By David 4 Comments

Partnership – Standing for each other’s success

I read somewhere that every employee has the right / need to know whether their leadership is for them, against them, or for themselves.

We all wrestle with our motives at times, consciously and sub-consciously. It is difficult to understand our “shadow mission” (a whole of the blog topic), whether we are truly for others, or simply for ourselves, and hoping that others will help us get to wherever we want to go.

Imagine a team where everyone is simply there for their own agenda. Engaged in their, sure…but for the ultimate end of furthering their self…all straining to gain one more wrung on the corporate ladder…one more digit in the personal bank account.

 Please Continue Reading …

March 26, 2012
By David 3 Comments

Rising up out of Dissonance

Broken relationships cost us much in life…work, family, community…all suffer when we have a loss of quality relationship. Trust and respect are the foundation to relationship…and they necessitate effort to achieve them.

We see the vision (albeit a bit blurry through tears at times) of how life could be with better quality relationship. We see our reality and all that we would like to change…and we live in the space in between (cognitively – dissonance); not fully resigned to current reality, yet not fully achieving vision….a state of conflict.

This may sound overly dramatic, but I find that the longer I pursue the vision, wherein the achievement eludes, the more I experience an internal conflict.

When vision eludes for extended seasons there must be firm conviction; a substance solid enough for us to continue in the journey…to continue to expend effort, believing that one day the vision will become the new reality.

At some point in the journey, we will encounter internal and external voice that suggests we are foolish for believing that the vision could ever be reality. These voices (either source) are less important than the source of the conviction. Is the vision truth – or is it not?

Will memories of past abuse fade if trust and respect are present? Yes.

Will a team engage more if trust and respect are present? Yes.

Will we experience a greater sense of fulfillment if we are able to engage? Yes.

Ultimately, trust and respect are fulfilled in love. Love is the means by which we rise up out of dissonance to experience the fullness of vision…even vision beyond what we can see.

March 28, 2011
By David Leave a Comment

Dependence seems to be Maturity

From our cultural perspective…where we are all about self-help, advancement, promotion, and excellence…it may appear to be ridiculous to make a statement such as the one I have made in the title of this blog entry.

I first wrote this phrase into a song several years ago in the context of victory over destructive habits. You may now wonder why in the world I am writing it into the context of a business blog…

In short, I find myself to be tiring of the thinly veiled arrogance that is so much a part of our organizational culture. We can justify much in the pursuit of excellence…and betray the core of our purpose in the process. We can purport to be an advocate for people, and step on people through our advocacy. We can take up a mission of charity, and extort or belittle all who frustrate us.  We aspire to integrity, but constantly betray our values in fear of consequence, or lust for more.

Vocational efforts should be less about our advancement, and more about our role within creation…our service to people and planet. Everyone has a part to play, and all parts are needed. Not one of us is an island unto themselves.

When we begin in our vocational roles, we often charge forward with passion to change the world. As we mature we should at some stage come to an awareness that we need others to collaborate, and therefore we should arrive at a perspective of value and appreciation for others. A deepening of maturity from this point should lead us to set aside arrogance, as we begin to see how much of our life…personal, vocational and organizational…is outside of our control.

On a personal level, explain to me how you keep your own heart beating, or how you jump-started it in the first place. On a vocational level, explain to me how you came to possess the aptitude to acquire the skills and experience that you possess. On an organizational level, explain to me how you could accomplish the mission alone.

An amazing thing happens when we arrive at the place where we become aware of our utter dependence…we become more willing to embrace it. We find ourselves more willing to extend grace, for we will require the same. We find ourselves developing a posture of humility, as we realize how little of our “success” is truly of our own making. We find ourselves in a posture of peace and contentment, less driven and less fearful.

I have had a few encounters recently, with people who have continued in arrogance well on into the senior years of life. Their thinly veiled arrogance blinded them from what they could otherwise have seen. It also pointed to a root of deep personal insecurity. I don’t find myself angry with them…but they serve as an example for what I do not want to become…how I do not want to treat others. In the end, this is all I can control…the surrender of my own pride and fear…to be vulnerable in my dependence…along with the rest of creation.

July 28, 2010
By David 3 Comments

Purpose Value

“When you examine the lives of the most influential people who have ever walked among us, you discover one thread that winds through them all. They have been aligned first with their spiritual nature and only then with their physical selves.” Albert Einstein

I am not trying to peddle religion with this quote…so stop twitching!

The issue that this brings up for me? I wonder why it takes us so long to come to the realization that a purposeless life is a unproductive life.

We can be busy, but not necessarily effective. We can be occupied, but not necessarily fulfilled.If the corporate mission (what we do), values (how we do it) and vision (what success looks like) are not articulated clearly, and connected to individual department and job workplans, and innovations…well, it should be obvious. We have no idea when we hit the mark, therefore how could we be fulfilled?

Take this a step further…if we have not articulated our life mission (purpose), values and vision, and have not connected with how we are personally wired (physically, spiritually and emotionally),  we stand disconnected from what we do vocationally, and…well, it should be obvious. We have no idea when we hit the mark, therefore how could we be fulfilled?

Corporate organizations are simply an assembly of individuals…how can we expect success while ignoring  these basic human (individual) components?

Solution? It will take work, but assigning task for discovery of the above sets any organization on a firm foundation for fulfilling its mission…with fulfilled individuals.

December 11, 2009