What are we
to
do as a nation
of earth dwellers?
Is Last Man Standing
the only
way we know
to save
our planet's
other
species
and
fulfill our visions
of God?
As I get deeper into coaching a client about her career, increasingly we centre on her values and interests, which brought us to consider ‘hope’ as a factor. What is the taste and feel of her hope? Until we understand that hope is essential to her moving forward in her stagnated… Read More »Hope Is a Strategy (Well, Sort Of)
Hope Is a Strategy (Well, Sort Of)
Instead of simply scanning the bullet points in articles on career planning discover the right questions to ask first.
Very few people have career plans that move linearly from A to Z. Most of us career from one perceived opportunity to the the next, but often the advice we get assumes we’re in control. We’re not. What we can be in control of is the basis of making career choices: what do I like and what would I like to have more of? There are some good questions to ask. Ask them. Answer them. Then act.
If ‘career’ is a verb, then what is a ‘career plan’?
The corner has been turned on the complexity of leadership. The true skill is in achieving simplicity: Simplicity with the clarity that can come only from a depth of curiosity and reflection. It is true that it is harder to be simple with clarity. It requires regular and full attention. Being a leader surely requires constant and deep reflection to develop and maintain clarity of vision and purpose. It is hard to do that alone.
That is why leadership coaching has become such a precious and sought-after service.
Being a Leader is Hard, so WHAT (are we going to do about it)?
<1007 words> I participated in a conversation yesterday in which it was lamented that the liberal left in North America has finally achieved Nirvana – extinction/disappearance. It was said that there is such a consciousness of the harm that we have done to each other and of the harm that’s… Read More »The Hard Work of Making Choices
The Hard Work of Making Choices
A new way of measuring and comparing countries is discussed in a TED talk by Simon Anholt, which triggers for Delphine a series of questions about the choice she made in immigrating to Canada “is Canada a good country?” from South Africa. “Good” in this context is not the opposite of “bad”. Instead, it is juxtaposed against “selfish”, but it isn’t synonymous with “generous”. The blog concludes with the realisation that there is a persona contribution to be made towards “good”. It’s not just up to politicians and big business.
I want to live in a good country
While walking in the high winds of the side-end of Hurricane Arthur I realise important things about life that I believe are generally applicable. Such as not to shrink from challenges, to maintain humility and to practice gratitude every day.
A Hurricane of Ideas
Africa discovered fractals first I simply love this video – it set me off on an Internet journey of exploring fractals – the picture kind. And a profound penny dropped: infinity is both the smallest and the biggest.
Africa discovered fractals first
<681 words> The 1965 best-seller by Stephen Vizinczey, “In praise of older women: the amorous recollections of András Vajda” is about the potential and attractions of amorous relationships between young men and older women (women in their 30s and 40s). My ‘older women’ are the women who are in their… Read More »In Praise of Older Women
In Praise of Older Women
I have been putting off writing this blog for a month now. Not because I’m lazy but because I’m not. Initially I thought it would be easy because I’m a very experienced procrastinator and would have a great deal to say about it. But then this academic thing kicked in – maybe I needed to explore some of the research because maybe the thoughts I have on the topic aren’t really valid.
Now THERE’s a great procrastinator’s hideout: go check the authorities rather than thinking the thing through with your own brain. This isn’t an academic treatise: it is an original blog by someone who sometimes has original thoughts.
By procrastinating I create that anxiety and tension because the clock is ticking: the deadline is looming (or as we say in our family “the dead lion doesn’t sleep tonight ahh.. whimeweh”).