Leading with awareness: what the Year of the Snake teaches us about conscious leadership
Lunar New Year decorations are already up across Singapore, ready to welcome the Year of the Horse. However, before we gallop forward, the Year of the Snake needs to come to a close on 16 February.
The snake represents awareness, patience, and renewal. It reminds us that progress begins when we slow down, notice what is changing, and intentionally adapt. For leaders, this is a great reminder to pause, sense what is happening in their environment, and step back to widen their perspective before moving ahead.
The snake sheds its skin to grow. Conscious leaders do something similar. They need to let go of old habits, ways of thinking, and reactions that no longer support their growth.
Awareness: noticing then responding
A snake senses movement before it sees it. Awareness allows for its measured, precise response. Leadership works in much the same way. Being aware of what is happening inside and around you helps you respond with more calm and clarity, especially when you’re under pressure.
Awareness and self‑regulation work together and strengthen one other. Awareness helps you recognise patterns and emotions early, while self-regulation helps you navigate through tough and tense emotions. This steady balance builds leadership muscles around responding with intention rather than reacting automatically. This is a solid foundation for clear decisions and authentic communication.
Adaptability: releasing the old to create space for growth
Growth inevitably involves change. The snake reminds us that holding on too tightly prevents progress.
Adaptability in leadership means staying grounded in your values while staying open to unlearning. Both are needed to stay steady and flexible when conditions shift, and new ways of working and being are needed. Letting go of what no longer works well creates space and opportunity for new and better ways of working.
Composure: responding with steadiness
The snake does not rush. It waits for the right moment, then acts with precision.
Leaders who show composure make clearer decisions and communicate more consistently. The ability to meet pressure with calm builds the trust other people feel for you. Composure also helps us take ownership, which can include taking responsibility for our reactions. Composure also helps us strike a balance between action and restraint. And this ripples out… when leaders stay grounded, so do their teams.
Values: aligning purpose and actions
The snake’s rhythm of awareness and patience also connects to the principle of values-driven leadership. Just as the snake conserves energy for the right moment, conscious leaders stay focused on what aligns with their purpose and values. Acting from values ensures our decisions stay steady and grounded, even when we notice external pressures increasing. When leaders align their intention and their actions, they shift from managing tasks to leading with more integrity and trust. This is calm, consistent, clear and authentic leadership with awareness at its core.
Wisdom: combining intellect with empathy
In Chinese culture, the snake reflects intelligence and insight. From a conscious leadership perspective, true wisdom comes from balancing intellect with empathy.
When leaders actively listen and seek to understand other people’s perspectives, they create a culture of trust, respect and collaboration. Data and intellect are required to help us manage outcomes, and empathy helps us lead people more effectively. Using both together lead to stronger relationships and better results.
—
The snake stays calm, aware, and intentional. It focuses on what matters and directs its energy accordingly.
Conscious leadership shares that same quality. It brings clarity, empathy, and focus to each decision and interaction.
Before stepping into the Lunar New Year, take a moment to ask yourself:
Where is there an opportunity to update or adjust your thinking?
What habits or routines have outlived their usefulness and are ready to be released?
Which assumptions or beliefs about leadership no longer feel true for you?
What patterns of thought or behaviour keep you from a calm response?
Where could letting go create opportunities for new ideas, growth, or relationships?
If you’d like to explore how conscious leadership can enhance your people’s performance and wellbeing this year, I’d love to connect. You can get in touch by email or book a call to chat.
Dr Sarah Whyte helps leaders get their REPs up—retention, engagement, and performance—through the Conscious Leadership Advantage. A leadership and resilience expert with two decades’ experience working across finance, law, technology, and health, Sarah equips leaders to stay grounded, connected, and commercially sharp with her warmth, humour, and authenticity.
