecting one another

Prof. Popovich concluded the conversation with a moving reminder: “Put your hand on your heart and stand; and stand, for your own life. Stand for all the lives. Stand for the higher meaning of this life.” She added that we must pledge to protect each other’s well-being, and to recognize how interdependent we are.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Mila Popovich is the Founder of EVOLving Leadership – program and consultancy for transformational leadership in personal excellence, organizational development, and planetary pathfinding. Mila develops and furthers the potential of individuals, organizations, and communities attuning them to life-supporting principles and evolving social values.

As a contributor and advisor on board of highest-ranking global organizations, she supports the emergence of a new era of human development. An international lecturer and speaker, Mila specializes in ecological literacy and sustainability, value drivers of the new economies, future education, peace and cultural diplomacy, new paradigm of human development and creative sides to future making.

She is a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science and a Member of The Millennium Project. Mila is a Fellow of Vital Voices – Global Women’s Leadership Network and an Associate Expert on ethics and gender issues at the European Commission. She is an Expert on the Gender Equality Impact Panel of the Katerva Award – the so-called “Nobel Prize in Sustainability.”

Mila’s work is sourced in three major domains: systems sciences and integral knowledge, psychology of transformation, and anticipation and future studies. In her workshops and transformational labs, Mila teaches the art and science of accomplishment and designs distinctive experiences for awakening individual and collective genius.

She draws on her cultural range from native Montenegro and resident USA for her artistic expression as an awarded performing artist in multiple dance forms, bilingual poet and experimental theater art director. She is an educational and social innovator and creative entrepreneur – a social artist sourcing her diverse engagements as an academic, artist and activist to engender social transformation and systemic change for individual and collective thriving.

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