Synergy!

This past week I had the opportunity to sit with several groups that were thinking and processing about leadership and life.  They were powerful conversations!

As I reflected on each of them and the individuals involved, it occurred to me that part of the power of those experiences was because of the unique interplay of who was in the room. For example, in one of the groups we were brainstorming various ways to handle challenges from members of our teams. We came up with a really incredible list with lots of exceptional ideas and approaches. There were certainly way more (and better!) ideas than I could have come up with on my own, or even if I had been brainstorming with just one other member of the group at a time. In other words, the real power of the creativity was a result of the collective Synergy we created as a group.

It reminded me of a quote I recently encountered:

“…a stream of meaning flowing among and through us and between us. This will make possible a flow of meaning in the whole group, out of which may emerge some new understandings. It is something new, which may not have been in the starting point at all. It’s something creative. And this shared meaning…holds people and societies together…”

           ~ David Bohn, author of On Dialogue

Sometimes I think I get stuck in the trap of thinking that the best or most creative ideas and solutions will come from me, and I forget there is a whole other realm of learning and growth and creativity that can emerge when I am willing to give myself to the Synergy of collaborating with others.  But when I am willing to open myself up with a little vulnerability and enter into dialogue with others that is based on mutual trust and a desire for the overall well-being of the whole - that's when the magic of Synergy actually gets unleashed!

So, what are you working on right now that has mainly been limited to just your own thinking and processing? Who could you invite into some dialogue around that and what do you think might be discovered from that openness and curiosity? 

Here's to looking for some spaces of real Synergy this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center.  We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we’d love to support you!  Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.

Carry On!

Last week we took a look at the final C of the 8 Cs of Self-Leadership from the IFS-Institute. Originally, I intended that to be the final entry in this series, but I've been thinking all week of another C - Carry On. 

Not the luggage, but the action.

I shared each week that I hoped this series would help to create some positive focus as we continued to move our way into 2025.  That one idea alone speaks to how much I believe that life is truly a journey, and that each day brings another opportunity to keep learning and growing. So, I thought I would take one more week and leave you with a very simple recap of the 8 Cs and then ask some simple questions about how to Carry On in this journey.

Calm - actively cultivating a greater sense of peace and serenity that counteracts being so reactive to circumstances

Curiosity - embracing exploration and discovery as primary approaches to life

Confidence - living with the perspective that no matter what may come, it can be faced with purpose

Compassion - being open-heartedly present and appreciative of others and myself

Creativity - looking at life from new perspectives and without predetermined outcomes in mind

Courage -  remembering it isn't necessary to turn off fear, but to simply turn up the courage dial

Clarity - focusing on life and circumstances with honesty and objectivity

Connectedness - paying attention to particular and universal connections that cultivate feeling supported 

If you were to Carry On with just one of these over the course of the next month or so, which one do you think would be the most impactful for you? How could you continue to lean into growing and cultivating that C in your journey of life? If you were going to create some type of tool or reminder for yourself to help you Carry On in that focus, what would it be - a new mantra? A post it note on your computer or mirror at home? A new screen saver on your computer or phone? Finally, who could you share this with as a way to help you Carry On in this journey of growth and learning? How could they support you as you keep moving forward into 2025?

Let's Carry On - this week and beyond!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center.  We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we’d love to support you!  Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.

Connectedness

Here we are - our final look at the 8 Cs of Self-Leadership from the IFS-Institute and their founder, Dr. Richard Schwartz (Calm, Curiosity, Confidence, Compassion, Creativity, Courage, Clarity, and Connectedness). Hopefully, this series has created some positive focus as we keep moving forward into 2025.

We've already touched on Calm, Curiosity, Confidence, Compassion, Creativity, Courage, and Clarity, and this week we turn our attention to the final C - Connectedness.

Connectedness

In their approach to Connectedness, the IFS-Institue focuses on connections that are both small and large, or as another one of my friends would say, in the particular and the universal.  

When we think about small Connections, that means we are seeking to connect with particular individuals or a team or group. Meaningful connection happens with people we can see face to face and learn their name and their story. We get to know them, and they get to know us - we become connected.  Obviously, there can be different strengths of Connection in this particular way, because we may feel a stronger sense of connection with certain individuals or groups than we do with others.

This is where another aspect of the IFS-Institute's perspective is also helpful, namely that the purpose of Connection is to help us relax and find a greater sense of comfort and peace in being our authentic selves.  It's absolutely critical that we seek and find the kind of particular Connections that allow us to (in their words) "relax your defenses with others as you know that you won't be judged or controlled." 

But there is also a critical element in discovering a sense of Connectedness in the more universal and expansive way, like with a religion, some type of spirituality, or even just a general sense of being connected to something greater than ourselves.  This larger sense of Connectedness is critical because it helps us to step back and hold our present circumstances with greater transcendence or a feeling that we know "this" isn't everything.

When we find Connection to the more universal, we are able to hold our present circumstances with more of a loose grip and not let it consume or overwhelm us.

Finally, it's important to remember that the point isn't to achieve some level of Connectedness, but to celebrate the Connections we have and learn how to grow into a greater sense of Connectedness, both in the particular and the universal. This is a journey of movement and ongoing growth and discovery in our Connections.

As you think about these two aspects of Connectedness, what particular Connections can you celebrate and cultivate today? Who do you have in your life that helps you feel more grounded and comfortable being yourself, and how could you grow those kinds of particular Connections in your life? And what about the universal? Is there a larger framework that you are drawn to and feel a sense of Connection with? How cold you explore that expansive Connection in a way that helped you step back from your circumstances and see them from a healthier perspective?

Here's to cultivating our Connectedness this week!

Be Well,

Stephen

Center was created to support individuals and teams so they can live from their Purposeful Center.  We specialize in professional coaching and leadership development and we’d love to support you!  Click on our Services page to book a free consultation.