This year has been a year of changes, divisions, and further splitting of people into opposing groups of hopes and beliefs. It seems that the next few years might not necessarily be better, maybe there will be more opportunities, we will see! I am noticing a lot of struggle with me and a lot of people around me, partly due to the recent ongoing election in my country. I am noticing suffering and big surprises that some of us had. Others probably have their hopes close to coming true. Our world is painful because we cannot accept its power to change and our impermanence. It is not change itself that is painful but our resistance to it. Moreover, we are exporting pain to places like Bangladesh, where our clothes are sewn, or to nature, where we bear responsibility for the incredible destruction of species—and yet we don’t even recognize that animals are capable of suffering. My daughter shared with me one of the optional classes that she enrolled in, and it is called “empathy across species” and I was embarrassed to realize that I never thought that animals could have empathy. We exclude those who suffer from the world of work, confine the elderly to homes, and try to delay death as long as possible. Many people have forgotten that we are part of this world and, therefore, so part of the eternal cycle of becoming, change, and decay. The less we surrender to this reality and the more artificial situations we create to protect ourselves, the more we help what we do not want to see return through the back door—in a different form, often one we have little control over. I am convinced, and shared with you, that to win a “battle” you have to become your enemy, the one that you hated too much. So what value-added, does the win have, Ultimately, we must admit that everything we dislike and everything we believe is beyond our control, was created by us. Talking to some friends, I said that we are all responsible for all the wars that we have now on this planet. And he was quite surprised about my conclusion. In reality, our thoughts, (no) actions, our behavior, ethics, decisions, etc – that we make with each human interaction, are the drivers for the (lack of) life that we live today. There is nothing for which we are not (co-)responsible. This is hard to understand because we have become masters at looking for—and usually finding—responsibility in “others.” How can I live with such responsibility without losing my laughter, cheerfulness, and good sleep? Acceptance of what is, helps us regain these qualities. And doing your part of the work in anything that you believe in. They are essential for changing anything. For some of us, this is a difficult path because daily suffering is not easy to bear. Everything in this world is connected; every person is also a mirror for you. We only have ourselves, and no one will come to save us. Our world is in constant flux; it is born every morning and dies every evening (metaphorically speaking). We assume the world will be the same tomorrow when we wake up as when we go to sleep. This certainty is both necessary and good. Yet, the morning may be different from the evening— for example, what happened with elections here for some of us. The world is not worse in such moments, just different. Taking care of ourselves when necessary, and helping when someone is going through difficult times—are all part of our humanity. Resisting what is, shouting “why, why,” is something we do to keep reality at bay and deny it. It is our frantic attempt to maintain some control over something much greater and wiser than us:Life. Saying “YES” to what is, also allows us to rediscover our laughter and cheerfulness—because why not laugh at things we cannot change anyway? And then go to work, enjoy the Christmas holidays, and all the other things that are on your plate – from this state of being.
As we look ahead to 2030 and the coming decade, leaders must adapt their strategies for an increasingly complex future. Here are 5 vital areas to prioritize:
What searching for meaning has to do with it? I was wondering, what do you think is your purpose when you lead people? It’s not just about achieving good results—that’s obvious. Do you aim to make your people happy?Do you strive to keep them engaged?Do you feel responsible for solving any issues that may arise? Expanding on the topic, what happens when we don’t understand our role as parents?Are you there solely to make your child happy? Or are you there to prepare them for life, enabling them to become who they want to be? Is the school’s role merely to keep kids happy? Or is it to impart knowledge and teach them how to learn for a lifelong journey? Our role as leaders, parents, or teachers isn’t solely to ensure people’s happiness. It’s to nurture growth. This doesn’t mean we can’t find happiness along the way; it means happiness isn’t the ultimate purpose—growth is. When your people feel inspired by you, it means they perceive you as not overly strict, not neglectful, and not seeking loyalty just because you’re a good person! It means they see your purpose and why you’re there! How do you find your meaning? Many young leaders (or aspiring ones) are on a profound quest for meaning. When they discover it, they’ll have determination, resilience, grit, and boundless energy to pursue it, unstoppable in their mission to change the world. The intention is truly beautiful. Do I find my meaning? Did you find yours?Frankly, I don’t know. Here’s what I’ve learned—STOP SEARCHING and START GIVING. It’s aching to seek a place called heaven on Google Maps. You won’t find it there, not because it doesn’t exist, but because you need to use the right map. Heaven is within, not pinned on Google Maps… Everything you believe is missing is here.Everything you search for outside resides within you.JUST THAT IT MIGHT TAKE YEARS TO REALIZE IT. Let me share a few ideas on how to nurture growth in your team: You can find meaning in everything you do and further help your team and people around you grow together with you! Schedule a meeting here and let’s start this journey together!
Beyond Expertise: Redefining Leadership in the Modern Workplace Are you telling people often what to do? When is it appropriate to tell your team members what to do versus letting them figure it out for themselves? When mindset and level of awareness are involved? What’s best for both short and long-term goals for the team? When they discover the answer for themselves, it has more meaning and they learn to trust themselves. When you tell them the answer, you might be frustrated that you don’t have time for what’s important and get pulled into operations. When it’s a fact or a great truth, say it, and always ask “What do you think?” Great truths are things like: -Women talk with friends to create bonds.-Men identify strongly with their jobs/careers/work.-Some people are content with the status quo and have no interest in changing. People who think that they are smart, need to tell others what to do, as the others are not smart enough to know. And one of the downsides of that is that you are not open to learning anymore, as you know everything most of the time. So what should you learn about? What I noticed is that most people are working hard to look smart and very few play dumb. I guess both are helpful depending on the context and intentions. Play dumb sometimes Your attitude is critical. If you approach a leadership role as though you’re the expert and you know what’s best for your team, not only you will not be accepted, but you’re also dismissing people’s performance and knowledge. The more you demonstrate curiosity and desire to understand who your people are, the better your leadership skills will grow. Being willing to be wrong about any attitude or belief is imperative. Phrases such as “I’m a little confused” or “I may be wrong, but it seems as though…” not only invite your people to share better information but also demonstrate that you are the outside, objective listener that you should be. And show appreciation for what your people know and achieve through their own experience and that they are empowered for their job results. 🤝 Leadership is not about being right or wrong; it’s about getting your people to believe in their actions. I invite you to find the perfect balance between smart and dumb! Schedule a meeting here and let’s start this journey together!
An expression of the deepest part of us The significance of the universal archetypes is more than we might realize, it’s part of our lives and most of the stories that we love. Archetypes play a vital role for anyone when it comes to storytelling. This is how we develop and evolve in life. Starting with how we raise our children to how we impact our business environment. But more importantly, our way to storytelling it’s essential for your own psychological and spiritual development. What inspires me these days is the archetype of The Sage – Knower of Wisdom and Seer of Truth. When you think that you are anything but wise, please remember that the sage archetype is an expression of the deepest part of us. The sage archetype represents an intuitive knowing within us that transcends our conscious minds (ego). It’s associated with wisdom, knowledge, morality, and great power. There are more than 20 expressions of a Sage, what I like the most is “the Magician’. In our childhood stories and today’s movies, when someone faces a difficult challenge and is unable to solve the problem on his own, a wise figure presents itself to provide aid. And this is when we can show our wisdom or magic. While Magicians can play a variety of roles in any story, they usually step in to do one or more of the following: In Harry Potter, we have Dumbledore, in The Lord of the Rings we have Gandalf, in Star Wars we have Yoda, and in Matrix, we have Morpheus. I am wondering who you have as your Magician. And what kind of movies do you like?And just between you and me – the movies that we like are saying a lot about who we are. There are many magicians around you! There is also magic inside you. I can guide you and help you find the support you need to become the hero that you know you are. Schedule a meeting here and let’s start this journey together!