Dr. Sidney Stone Brown is the author of Transformation Beyond Greed: Native Self-Actualization. She is a revolutionary voice in rethinking Maslow’s hierarchy and has been foundational in my PhD work focusing on the impacts of toxic leadership on women in leadership as well as my work in bring Radical Care to the workplace.
Dr. Stone Brown’s interviews with Blackfoot elders and her psychology expertise aligned to her work with indigenous peoples, introduces readers to Native Self-Actualization and Transformational Actualization as foundational aspects of learning how we view ourselves, others, and community. Her work helps us shift the focus from individual achievement (Maslow's top of the pyramid - Self-Actualization) back to collective actualization and brings Maslow's research back home - returning the knowledge to where it belongs - with the Blackfoot people that originally taught him.
Drawing from the profound wisdom of Blackfoot elders, the book challenges how we view leadership, healing, and purpose—not as individual pursuits but as interconnected journeys rooted in community, transformation, and care.
Together, Dr. Stone Brown and I explore how these ideas can transform modern leadership, community, education, and society as a whole. It was an honor to speak to someone who has been so profoundly impactful in my own leadership journey but also to bring her story to you has been a lifetime moment for me.
*Episode Correction:* the name of the college Dr. Stone Brown references is Red Cloud College - soon to be a university. Dr. Stone Brown and others through the college are working to create an Indigenous Psychology program.
Dr. Sidney Stone Brown's Book:
Transformation Beyond Greed: Native Self-Actualization
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