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May 2009

Meetings That Matter

by marc | Fri, 05/29/2009 - 6:07am

When I mention the word “meetings” what is your first reaction? Do you suddenly feel sleepy or do you want to run for the nearest exit? Or are you enthusiastic and intrigued, looking forward to the thrill of creative group problem solving, fantastic brainstorming, and a team of people working with trust and healthy conflict? I visit and work in many different companies and organizations and notice that most people’s feelings about meetings are more like my first statement.

Work Like A Great Athlete

by marc | Wed, 05/27/2009 - 8:47am

One strategy common to most great athletes, in almost any sport, is that they work in bursts of peak activity and then take mini-breaks. For example, one day on television I watched Shahar Peer, an Israeli who is one of the highest ranked female tennis players in the world, play an intense and hard-fought match in the U.S. Open. In between points Shahar often turned away from the court and her opponent and closed her eyes. The commentators suggested that she was employing a visualization technique — seeing herself serve the ball into her opponent’s court, or receiving the serve from her opponent and hitting the ball with speed and accuracy. Whatever she was imagining, though, she was using this time to quiet her mind, relax, and ready herself for the next point. She was taking a quick break to refocus, and it was effective.

“YOU ARE BRILLIANT AND THE EARTH IS HIRING…” by Paul Hawken

by marc | Tue, 05/26/2009 - 8:35am

I was touched by Paul's speech. What do you think?

“YOU ARE BRILLIANT AND THE EARTH IS HIRING…” by Paul Hawken

Commencement Address by Paul Hawken to the Class of 2009, University of Portland, May 3, 2009

When I was invited to give this speech, I was asked if I could give a simple short talk that was “direct, naked, taut, honest, passionate, lean, shivering, startling, and graceful.” Boy, no pressure there.

Be here now... Be some place else later. Is that so complicated? (David Bader) and nine other of my favorite quotes...

by marc | Fri, 05/22/2009 - 6:43am

You must remember one thing.
The world was made to be free in.
- David Whyte

Freedom is like taking a bath – you have to keep doing it every day!
- Florynce Kennedy

You are the truth from foot to brow. Now what else would you like to know?
- Rumi

The secret of Zen is just two words: Not always so!
- Shunryu Suzuki

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Error is just as important a condition of life as truth.
- Carl Jung

Be here now….Be some place else later. Is that so complicated?
- David Bader

Are You Limited By Your Beliefs?

by marc | Wed, 05/20/2009 - 8:13am

Everything we take for granted is constantly changing. The formation of the clouds in the sky at this moment is unique and will never be repeated. Every cell in our bodies is replaced—some quickly, some more slowly—every seven years. Our planet and the universe are in a state of continual, inconceivable transformation.

Stepping From The Top Of A 100 Foot Pole

by marc | Mon, 05/18/2009 - 6:39am

A famous story from Zen literature presents the provocative question, “How do you step from the top of a 100 foot pole?

The poem that goes along with this question says:
You who sit on the top of a 100 foot pole
Although you have entered the Way, it is not yet genuine
Take a step from the top of the pole
And the entire world becomes your body

Strategies For Reducing Distractions

by marc | Fri, 05/15/2009 - 4:54am

Distractions and interruptions are such a part of modern life that we don’t realize how hard it is to concentrate. Many neuroscientists, psychologists, and technology pundits believe that the distractions of our communication technology are actually rewiring the brain’s capacity to concentrate for any amount of time on one topic.

Right Speech

by marc | Mon, 05/11/2009 - 6:35am

The foundation of right speech is deep listening. Our speech does not occur in a vacuum — it must include our awareness of others. When people don’t feel heard they become isolated and unhappy. Their work suffers, and the work of everyone around them suffers as well. Right speech means being present and meeting each person and each situation directly. Since each person has different communication and listening styles, right speech is the practice of speaking to each person in a way that best reaches and affects that person in each situation, while at the same time being true to yourself.

Z.B.A. Manifesto: Appreciating the Sacredness and Mystery of Our Lives

by marc | Fri, 05/08/2009 - 9:50am

The Z.B.A. Manifesto
1. It’s okay not to know. It’s okay to be vulnerable. No one has all the answers. We value and learn from the questions and the asking.
2. We are learning to appreciate the mystery and sacredness of our lives and the mystery and sacredness of life.
3. Life is short. There is no escape from old age, sickness, and death. Death is a great teacher. Recognizing the shortness of our lives provides motivation to live fully in each day and in each moment.

Accomplish More In A Fluid World

by marc | Wed, 05/06/2009 - 6:35am

Often when I walk into a company or organization as a coach or consultant, I am struck by the feeling that everyone working there is attempting to change an environment that they, in the sinking pit of their stomachs, believe is solid, immovable, and permanent. As a result, fear underlies almost every activity and communication. Fear of change, fear of failure, and fear of conflict are particularly common.