Leading from the Emerging Future : From Ego-System to Eco-System Economies

The author of Theory U shares a practical guide for leaders who want to forge a path to a better future for the world.

We have entered an age of disruption. Financial collapse, climate change, resource depletion, and a growing gap between rich and poor are but a few of the signs. In Leading from the Emerging Future, Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer show us how to lead the shift out of an economy designed to collectively create results nobody wants.

Meeting the challenges of this century requires updating our economic logic and operating system from an obsolete “ego-system” focused entirely on the well-being of oneself to an eco-system awareness that emphasizes the well-being of the whole. Filled with real-world examples, this thought-provoking guide presents proven practices for building a new economy that is more resilient, intentional, inclusive, and aware.

Otto Scharmer is a senior lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and cofounder of the Presencing Institute and the Global Wellbeing and Gross National Happiness Lab. He is the author of Theory U and a coauthor of Presence.
Katrin Kaufer is research director at the Presencing Institute and a research fellow with the MIT CoLab.