The survey says: Public satisfaction with both corporate and political leaders around the world is at an all-time low. On this episode of AMP we interview an academic attempting to change this leadership deficit, Dr. Shaista Khilji.GW professor, prolific writer, and cofounder of the Humanizing Initiative, Pakistani-born Shaista has become an expert on emerging economies through her international work. As a polylingual, multidegreed consultant, researcher, and teacher across nations—but especially in SE Asia—she acquired a unique understanding of globalization and its impact on individuals. She witnessed the rising inequalities and dismal conclusion that globalization failed its promise of lifting millions out of poverty.In response, SHE and her students co-founded the Humanizing Initiative. She elaborates on its mission to make globalization better for society as well as organizations by cultivating humanistic leadership, which requires focusing on the common good, reconceptualizing time, ditching egos, and critically assessing underlying assumptions, for a start. We find out the framework behind the initiative—a humanistic management paradigm that breaks down four distinct human drives. While most organizations focus almost exclusively on acquiring resources, leaders should draw upon varied perspectives to balance the drives and prioritize motivation via relationships and intellectual curiosity.We challenge, naturally, how this differs from contemporary theory and how one does this (journaling, anyone?). Looking for an example of a successful humanistic leader brings to mind so many who are not. Given his background advising start-ups, Asad asks how early-stage entrepreneurs should think about leadership and culture. And, per normal, we inquire about Shaista’s Muslim American experience, which evokes an Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland identity crisis and anecdotes about her son.COVID rears its ugly head—if nothing else, 2020 was a turning point for increased awareness of poor leadership and organizations reinforcing social inequities. All the same, the divide between rich and poor has only widened and layoffs continue as CEO/board compensation rises. Yet Shaista is ultimately pro-globalization, if done responsibly. This new humanistic approach, she believes, should give us hope during dark times.Post-interview, we were humbled when Shaista was moved to write and record a poem, “A Slice of Me”—her first in nearly two years and our premier episode-inspired creation. Listen and tell us what you think, check out Globalization, Change and Learning in South Asia, and stay tuned for an article on how individuals make sense of the inequalities they face. Access a collection of her past work, recent blog posts, and the Humanizing Initiative for more.

American Muslim Project is a production of Rifelion, LLC.Writer and Researcher: Lindsy GambleShow Edited by Mark Annotto and Asad ButtMusic by Simon HutchinsonHosted by Asad ButtLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices