Becoming

This is a great story. I've very much enjoyed reading it and reflecting. I will be adding this book to my recommended reading list.

My overwhelming conclusion is that the Obama's are good humans and that Michelle Obama would be as great a President as her husband though she would never want the role. 

This story is in stark contrast to the current President who doesn't show any humanity and who I think is unbecoming.

Be remarkable.

Ian

Find your voice, sing your song, play your music

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I’ve started writing my Heart-leadership book. This post and podcast is from Sparkenation 2 'Hear Your Heart'.

A reminder a sparkenation is "a spark that ignites passion that leads to action that changes what’s normal."

My favourite metaphors for essence are voice, song and music.

I was first introduced to voice/song/music as a metaphor for essence on the day I left hospital following what had been a life-saving operation.

I was 23 years old at the time and as I look back I was very naive then about matters of the heart. 

My doctor had introduced me to the heart-mind-body connection and had begun to teach me meditation something was totally unfamiliar with. He had also taught me a mantra "I have an attitude of gratitude” to help me ensure that I became a survivor of what was then a 1 in 5 chance. I said the mantra out loud in from of a mirror for several days prior to my operation. It's a practice I have continued now for 43 years!

I didn't know it back then that I was beginning to tap into my heart by believing what my doctor was teaching me even though I had very little understanding at the time.

My doctor came to see my wife and I on the day I could finally go home after weeks in hospital. His parting words were “Don’t die with your music locked in you.” 

My wife Carol and I had no idea what he meant!

Later we discovered these were words by the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli who probably borrowed them from Samuel Beckett. 

This discovery was the beginning of a what has become my life’s work to help people to find your voice, sing your song, play your music.

The Stephen R. Covey book that I recommend the most is ’The 8th Habit From Effectiveness to Greatness’,  which digs deep into this topic of essence.

In this book Covey describes Voice as "unique personal significance - significance that is revealed as we face our greatest challenges and which makes us equal to them."

He says Voice is found at the nexus of talent, need, conscience and passion as illustrated below:

Talent (your natural gifts and strengths), 

Need (including what the world needs enough to pay you for), 

Conscience (that still small voice within that assures you of what is right and that prompts us to actually do it), 

Passion (those things that naturally energise, excite, motivate and inspire you).

What are your natural gifts and strengths?

What needs are you providing that you’re being paid for?

What is that small still voice inside you saying to you on a consistent basis? Are you paying attention?

What naturally energises, excites, motivates and inspires you?

These 5 questions demand answers don’t they.

The world needs you to have found your Voice!

Sometimes we call your Voice Song and sometimes Music.

In many of my online conversations and in person workshops I ask participants to choose a theme song for where their live is heading. Many people immediately get their smart phone out and play their song!

What would your theme song be right now?

Possible Actions You can take to discover your essence (find your voice, sing your song, play your music)

1) Undertake my short online course to discover your essence. It's called ‘Magnificence’ You’ll find it here. 

2) Seek out people you trust and who know you well and ask them to describe in a sentence your character and how they see you at your very best. 

3) Reflect on your life’s work to date. What is it that you love to do more than anything else? What does this tell you about essence?

4) Play with Covey’s insights about your talent, need, conscience and passion and see where it leads you

5) Get used to hearing your heart before you start asking your head anything!

Do Your Work.

Be remarkable.

Ian

Seven solutions to your greatest workplaces challenges

I’ve added a bespoke briefing to the 4 complimentary ways that I can help you to thrive AC (after corona).

You can download details of the 4 here. 

Each will help you to solve one or more of your seven greatest challenges.

Be remarkable.

Ian

My top 21 recommended reading list

I recently updated my top 21 recommended reading list, You can download the list here.

Here's my full list.

Be remarkable.

Ian

The Heart-leadership Manifesto

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The world needs more leaders with heart. 

The following is the Heart-leadership Manifesto.

Goodbye overcompensated celebrity CEO’s, dictators and control freaks,
and charlatans of all persuasions!

Hello trustworthy, ethical heart-leaders of unquestionable integrity.

Heart-leadership is the new normal.

Heart-leadership is a way to be decisively human in a decidedly digital world.

Heart-leadership is a digitally savvy, human centred design approach to the 3 pillars of a thriving modern enterprise - people leadership, process innovation and progress sustainability.

Hear Your Heart (People leadership) is the art of seeing, sometimes unearthing, mostly magnifying and enhancing people's essence including your own.

People’s essence is their one-of-a-kind character, what is personally significant about them.

People leadership is the sure-fire way to people feeling valued.

Ask Your Head (Process innovation) is the collaborative work of ensuring processes make it simple for people to bring their essence to their work. 

Processes include policies, procedures, practices, philosophies, principles, structures and systems.

Process Innovation is how people live values and deliver and exchange value.

Engage Your Hands (Progress sustainability) is the joyful craft of ensuring progress towards possibility (desired new reality, shared goal/objective/aim) is kept visible.

Progress sustainability means thriving in ways that are good for all people and our planet.

I hope you will hold this manifesto in your heart and take action in your own best way.

Should you like a performance possibility partner then please reach out to me today.

You might value participating in the inaugural heart-leadership online peer group program.
Details here.

Learn more about heart-leadership here.

Do Your Work.

Be remarkable.

Ian

Performance Energetics, an alternative to performance appraisals

I still come across organisations doing performance appraisals even though there is a mountain of evidence (just Google it) that says they are bad for people.

As I say

People don't want to be appraised.

We want to be appreciated.

Often following heart-leadership work I help my clients to upgrade their performance review system, including eliminating performance appraisals. Below is an overview of the areas we review and upgrade where appropriate.

One of the keys to thriving AC (after corona) is to maximise energy output when it comes to reviewing performance. Embracing Performance Energetics in your own best way is one guaranteed pathway to success. If you'd like some assistance please telephone me on +61 418 807 898.

Be remarkable.

Ian

The HeartMath Experience

In my work in Heart-leadership I have benefitted greatly from the research and work of the folk at The HeartMath Institute. 

Their special documentary 'The HeartMath Experience' is currently complimentary. I highly recommend it. Register and watch from here.

 

You might be interested in my heart-leadership program. Here's an overview.

The inaugural peer-group program commences on August 26th 2020. You can register here.

Be remarkable.

Ian

Re-start where you are and do what you can

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Yesterday my colleague Susan Furness and myself facilitated the final group session in one of our Strategic Heartistry programmes. The final group session is called Re-Start. It follows on from an individual planning session which followed Re-imagine and Re-purpose group sessions. 

I believe we are at a special moment in history where we have the good fortune to be able to choose on a massive scale to re-start life in many areas. In the process we can bring greater peace and harmony to our world and health to our planet.

In many ways the world needs a Re-start right?. Collectively it seems like we have lost the plot, black deaths in custody, so many deaths from corona, inept political leadership, just to name three of our current tragedies.

All is not lost. 

Yes many people feel overwhelmed. Yes many people are angry. And yes many people are suffering from inequality.

I sense a movement gathering momentum fast. Not a movement that is focused on single issues like climate change, police brutality or political corruption, yet one movement that focuses on being better humans and that encompasses all the issues where we are failing one another and the environments in which we live.

I’ve asked myself how can I do more? What is it about my contributions that can be better, wiser and more valuable. How can I make a more tangible difference?

The words of a mentor from long ago have come back to me “start where you are, do what you can.”

I’m doing this. I’m calling it a Re-start. I’m calling on you to Re-start too. 

To be more of whom you are capable of becoming, and to do your best in your world to be the best human being that you can be. The best version of you inspires others to be their best versions too.

Do Your Work.

Be remarkable.

Ian

Heart-leadership glossary and online courses and resources directory

I'm pleased to advise that the first edition of my Heart-leadership Glossary and online courses and resources directory is now available. You can download it here.

Be remarkable.

Ian

First, second and third places AC (after corona)

First place home, second place work, third place everywhere else. All have changed DC (during corona) haven't they?

I sense more changes AC (after corona) as well as taking the good from DC (during corona) into the future.

First place Home

Many people are telling me that they have a renewed enthusiasm for family and a greater appreciation of family members. I feel that this will continue and contribute to a more peaceful world. You?

Second place Work

Will the workplace ever be as it was? I hope not. Many people have expressed to me the desire to continue to work from home. Of course this is possible for many of us. My sense is that less traffic by car, less plane travel, and less urban life would be good for people as well as the planet. You?

Third place Everywhere Else

BC (before corona) I met with my clients online and in person. Most of the in person was in coffee shops or hotels because people often wanted to get away from the office! I expect when we are allowed out this will continue.

Of course online Zoom has become the third place. I was already comfortable in the Zoom room. Now there's more rooms because Zoom have added a great breakout facility. I have very much enjoyed my experiences using this addition to their offering.

I'm continuing to make my conversations online as human-centred as possible. No voice over slides is one way to do this. The conversation below that was held last Wednesday with my colleague Susan Furness is a great example. Learn more about my first and third Tuesday's and Wednesday's online events here.

My sense is more Zooming even AC (after-corona). You?

There is turmoil in many parts of the wider world at the moment. I believe this is largely about the self-centred and the self-righteous trying to hang onto a world that benefited them and not everyone else. I want to see this world end.

I cannot do anything about it directly though. What I can do is be better and wiser and more valuable in the world's that I co-exist in both online and in person. You? When we all do this the wider world will benefit.

I wish you well in your world and the first, second and third places where you belong.

Be remarkable.

Ian

Reasons, Relationships and Routines Guarantee Results

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Words beginning with R and especially Re are dominating our landscape right now aren’t they?

Renewal, Return, Regenerate, Revive, Recycle, Remove, Re-emerge, Responsible, Represent, Reconcile, Reconstruct, Renaissance, Ressurrect, Reflect, Revitalise, Revolution, Revolutionise, Rehabilitate, Rejuvenate, Reinvigorate, Repair, Reorganise, Replenish, Resist, Reduce, Rescue, Resuscitate. All have their own power don’t they?

In our Strategic Heartistry work with clients my colleague Susan Furness and I are focusing on Re-imagine, Re-purpose and Re-start.

My favourites though are Reasons, Relationships and Routines. These three I believe guarantee results.

DC (during corona) its Reasons, Relationships and Routines that sustain us. AC (after corona) will be no different.

What are your reasons for being alive today?
What is it about your personal and professional relationships that bring joy and meaning to your life and work?

My wife and I take a daily walk with our dog Molly. The walk itself is a routine. On the walk we express out loud what we are grateful for. This routine sets the tone for the rest of the day.

I publish my blog posts and podcasts at the same time of day on Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Friday’s. Readers like this regularity. For me it helps me be disciplined in all areas of my life.

I engage in my exercise routine at the same times every day.

What are the routines or rituals that are sustaining you right now?

To help you to ensure Reasons, Relationships and Routines Guarantee Your Results I’ve created this short online course for you. 

Do Your Work.

Be remarkable.

Ian

Is it time for your heart-leadership check-up (complimentary)?

My latest complimentary service to help you to thrive is a heart-leadership check-up. It takes just 30 minutes and is all on Zoom.

Here's the details. Simply contact me on the number at the link to schedule.

Be remarkable.

Ian

There is no Them

I'm a fan of Kevin Kelly. His '68 bits of unsolicited advise' that he gave on his 68th birthday contains a lot of wisdom. Some of my favourites are below. Check out all 68 here.

There is no “them” is my number one. Could be the most important piece of advice for thriving AC (after corona).

Don’t be afraid to ask a question that may sound stupid because 99% of the time everyone else is thinking of the same question and is too embarrassed to ask it.

Being able to listen well is a superpower. While listening to someone you love keep asking them “Is there more?”, until there is no more.

Gratitude will unlock all other virtues and is something you can get better at.

Treating a person to a meal never fails, and is so easy to do. It’s powerful with old friends and a great way to make new friends.

Rule of 3 in conversation. To get to the real reason, ask a person to go deeper than what they just said. Then again, and once more. The third time’s answer is close to the truth.

Don’t be the best. Be the only.

Don’t take it personally when someone turns you down. Assume they are like you: busy, occupied, distracted. Try again later. It’s amazing how often a second try works.

The purpose of a habit is to remove that action from self-negotiation. You no longer expend energy deciding whether to do it. You just do it. Good habits can range from telling the truth, to flossing.

The more you are interested in others, the more interesting they find you. To be interesting, be interested.

Optimize your generosity. No one on their deathbed has ever regretted giving too much away.

To make something good, just do it. To make something great, just re-do it, re-do it, re-do it. The secret to making fine things is in remaking them.

Be remarkable.
Ian