Moving Beyond Stakeholders: Exploring “Interbeing” in Leadership and Organizations
The idea of Interbeing rarely finds its way into boardrooms or organizational planning sessions. While the growing focus on “all stakeholders” has undeniably sparked progress, we wonder—could we go a bit further?
Thich Nhat Hanh coined the term Interbeing to describe the deep interconnection and interdependence of all life. He taught that we are not separate from one another—or from the Earth. At first glance, this may seem like a stretch for the world of business or leadership, but maybe it’s an idea worth sitting with for a moment.
Modern organizational life and culture tend to rest on structures of certainty, control, and hierarchy. Many of our institutions operate like well-oiled machines, where each part is distinct, defined, and often disconnected. While this model has served a certain function, it can feel increasingly at odds with the complex, interwoven challenges of our time. Could it be that this framework, while once effective, no longer meets the moment?
Rather than rushing toward the next solution, what if we turned inward and asked different questions—ones rooted in the awareness that we are not separate from each other or from the Earth itself? What possibilities might emerge from that place?
The idea of Interbeing isn’t new—it lives in indigenous traditions across the world, where communities have long honored their relationship with the Earth and with each other in deeply interconnected ways. There’s a deep wisdom in these approaches that contrasts sharply with modern patterns of efficiency and extraction.
What would it look like to lead—and live—in a way that reflects this worldview?
This model could invite us to:
See organizations as living systems that evolve and adapt
Understand the interconnectedness of people, ecosystems, and ideas
Build relationships rooted in care, partnership, and shared responsibility
Create conditions for everyone—and everything—to thrive
Much of this wisdom also lives within our bodies. As we continue to unlearn and relearn what it means to live in relationship, we find ourselves turning to nature, to mentors in this space, to mutual aid groups, and climate justice movements that embody this ethic of interbeing in real, tangible ways.
Some Practices That Help Us Reconnect
Turn inward. Practices like mindfulness and reflection help us notice the subtle ways we’re already in relationship—with our own thoughts, our breath, and the wider world.
Spend time in nature. Direct experience reminds us of our place in the web of life. These moments of connection can offer a sense of belonging that data or strategy sometimes can't.
Question what we’ve inherited. Many of our current systems are built on assumptions that no longer serve us—or the planet. By decentering those norms, we make space for ancient, different, grounded ways of knowing to rise.
Think beyond now. Adopting a seven generation perspective invites us to act on behalf of future life—not just present-day profits or quarterly returns.
Embrace a broader definition of “everyone.” As Vicki Robin says, “Treat everyone within fifty miles like you love them.” And as Toko-pa Turner adds, “Include the standing people, the feathered people, the rock people, the water bodies...” What might change if we did?
Leadership, in this light, becomes less about control and more about attunement—listening for what’s needed, staying accountable, and remembering that we are part of something much larger.
So the next time we sit in a strategy meeting, brainstorm new ideas, or think about scaling our work—what if we paused? Breathed. Looked to the sky, to the soil, to the wisdom that’s always been around us?
Concrete action matters, absolutely. But maybe the foundation of that action is a shift in awareness. What might happen if we began from that place?
What might we co-create from there?
