Managing Complex Change
Leadership
Stay in one spot and go deeper and deeper there!
The land is parched and a man digs a well to find water for his thirsty plants and gardens. He digs for many hours in the place recommended by the water diviner but he finds nothing and gives up in disgust. He has dug about four metres.
As he sits dejectedly on the great mound of earth he’s removed from the hole, a traveller passes by. The traveller laughs at him for digging there, and indicates a much more likely spot. So the man starts a new well, but after digging for several hours, he has still found no sign of water.
Tired and despondent, he finally accepts some different advice from his young neighbour who assures him that he’ll find water in another place altogether. After he’s given up on that one too, his wife comes out of the house and says, ‘Where are your brains, old man? This is no way to sink a well. Stay in one spot and go deeper and deeper there!’
Humble Inquiry
Saying to oneself that one should ask more and tell less does not solve the problem of building a relationship of mutual trust. The underlying attitude of competitive one-upmanship will leak out if it is there. Humble Inquiry starts with the attitude and is then supported by our choice of questions. The more we remain curious about the other person rather than letting our own expectations and preconceptions creep in, the better our chances are of staying in the right questioning mode.
What aspects of our life might we want to take with us and build on into our Third Act?
“Everyone who lives long enough gets to have a third age; not everyone gets to live a third act!” ~ Ed Kelly
For those of us in the ‘developed’ world who are over 50 here are three startling statistics to consider. We can expect to live 30 years longer than our great grandparents; our life expectancy is increasing at the astonishing rate of two and a half years every decade(that’s six hours every day!); and that out of all the people who have ever lived beyond 65, two thirds of them are alive today.
The macro context in which this is occurring is that of a planet that’s getting mighty crowded by one particular species. And unforeseen systemic consequences threaten the interplay of natural forces that hold life on earth in a sustainable dynamic tension.
The micro context is equally challenging. Given that many of us may well live to 90 or more what on earth are we usefully going to do with this ‘gift’ of extra time? What opportunities await us? What kind of role could or should we take in society? And how could we start ‘letting go’ of our current conventional roles to create space for younger generations to come through and make their contribution?
Lifes Third Act
we are frequently more focused on ‘being interesting’ and less focused on ‘taking an interest.’
“When we fear what other people think about us, we are frequently more focused on ‘being interesting’ and less focused on ‘taking an interest.’ That’s why many people talk a great deal when they are anxious and why many people never feel heard. If both people and conversation are trying to be interesting, there is no one left to genuinely listen.”
― John Yokoyama, When Fish Fly: Lessons for Creating a Vital and Energized Workplace from the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market
I’m going to be who I really am. And I’m going to figure out what that is.
“It’s much easier to not know things sometimes. Things change and friends leave. And life doesn’t stop for anybody. I wanted to laugh. Or maybe get mad. Or maybe shrug at how strange everybody was, especially me. Continue reading
Tough times never last, but tough people do. – Robert H. Schulle
75 Reminders for Tough Times
- You never know how strong you really are until being strong is the only choice you have.
- Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.
- You cannot change what you refuse to confront.
- Nobody is perfect, and nobody deserves to be perfect. Nobody has it easy. You never know what people are going through. Every one of us has issues. So don’t belittle yourself or anyone else. Everybody is fighting their own unique war.
- Crying doesn’t indicate that you’re weak. Since birth, it has always been a sign that you’re alive and full of potential.
- No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying. (Read Unstoppable
.)
- Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
- Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. Let it go.
- Making one person smile can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. Start small. Start now.
- Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
- Never let success get to your head, and never let failure get to your heart.
- You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.
- Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
- You can learn great things from your mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.
- Give up worrying about what others think of you. What they think isn’t important. What is important is how you feel about yourself.
http://www.marcandangel.com/2011/07/17/75-reminders-for-tough-times/
Innovation in and of itself has no value
Innovation in and of itself has no value. It creates value when it results in either sustainable competitive advantage for you, neutralization of a competitor’s competitive advantage, or increased productivity within the status quo. Continue reading
Cricket World Cup 2015: Australia’s triumph inspires respect but no love after our boys’ antics
AUSTRALIA are World Cup champions for a fifth time but, while respect for the team’s ability is undoubted, equally there is no widespread love or affection for our boys outside these shores.
Like it or not, we are viewed as boorish, charmless winners whose snarling sledges, send-offs and generally ugly behaviour say more about us than our record of prolonged success.
Mike Walters in The Daily Mirror was strident in his criticism of the Aussies’ on-field chat, juxtaposed so neatly by the sportsmanship and classy touches shown by our New Zealand rivals.
“One conspicuous difference between mother country and champions has not escaped international attention: Boring, boring England were useless but boorish, boorish Australia were not above criticism.
“Not for the first time, when the conquerors’ mask slipped, Straya could not resist the temptation to underline their superiority with gloating send-offs, even in a one-sided final where New Zealand never got out of the blocks.
The eyes have it. Grant Elliott’s intense stare at Brad Haddin tell its own story.Source: News Corp Australia
“When Martin Guptill was bowled by Glenn Maxwell, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin appeared to taunt him by clapping in his face like a performing seal.
“Contrast the fate of Black Caps top scorer Grant Elliott, serenaded with verbals on his dismissal, with four New Zealand players lining up to shake Australian captain Michael Clarke’s hand when he was out just eight runs short of the chequered flag.”
It’s clear Haddin’s antics didn’t go down too well across the ditch, if this image of the Dominion Post’s front page is anything to go by.
ONE TUSK 