Week #9: Prosperity Challenge & Future of Management

Especially because we were running out of time, it would be great to get your comments and "learnings" from the “Strength I See in You” exercise. We can review these comments at the start of the last class.

Please also post your comments about--
a) experiences with the Be Ordinary Live-With. Some find the word "ordinary" hard to deal with; we know we are all unique, one-of-a-kind and somewhat special... If this is the case, substitute the word "authentic"-- as in being true to yourself and valuing yourself for who you are. Please share.

b) further comments and thoughts about Steve Jobs and his leadership “qualities”. Also what about the future of management? How do you see organizations in general, and yours in particular, evolving given some new requirements and operating environments?

c) reactions to the Mt Everest case, in advance of our conversation. Within our leadership discussions, we have talked about willingness to take risk and make mistakes. This case goes farther into disastrous results... However, we can learn from it and relate some of the "errors" to what we have covered. What do you think?

Have an enjoyable holiday—using the live-with, naturally, to get through any tough situations….

See you on December 2nd

Julie and Hal

Week #8-- Balance & Gender Tendencies in Leadership

We hope you enjoyed the discussions on Monday.

This week, please share your experiences with balance-- what it means to you and how you try to achieve it. "Apply" the Live-With and record your successes as well as what did not help. There may be two different approaches: (1) finding a way to integrate all aspects of your life to create a dynamic balance, or (2) recognizing competing priorities and consciously choosing one over the other for some period (before rebalancing to focus on the other “side”). Your experiences?

We felt that confronting gender differences was important. The key is seeking and bringing out your authentic self. Thoughts?

We will start next class with some comments on Steve Jobs and leading change. The “lessons” from his “style” plus a fuller understanding of the dynamics of change can be an important part of every leader's job. And this can be helpful in managing (or being managed) at all levels in an organization.

What has been your experience with either leading change or "being part" of a major change or turnaround effort. What did you experience? How did you cope to get through it?

Have a great week
Julie & Hal

Week #7: See With Your Heart; Whole Foods and Mackey's Leadership

An interesting quote:
"And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with
the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible
to the eye." Antoine de Saint-Exupery

What a lovely week this is - a week of seeing with your heart, which allows you to see what is invisible to the eye.

It is only when you move past seeing with just the eyes and mind that you can really see another human being at all, and can begin to be in true relationship, whether it is with another or it is with your Self.

Make sure to practice this live-with both internally and externally. Once you begin to open your heart to yourself, and your Self, you will know your deepest capacity for love and compassion.

On a very practical note, use your precise observation to see what shifts at home and at work when you see with your heart. What changes in the dynamic of your relationships? How is the 'other', whom you are seeing with your heart, changed? How does is your creativity, and the creativity that comes from your relationship, changed? Reciprocity???

We discussed an interesting and successful company built by John Mackey. Do you have any reaction to what he did? How it might what we have covered in both WL Gore and Whole Foods be useful for you in your organization?

See you on the 11th
Keep posting,
Julie & Hal