Leading Beyond the Mind: The States of Consciousness That Change Everything

Written By Kailei Carr

We are living in a time of heightened anxiety.

Burnout is at an all-time high. Trust in institutions is eroding. And many leaders, despite their titles or accolades, feel like they’re just trying to hold it all together—while being expected to lead with certainty, strategy, and grace.

But here's the truth: The old models of leadership are no longer working.

Command-and-control leadership may have built systems and empires, but it’s not what’s needed now. In this new era, we need a deeper kind of leadership. One that is rooted in presence, intention, and consciousness.

This is where the States of Consciousness come in.

Leadership Begins Within

Over the years, both through my own personal growth journey and the transformational leadership work I’ve led, I came to understand something essential:

Leadership is not about what we do. It's who we are and the energy we do it from.

We are always operating from a certain level of consciousness, whether we realize it or not. That internal state shapes our decisions, relationships, teams, and the cultures we build.

Through this lens, I developed a framework called the States of Consciousness. It identifies four distinct states leaders often move through on their journey to becoming more conscious, human-centered, and transformational.

The Four States of Consciousness

1. Existing 

• Power Source: External

• Mode: Autopilot

• Driven by: Fear, victimhood, and external validation

• Identity: My name, location, family, what’s at the surface.

Most of the people in the world operate from this state. When we are here, we are reactive. We define ourselves by what others think, by our titles, our family roles, or circumstances. We are often easily manipulated because we don’t recognize the power within us, nor do we think for ourselves. And when we do assume power, oftentimes it comes across as oppressive and misguided. Leaders in this state often feel like they’re either just surviving—constantly putting out fires, doubting themselves, and struggling to assert their voice or they try to assert “power over” people. 

 2. Thinking 

• Power Source: Internal

• Mode: Analysis and thought

• Driven by: Logic, data, achievement, the five senses

• Identity: I am what I think about myself.

This is where most high-performing leaders reside. In this state, we understand we do possess some power. We are able to use our intellect and analysis to make decisions. Here we are productive, driven and focused, yet also may become exhausted because of the “efforting” that comes from this state. Leaders here rely on their intellect and past success. It’s not a bad place to be, but it can become limiting given there is only so much our brains can process.

3. Knowing 

• Power Source: Higher Power

• Mode: Presence and intuition

• Driven by: Heart, purpose, potential

• Identity: I am uniquely created for a greater purpose.

In this state, people move beyond their five senses and into their inner wisdom and inner guidance. They often feel like they are “in flow” and connected to something deeper. They trust themselves—and the process. They allow space for insight and connection. From here, leadership becomes more intuitive, responsive, and human. It’s no longer just about productivity—it’s about possibility.

4. Being 

• Power Source: Infinite Power

• Mode: Co-creation with life

• Driven by: Spirit, unity, and sovereignty

• Identity: I am pure consciousness connected with everything and everyone.

This is the state where few people operate. In this space, we come into the realization that there is no separation between ourselves, the divine, or one another. Visionary leadership and true ingenuity begin to unfold. We step into the role of stewards of transformation, guided by purpose rather than ego or titles. Here, we are aligned with truth, and from that alignment, innovation, legacy, and soul-aligned impact are born.

Why This Matters

Most traditional leadership models focus on skillsets, KPIs, or emotional intelligence. Those are important—but without awareness of our state of consciousness, they’re incomplete.

Which state we are in at any given time shapes how we show up. It determines whether we react or respond. It defines whether we lead from scarcity or sufficiency. And it also influences whether we build cultures of fear or trust.

By recognizing these states, we gain a language to understand ourselves more clearly and lead more intentionally.

From Thinking to Knowing: A Difficult Shift

Many leaders find themselves stuck in Thinking. And understandably so—it’s rewarded in most organizations. But staying there too long often leads to overthinking, isolation, or burnout.

The shift to Knowing (we also call it Flowing) requires something that feels radical in business spaces: presence.

It asks us to slow down. To trust what we feel, not just what we think. To create space for wisdom to emerge instead of data to be processed.

But when leaders make that shift, something profound happens: they stop performing leadership and start embodying it.

Daily Practices for Conscious Shifting

Recognizing our state is powerful. But shifting it requires practice.

Here are a few simple ways to begin:

• Pause + Breathe: A few conscious breaths can bring us back to presence.

• Body Awareness: Tune in: tight shoulders, shallow breath, racing thoughts? Clues you're in Existing or Thinking.

• Journaling: Ask, “What state am I in right now?” and “What would it take to shift into Knowing?”

• Stillness: Five minutes of silence each day can open the doorway to Being.

A New Leadership Legacy

The States of Consciousness framework is an invitation. An invitation to lead with heart. To operate from alignment. To create not just results, but resonance.

My deepest desire  is that this model becomes a mirror for reflection, a compass for transformation, and a bridge toward a new kind of leadership: one that honors both the being and the doing.

So I’ll leave you with this question: 

What state are you leading from today? And what might be possible if you chose a different one?

Please share your reflections and what resonated with you the most. This has been on my heart for the past five years, and though we have shared it with many of our clients with exceptional results, I’d love to hear what you all have to say about it. You can also listen to this episode of the Beyond the Business Suit podcast where I discuss this topic.