What's one word that guides your choices and actions?

For four years I followed the 3 word ritual I learned from Chris Brogan who said:

I practice a ritual called “My 3 Words.” The idea is that you think up three words that will help guide your choices and actions over the coming year. This has become quite an event, with thousands and thousands of people working their way through the ritual and planning their year based on their own three words.

For 2020 I chose just one word - magnificence. I learned the one word concept from Dr Jason Fox. See his short video here. 

For 2021 I've chosen one word again after undertaking Jason's online course. 

My word for 2021 is energised.

I highly recommend Jason's online course.

Become the wise leader you want to be.

Ian

Getting past 'The Deficit Myth' is a key to a better future

I've long believed that mostly in the Western world we have elected the wrong people to lead us particularly this century. Trump capped it all off. And here in Australia Morrison beggars belief. Having said this Biden and Albanese are not the answers either. These four I feel are representatives of the past. All are leading us down the wrong paths.

Part of the reason we have duped ourselves is because the mainstream believes in the BS the politicians spew out about money, finance and the economy.

The reality is we have a failed financial system that means the rich get richer and the inequality gap widens.

This book may change all this. 

I hope the ideas in this book become mainstream and that 'Modern Monetary Theory' is embraced.

I want to say goodbye to neoliberalism (the resurgence of 19th-century ideas associated with economic liberalism and free-market capitalism), party politics and the division caused by them, as well as the belief that social democracy is a bad thing.

It's time for politicians to actually represent citizens rather than corporations, lobby groups, religion and others with vested interests.

Get this book for yourself here.

Become the wise leader you want to be.

Ian

The joy of delivering the finished product

The video below is the 45 seconds after the first box of my Heart-Leadership book were delivered to my home.

The box contained the first 44 of the 100 I will sign. To get one of the remaining 46 signed and numbered books please register for one of the conversations below:

February 24th 2021 10 AM - 11.30 AM AEDT

February 24th 2021 3.30 PM - 5 PM AEDT

February 24th 2021 6.30 PM - 8 PM AEDT

If these dates don't work for you then please contact me on +61 418 807 898. I'm very happy to take phone orders while the 46 remain and have a conversation with you in due course.

Become the wise leader you want to be.

Ian

Is harmony your key to thriving in 2021?

I've written and spoken a lot about harmony.

Here's some of my musings:

Harmony Matters

Everything of meaning and value begins with harmony

Life/work balance is nonsense - life/work harmony is possible

I often just contemplate the yin and yang symbol as I appreciate what is and imagine what can be in my life and work.

In a conversation with a colleague last week we touched on Carl Jung's insight of Anima and Animus

The quote below is from this Wikipedia link:

Anima

Anima originated from Latin, and was originally used to describe ideas such as breath, soul, spirit or vital force. Jung began using the term in the early 1920s to describe the inner feminine side of men.

Animus

Animus originated from Latin, where it was used to describe ideas such as the rational soul, life, mind, mental powers, courage or desire. In the early nineteenth century, animus was used to mean "temper" and was typically used in a hostile sense. In 1923, it began being used as a term in Jungian psychology to describe the masculine side of women.

For me 2020 has seen the worst in male leaders and the best in female leaders. In 2021 I'm expecting more men embracing their Anima and therefore better male leaders. I'm expecting a continuation of the growth in female leaders both in quality and quantity.

Anima and Animus are another way to look at harmony. How do they speak to you?

Who will you become? What will you do next?

Become the wise leader you want to be.

Ian

What did you learn, unlearn and relearn in 2020?

Listen to the podcast version of this post

Wise people are playing an infinite game. A key to continuing is deciding on what you will take into the future and what will you leave behind?

A line from Alvin Toffler in his 1970 book Future Shock has well and truly survived the 50 years since he said it:

By instructing students how to learn, unlearn and relearn, a powerful new dimension can be added to education…Tomorrow's illiterate will not be the man who can't read; he will be the man who has not learned how to learn.

Today this is often quoted as ‘The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.’

2020 has been a great you for learning, unlearning and relearning has it not?

I learned

We can be engaging and make deep connections with other humans online.

We do not have to work long hours to produce great work or to achieve what we is important to us and those we serve.

Sticking to our practice, that is our way of being and doing, means we can thrive regardless of what may be happening in the world.

I unlearned

Selling is a numbers game.

Writing is always hard work.

Trying to appeal to people who aren’t the right fit for me.

I relearned

Listening to understand before seeking to be understood.

Hearing my heart before asking my head.

The power of now and choosing now over normal.

What do you learn, unlearn and relearn in 2020?

What you will take into the future and what will you leave behind?

Do Your Work.

Become the wise leader you want to be.

Ian

PS There's videos, podcasts, courses and resources here to help you

What would happen if you were kinder to yourself, other people, and our planet?

This weeks video is the last in the continuous set of eight about the heart qualities I explore in my Heart-Leadership book. It is also one of 26 videos you will find here about Heart-Leadership.

There’s a one minute and forty-seven seconds video at this blog post that for me perfectly demonstrates kindness.

What would happen if you were kinder to yourself, other people, and our planet?

Kindness in part comes from a flow of the other heart qualities which in turn flow to head catalysts and hand actions.

Each of these heart qualities, head catalysts and hand actions are choice that wise leaders make.

Become the wise leader you want to be.

Ian

Heart-Leadership - Become the wise leader you want to be is now published

 

My book is now published.

You can purchase it from here.

At the link there's 24 videos (all under 5 minutes) and 24 podcasts (all under 10 minutes). They are companion resources for the book and designed for you as a 48 week self-directed online course.

Just watch or listen to one video or one podcast a week for 48 weeks and then take action in your own best way.

Just watch one video or listen to one podcast and you will know if this book is for you.

It's written for Heart-Leadership Enthusiasts.

Your heart knows. Learning to trust this innermost knowing means no longer second guessing yourself or doubting your value.

Heart-Leadership enables clarity in any given moment of your why and how, what’s next and with and for whom. 

Heart-Leadership enables you to sense any disruption to your flow in advance, and to overcome any challenge and solve any problem peacefully. 

Heart-Leadership is grounded in the eight heart qualities of love, gratitude, appreciation, care, happiness, compassion, harmony and kindness.

Heart-Leaders enhance, hold and when needed shift human energy for the better. 

Do you want to lead from your heart in your home, workplace, town, city, country, sporting club, community group, wherever you belong? This book is for you. 

Become the wise leader you want to be.

Ian

Create your own future

Listen to the podcast version of this post

I’ve been contemplating my future this week. I do so regularly. At this time of year I focus on my future for a few days because I always reinvent myself in some way as I move into a new year. 

Happenstance meant that during my considerations this week a notice of a new video about the future came into my inbox. It’s 42 minutes.

On the video Anton Musgrave says “stop thinking about the future from the lens of today.” 

Liselotte Lygnso says “Things are not good or bad they just are."

These two pieces of wisdom helped my contemplations.

Then the old chestnut came up too “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” This is often attributed to Abraham Lincoln. A fact check reveals this not to be the case and doesn’t really offer who may have said it or not. The closest is Peter Drucker being quoted as saying “You cannot predict the future, but you can create it.”

I believe everyone one of us can and must create our own future. There are many actions you can take and a great deal that you can influence.

Also this week I’ve been reading a great new book by Derek Sivers.

This book is about being a successful musician yet it is also using musician as a metaphor for being successful at anything we choose. 

I love this book.

Derek recommends having two plans that you work simultaneously. 

One plan depends on you and nobody else. The second plan uses other people to help. 

I think this is genius and so I now have two plans for 2021.

How are you creating your future?

Do Your Work.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.

Ian

Harmony Matters

Being in harmony with yourself, other people and our planet is the starting place for being the best version of you. Harmony is perhaps my all time favourite word. The Yin and Yang symbol captures it very well. Harmony is one of eight heart qualities that I explore in my Heart-Leadership book.

Being in harmony enables us to hear our hearts, ask our heads and engage our hands. This is the supreme order of things and leads to happenstance (synchronicity/serendipity). 

Listen to the short podcast about harmony.

Find life/work harmony for yourself.

Find and sustain a shared-view (harmony) in seven areas of significance.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.

Ian

How are you dealing with fake news, endless disinformation and propaganda?

Image via medium.com

I've been at sixers and sevens about social media and the media in general for several months. The old media of the likes of Murdoch owned outlets I mostly ignore.

In my Heart-Leadership book I say the following about social media:

A blessing and a curse is how I describe social media. On the one hand much of it is anti-social, self-centred, self-righteous crap. It is very difficult to spot fake news and the endless disinformation and propaganda is quite simply a pain in the arse.

On the other hand there’s value and insight to be given and received and the platforms can assist us in building and sustaining relationships. DC (during coronavirus) social media I’m sure has been helpful too many to stay in touch with family and friends.

I personally limit myself to LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. The latter two are always precarious. I’m on WhatsApp yet I don’t see the value in always being available and so notifications for all social media are mostly switched off.

My main ritual with social media and technology platforms in general is to limit my time and energy engaging with them.

I admit to being warn out by fake news, endless disinformation and propaganda, not just on social media, in much of the old media as well.

How are you dealing with fake news, endless disinformation and propaganda?

I genuinely want to know your feelings and thoughts. Please email me ian@ianberry.biz or comment below or on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook where this will be posted.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.

Ian

The key to environments of trust is being trustworthy

Listen to the podcast version of this post

I have zero trust in federal politicians to do the right thing by us. A certain American President and those that enable him personifies for me everything that isn’t trustworthy.

I remain positive though. In my world trust matters. In my world I live and work with people who are trustworthy. The key to environments of trust is being trustworthy

In my world people can be relied on to speak the truth as they see it.

In my world being compassionate and kind matters.

In my world actions and behaviours mirror the words.

In her great book 'Dare To Lead' Brene Brown speaks of her seven elements of trust. One of them is Integrity. Brene says and I quote:  “You choose courage over comfort. You choose what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy. And you choose to practice your values rather than simply professing them.” 

Living our values rather than simply professing them is a key to being trustworthy.

Your values are not words. They are behaviours. In a team, organisation, your family or your sporting team/community they are 3 - 5 behaviours that you have agreed on.

There's a complimentary self-directed online course here on sustaining shared-view in the seven areas of significance. Do the course with any group of people and I guarantee increased trustworthiness.

More on values being behaviours here.

Do Your Work.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.

Ian

Compassion is a behaviour

The following is from my Heart-Leadership book.

There's a lot of truth for me in the following attributed to Fred Kofman, a leader in the conscious business movement:

"Wisdom without compassion is ruthlessness,

and compassion without wisdom is folly."

One of the Apostles of the Christian Church is reported to have said, “Faith without works is dead.”

A lot of faiths are dead, dying, or in trouble today because the actions of a few of the faithful betray their stated beliefs. 

I meet a lot of people more interested in being right than being compassionate for example. Compassion for me is at the truthful heart of all the world’s religions. Compassion is not a belief, it's a behaviour.

If we are not living and breathing a compassionate life we render whatever we believe as null and void, regardless of what we say.

A new world is being born.  Compassion is a key component. There is a place for faith in this new world. For me belief is personal and therefore deserving of respect. 

What really matters in this new world though is behaviour.

Some people have asked me what has compassion got to do with the future success of my business? My answer is - Everything! particularly in a world where being purpose driven and people focused, and seeing technology as an enabler and enhancer of the human experience, is the leading edge.

Being compassionate is a foundation stone of Heart-Leadership.

There's more videos, podcasts and self-directed online courses here to help you to be a Heart-Leader in your own best way.

Hear your heart first, then ask you head, then engage your hands.

Ian