|
Hi,
Strange title? Read the feature article at the side to see what I mean. (Or what I'm struggling to articulate!)
Welcome to the first WORDS in ACTION newsletter of 2008 especially if you are a new reader. I write mostly about business related topics here. If you are interested in reading about writing and words, have a look at the blog.
| Sticky situations |
 |
|
One of the activites I find most satisfying is supporting working groups to communicate effectively. Sometimes strained relationships are the result of misunderstandings, differing styles or a clash of priorities. I enjoy helping to unravel the strands to reveal the shared common ground and seek a way forward. This isn't always possible of course. As I learned from a conflict resolution expert, 'no deal' may sometimes be the answer - the parties have to agree to differ. Even then, there will be learning if a respectful process has been followed .
Last year, I undertook several of such tasks, sometimes solo, sometimes with an associate. This year I have been invited to share what I've learned with a clergy group. So, I'm looking forward to more work of this kind, either facilitating 'sticky situations' or sharing the skills.
I'm also being invited to chair or facilitate meetings and conferences. So if you're looking for someone to ensure that your agenda runs smoothly, productively and to time, you know where to come!
|
| Coaching and Mentoring |
|
|
I continue to coach and mentor, both private individuals and in the third sector on behalf of GCVS. I'm working towards accreditation with the Association for Coaching which involves compiling an extensive portfolio. That's one of the many items on the 'lists' referred to in the feature article!
I'm a licensed Firework career coach so if you want to put a rocket under your current career and propel yourself upwards or outwards, click on the Firework link below for details.
|
| Ladies and Gentlemen! |
|
|
I enjoy speaking to groups large and small and of course it's an opportunity for more people to buy and use 'How to Stop Flogging a Dead Horse'.
The themes I cover include 'What's Stopping You?' (taking the plunge and starting that business); 'Happy Endings - how to let go and move on'; 'First Aid for times of change'.
|
| Gratuitous Illustration |
|
|
I'm including this because I like it. Wintry, yes but beautiful. Loch Fad, Isle of Bute January 19th. The gap through which Arran is visible is the Highland Boundary Fault (don't you know!)
|
| Thought for the Day |
|
|
'Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can.' Danny Kaye
|
|
|
Here and Now or The Next Decade
|
|
|
|
The strange title reflects the tension between living and working fully in the present and planning ahead in the light of a vision for the future. Yes, of course it needs to be both/and not either/or. but that's easier said than done.
After a long break over the holiday period busy with family commitments, I took some time out with a year planner, paper and coloured pens to map out at least the first 3 months of 2008. I wanted to review my priorities and think about what was important.
However, plans and lists need to be servants and not masters! If I find myself making lists about my leisure time, I know that I've lost the plot big time. Sometimes we do need to be reminded to relax and enjoy ourselves but when that too feels like a task, planning has become a tyrant.
Being fully present in the here and now is a common theme in many spiritual paths and essential for our wellbeing. Almost a cliche, it is nonetheless, one of life's biggest challenges. Simply to be focussed on or absorbed in what I am doing right now is hard for a creature of mind, body and spirit. If I am dwelling on a memory or imagining the future, I am not fully engaged with the present. At the level of the ordinary, it's the reason why we put the kettle in the fridge or leave our wallet behind because as we say 'my mind was on something else.'
To do a good job, I need to be focussed on that client and not already thinking ahead to the next meeting. To write this effectively and in reasonable time, I need not to be mentally packing my brief case for tomorrow's presentation. There are two books I would recommend in this connection. Charles T Tart's 'Living the Mindful Life' and 'Meditation made Easy' by Lorin Roche. The first is serious and in some ways demanding; the second is lighthearted in the best sense and debunks some of the fears or scepticism about meditation. Both offer practical exercises.
Find the balance between Doing and Being |
|
