Kat Gordon Is Done Optimizing
The creative leader, entrepreneur and Reiki Master on trading scale for soul, trusting her inner GPS, and why helping people access more of themselves might be the biggest ROI of all.
How do you define "spiritual" and has that definition changed over time?
My definition expands almost daily! Because I see spirituality as anything and everything that encompasses our soul's growth and our universal oneness, my understanding of it is ever evolving.
Was there a breaking point or a moment when the old ways of working stopped being enough? What did that look like for you?
The pandemic was a lightning rod for me in many ways. Because we had no precedent of what to do -- no way to think "well, how did I manage this during the last global pandemic" -- we relied heavily on our inner knowing. And I found that my inner GPS was surprisingly good at leading me forward. The old ways of forecasting, pushing and scaling felt ridiculously heavy-handed and one dimensional.
What's the spiritual practice, ritual, or habit that most directly shows up in how you lead?
My daily meditation practice. I began this as part of my training to be a Reiki Master and it lowered my center of gravity so dramatically. A friend texted me yesterday that she finds my energy both peaceful and invigorating. When a leader has a deeply regulated nervous system, it opens up so much space for people to stop performing and bring their biggest ideas forward.
Are you open at work about your spiritual life or is this your coming out? What do your colleagues think?
I hesitated so much about this and now look back and wonder why. I feared that my spirituality might delegitimize my reputation as a creative leader/entrepreneur. Now I see it as the exact opposite. The more I lead with my soul, the more original and innovative I am. And it's contagious!
What would you want a skeptic in a corner office to know about why this way of working is actually a competitive advantage?
I don't believe people can be Powerpointed into caring. People need to feel something inside themselves to embrace change. So I would likely get the skeptic talking about one of the most profound moments of their life. Likely something mystical and wondrous that happened outside their home country. Once they're in the beautiful haze of recollection, I would gently ask "what might be possible if your people could vibrate like that at work?"
How does this work ground you in a world of chaos and uncertainty?
I no longer waste energy resisting change and chaos. I see it as a necessary force in the universe. As long as I can return to my deepest knowing -- that we are all connected and growing into consciousness at different levels -- I try to meet people where they are and to show myself compassion on low-tide days.
What has opening up to your spiritual side changed for you in ways you never saw coming?
Big answer on this one. My mother died when I was 4 and I thought of that as the ultimate black-box moment of my life. Yet the more my spiritual side grows, the closer I feel to her and the more mystical experiences keep happening that fill in gaps in my memory. It's the most beautiful, surprising, ongoing magic trick ever. I've just begun writing a book about it, called "Doreen's Daughter."
How different is the leader you are now from the one you used to be, and what would that earlier version of you think?
Kat Gordon circa 2012-2020 would be appalled at the pace of my current life. I almost never set an alarm for the morning. I meditate nightly. I do morning pages by candlelight. I don't have a business plan. I'm not scaling. I'm not optimizing.
Yet I've never been happier. And I know that inspires the people on my team, in my family, in my orbit.
In a world being rapidly reshaped by AI, why do you think humans need this now more than ever?
I don't see AI at odds with this awakening. I see it as taking on the lower-vibration stuff and freeing us up to devote more of our time to being, instead of to-do lists. So that humans both have space for spirituality, as well as relying on it to ascertain what's machine generated and what's human generated. Back to that GPS notion. Just as we trained the machines to think like us, we're training our souls to feel like us when we're free of the demands of the machine!
What's one piece of "good advice" about being a Chief Spiritual Officer you want to share with the world?
I received a message during meditation a couple of years ago: "See the value before the money comes."
There is no ROI bigger than helping people access more of themselves. It's exponential. Life-changing. World-shifting. We're outpacing the world's readiness for us. I love that. I imagine looking over my shoulder as I sprint down the cosmic highway, yelling "c'mon everyone -- we're almost there!"
What's one word you want to leave us all with?
Magic
Bio
Kat Gordon is Founder of The 3% Movement and Co-Founder of The 3% Coaching Coalition. As an Executive Coach for Creative Leaders, Kat helps clients be the kind of leaders they wish they had as young creatives. Drawing upon her years as a diversity leader and Reiki Master, Kat brings a level of soulfulness and inclusion to her work that help clients access their deepest knowing.
