The Graves8 Level
The Graves8 level represents holistic, global thinking, sustainability, biosphere, synthesis, integration, and acting and thinking for the benefit of all. Levels Graves1 through Graves6 are the levels of personality development. With the Graves7 level, a new octave of transpersonal development begins.
Core Characteristics of Graves8:
- Heart-based and intuitively oriented toward meaning
- Concepts like transcendence, biodiversity, global improvement
- Environmental and climate protection as central themes
- Thinking in centuries
- Authenticity and wholeness in organizational contexts
In an organizational context, a person with strong Graves8 characteristics wants to contribute authentically as a whole person and be able to "be themselves." They reject playing a role just to meet external expectations. A company is perceived as an organism with an evolutionary direction that fulfills a purpose in the larger environment.
Greta Thunberg as an Example
Everyone knows her by now: Greta Thunberg. The then 16-year-old Swede set a mark for consistent climate policy and triggered the international "Fridays for Future" movement. During the World Climate Conference, Greta was in Vienna on May 29, 2019, and gave a speech at Heldenplatz.
She proved to be a good example of a strong Graves8 level: She draws all her strength and motivation from the higher purpose behind her commitment. In her speech, she mentioned that she wouldn't have chosen this role, but someone had to do it.
While she spoke, many more Graves8 aspects became apparent: She thinks in centuries, and when she speaks about the biosphere, you can tell that she truly perceives the Earth as a living organism and that it's crucial to take responsibility now.
The Overview Effect
In science, the so-called Overview Effect is currently attracting attention. This states that almost all people who have seen Earth from space were emotionally deeply touched, and this experience changed their personality.
The view of Earth as a whole strengthens a holistic sense of unity and thus the Graves8 level. Even egocentric personalities are subject to the Overview Effect.
A Generational Phenomenon?
Greta belongs to Generation Z. Overall, it seems as though this generation is becoming more political than Generation Y. This increased resonance for political and climate issues also has something to do with what's happening in the business world – there's a direct connection between New Work, Agility & Co. and Fridays for Future.
These developments indicate that the upper Graves levels are increasing in their motivational power.
Quotes from Greta's Vienna Speech 2019
"If people really knew about these things they wouldn't need to ask me why I'm so 'passionate' about climate change"
"Because the biosphere doesn't care about empty words, the biosphere doesn't care about what we say, it only cares about what we actually do."
"When we get older we will tell our children and grandchildren about what was going on right now. How do you want to be remembered?"
"When we think about the future today we don't think beyond the year 2050, what happens after that?"
"I didn't start school striking because I wanted to, I didn't do it because it was fun. I did it because something needs to be done by someone. And that someone can be me, it can be you."
"Every single person counts, just like every single emission, every single kilo. Everything counts."
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