As a reader of Connected In Community, my assumption is that you are as excited as I am (even if, like me, you’re not a US citizen!) about the palpable new age beginning today with the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

At a time of many domestic and international challenges of epic proportions, his is a message of great hope.  His style of leadership is, and will be, a dramatic departure from the past (phew!).  Every time I see him speak, I continue to be impressed even more deeply with his authentic, caring and very capable leadership style.  I always leave with a greater sense of hope, and in particular, hope that a new age of caring, community and social engagement is dawning.

President Obama seems to understand the importance and necessity of engaging all people to solve the problems that the US and the world face, as one community and not as fragmented interests.  It is not just the responsibility of each of us to engage in this new social contract.  Rather, to find answers that will actually work will require the willing contribution of each person’s talents, abilities and perspectives.

Leveraging our diverse strengths and remaining open and curious to our differences is in fact the key to finding those answers.

Appreciation of our diversity was beautifully symbolized in the format and range of participants in the inaugural ceremony today.

We extend our prayers to President Obama and his team, and in fact to each of us, to go forward in our everyday leadership with courage, faith and hope for what’s possible in our communities large and small.

Below is a transcript of President Obama’s inaugural address.  I have bolded the passages that are particularly striking as it relates to community and building connection with others.

Photo used under Creative Commons license

***

SPEAKER: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

[*] OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you.

CROWD: Obama! Obama! Obama! Obama!

My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.

I thank President Bush for his service to our nation…

(APPLAUSE)

… as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.

OBAMA: The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

OBAMA: So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.

Homes have been lost, jobs shed, businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly, our schools fail too many, and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

OBAMA: These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable, but no less profound, is a sapping of confidence across our land; a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this America: They will be met.

(APPLAUSE)

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

OBAMA: On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

(APPLAUSE)

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less.

OBAMA: It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.

Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor — who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West, endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

OBAMA: For us, they fought and died in places Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed.

OBAMA: Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

(APPLAUSE)

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done.

The state of our economy calls for action: bold and swift. And we will act not only to create new jobs but to lay a new foundation for growth.

We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together.

We will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s quality…

(APPLAUSE)

… and lower its costs.

OBAMA: We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.

All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long, no longer apply.

OBAMA: The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works, whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.

Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.

And those of us who manage the public’s knowledge will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched.

OBAMA: But this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control. The nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.

The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

(APPLAUSE)

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals.

Our founding fathers faced with perils that we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations.

OBAMA: Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake.

And so, to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

(APPLAUSE)

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with the sturdy alliances and enduring convictions.

OBAMA: They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use. Our security emanates from the justness of our cause; the force of our example; the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy, guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort, even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We’ll begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard- earned peace in Afghanistan.

OBAMA: With old friends and former foes, we’ll work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat and roll back the specter of a warming planet.

We will not apologize for our way of life nor will we waver in its defense.

And for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that, “Our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.”

(APPLAUSE)

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.

We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth.

And because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

OBAMA: To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society’s ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.

To those…

(APPLAUSE)

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

(APPLAUSE)

OBAMA: To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds.

And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders, nor can we consume the world’s resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages.

We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service: a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.

OBAMA: And yet, at this moment, a moment that will define a generation, it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies.

It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break; the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours.

It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new, the instruments with which we meet them may be new, but those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old.

OBAMA: These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history.

What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

OBAMA: This is the source of our confidence: the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed, why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall. And why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

(APPLAUSE)

So let us mark this day in remembrance of who we are and how far we have traveled.

In the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by nine campfires on the shores of an icy river.

OBAMA: The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood.

At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

“Let it be told to the future world that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet it.”

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words; with hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come; let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you.

(APPLAUSE)

And God bless the United States of America.

(APPLAUSE)

Technorati Tags: community, connection, hope, Leadership, Obama

“You must be prepared to act on your dreams, just in case they could come true.” ~ Bill Strickland

Bill grew up in Pittsburg, immersed in the crumbling remains of the steel economy and facing racism everywhere he turned. The odds were stacked highly against him. And what an AMAZING legacy he has built to date (and is still building!) to help disadvantaged folks thrive in life.

Bill is about dreaming, following his heart, and staying true to his vision of hope and human possibility.

Make sure to listen to his story below (35:28)…I guarantee you’ll be inspired to dream bigger!

What does Bill teach us through his experience? My three key take-aways are the following:

• If we want to lead in a community, we need to look like the solution and not the problem.  We need to bring a story of hope and genuinely believe in the community itself as being a valuable partner in the solution;
• The key to changing behaviour in others is all in the way WE and THEY think about themselves.  For us, we need to look beyond what’s obvious and see what’s really there in others.  Sometimes the intrinsic good in people is well-masked as the result of hardship and circumstance….look deeper.  As leaders, we can also help them to realize that they ARE valuable and worthy human beings, who may just need even one person to believe in them and to care;
• When we lead from a place of integrity, commitment and passion, other people will unexpectedly show up wanting to help us.  This of course requires faith and trust, especially when we may feel we are leading an uphill battle on our own at times.  Look at the amazing and influential network of human, financial and capital resources that “magically” appeared for Bill without him seeking them directly. The impact of the people who showed up for Bill is breathtaking!

To me, Bill’s call to action at the end of his talk speaks directly to us here in our CIC community:

“I want you all to know that I think the world is a place worth living. I believe in you…I believe in your hopes and your dreams, I believe in your intelligence, and I believe in your enthusiasm.

We won’t make it as a country [or as a global community] if we can’t turn this thing around…I am banking on people like you, very decent people who still believe in something.“.

So consider the following:

• What dreams are percolating for you that would help others who need your help?
• How are you not dreaming big enough?
• What are you not yet noticing about your dreams that’s fundamentally important?

We would all love to hear your insights on Bill’s story or your dream below…don’t be shy !

Technorati Tags: commitment, community, connected, connection, dreams, hope, human possibility, inspiration, integrity, leader, Leadership, legacy, passion, vision

Environmental justice as she defines it: “No community should be saddled with more environmental burdens and less environmental benefits than any other“. However, Majora also points out that race and class are extremely reliable indicators of where you can find environmental injustice.

Her story is a tribute to overcoming adversity with determination, passion, and courage. Don’t miss her story (19:07):

“Economic degradation begets environmental degradation which begets social degradation.”

While my city (Vancouver, Canada) is arguably one of the most beautiful cities in the world, we have the dubious honour of having the poorest postal code in the country (known as the downtown East Side), amidst extreme affluence very close by. Very much like what Majora describes the Bronx to be like.

Why?

Because for several decades now, this area has been seen as a blight in our city with much debate over how to “fix” it, but with little real action or positive outcomes. There has been little economic investment which has exacerbated the local challenges. There seem to be few parks or green spaces in this part of town, at least relative to the rest of the city. And there are also MAJOR social problems there as a result.

Two things come to mind for me:

• What made the difference for Majora was the love of family, teachers, friends and mentors. How many of us (including me) have the courage and initiative to find ways to deliver love to these folks, rather than just forwarding money as a “feel-good” gesture (if we even do that)?
• Her comment at the end of her talk about not overlooking/wasting the experience of people at the grassroots level in a community, those who live and work in it, to help solve the community challenges. Who could better know the impact of the problems AND provide valuable insights into possible solutions than these folks? But how often are grassroots groups given an equal voice among other stakeholders?

All too often, it seems that “the outside experts” are tasked with solving these problems, ones that they don’t live or are personally invested in fixing. I am certainly not disparaging the engagement of experts in finding solutions to these types of problems. On the contrary, my point is that in solving major social/environmental problems (and other problems for that matter!), it is so critical to engage ALL stakeholders in the discussion and solution-finding process, just as Majora continues to do.

So, as someone who is dedicated to leading and connecting community together, consider just one environmental or social injustice that you see in your own community (there are likely many!). What could you do as a leader to bring all of the stakeholders together and begin a dialogue to start bridging the gap and healing the injustice? How could you show love to the victims, the kind of love that Majora stated was essential for her transformation from a potential victim into the community leader she is now? What is something you could do today to start the ball rolling? Your community needs you!

Tell us your thoughts on this article as you feel moved to do so.

Technorati Tags: community, connection, dialogue, environment justice, Leadership, love, social justice, transformation

Never before has one single issue become the vested focus of the entire world.

Al Gore is speaking out again now. His message continues to be on the global environmental crisis, which in and of itself is really about bringing our global community together to solve our common challenges (since, as he points out, we already have the technology to do it). In addition, his message also contains several fascinating implications about leadership in community including, but also beyond, the environmental crisis.

The following video was recorded in March, 2008 (hot off the press !) and is 27:54 in length. Listen to the inspiring message Mr. Gore delivers…

I found the following comments of Mr. Gore fascinating as it impacts community and leadership:

• Solving the environmental crisis is not just about changing our behaviour to be more environmentally friendly (e.g., changing the types of light bulbs we use, etc.). While obviously important, we are also facing a democratic crisis, and we must change our citizenship and democratic behaviour.
  
  I agree, and to me, this is so pertinent to becoming more active in our communities. This means turning our generally passive roles in community to more active ones again…bringing the unique gifts that we each have and creatively delivering them to the various levels of community that we each belong to. This of course includes becoming more active in leadering our communities; role-modelling for others how to effectively contribute to community AND enrolling them to do so as well;
• Mr. Gore makes the point that we need to integrate the solutions to the environmental crisis into the solutions for other problems. It does not ultimately serve us if we solve a problem in one silo, only to transfer it or create a new problem in another silo. Our consciousness needs to be raised to a higher level, where we look at solving the environmental crisis and other challenges more holistically through community. It’s easy to become overwhelmed at the global level. Look locally first for solutions where the scale of the problem will likely feel more manageable and where your efforts will be more tangible.
  
  A few weeks ago, my six-year-old daughter and I spent a couple of hours together cleaning up litter on a public pathway that actually isn’t particularly close to where we live, but which was badly littered. Admittedly, picking up litter is a very small piece of the environmental crisis, and yet, what if we ALL tackled small pieces of the problem? Would it help solve the bigger challenge? Yes! And in addition, and perhaps even more importantly, was it a great opportunity to connect with my daughter in a new way…yes! Was I able to raise her awareness about the difference that she can (and needs to) make in her community and our planet…you bet! A small example to be sure, but an example nonetheless of what Mr. Gore is pointing to I think in terms of addressing mutliple objectives in tandem.
• He talks towards the end of the presentation about how we need

  “I think we ought to approach this challenge with a sense of profound joy and gratitude that we are the generation, about which a thousand years from now, philharmonic orchestras and poets and singers will celebrate by saying “They were the ones that found it within themselves to solve this crisis and lay the basis for a bright and optimistic future!”" ~ Al Gore

  another hero generation, like the generations that brought democracy to the world, ended slavery and gave women the right to vote (in the U.S. context in particular). He suggests that we need to reframe the common mindset that it is such a burden to have to face solving a problem of such huge magnitude [the environmental crisis]. He asks “How many generations in all of human history have had the opportunity to rise to a challenge that is worthy of our best efforts? A challenge that can pull from us more than we knew we could do?“. What a visionary and energizing perspective!
  
  And I would like to suggest the same perspective should be applied to re-engaging our connectedness to each other…re-discovering how we can find joy and solutions by being in healthy community and shedding our all-too-pervasive self-focus which comes at the expense of those in need around us.

Profound stuff to ponder.

Consider your own behaviour patterns as it relates to being in community:

• How could you make space for welcoming greater community into your own life?
• When trying to find solutions to a community challenge, is there a way that you could solve it while, at the same time, improving the environment in some way?
• When trying to find solutions to the environmental challenge, how could you go about doing it in a life-affirming, community-building way?

Tell us below about any a-ha’s this may raise for you, or other insights in general that you have!

Technorati Tags: behaviour, citizenship, community, connectedness, connection, consciousness, democracy, environment, leader

You’ve no doubt heard the expression “All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy“…?

All too often these days, we see and hear of people getting stressed and burned out from over-scheduled and demanding lives. What if we could find a way to add play back into our lives, and in particular as leaders in community?

A feeling of safety with those we interact with is usually a prerequisite for genuine play, although safety does not guarantee play will occur. Even if some degree of safety exists, it often takes some courage to allow ourselves to really authentically play with others, particularly when we’re breaking established patterns of interacting.

But when we boldly leap and dare to be playful, it almost always deepens our connection with others as we see more clearly who each of us truly is as a human being and not just as a role-player. Oh, and by the way, we often tend to get re-energized and reduce our overall stress levels at the same time!

As kids, we used to play with each other so naturally all the time; it was just our daily life experience. And then we grew up and life got serious, didn’t it…? But at the end of the day when we think about it, this was a choice that we made, although perhaps it seems like the choice was made out of necessity as the result of all of the responsibilities we hold.

But who says it has to be this way?!

How can we find ways to play WHILE we fulfill our community leadership calling (rather than finding play separately in some other way)?

Ever think about joining the circus? They seem to have this figured out! Circus performers, by virtue of what they do, get to lean into their work with a big sense of play all the time. What can we learn from them that would help us to reclaim play, and strengthen our connections in community?

For an entertaining lesson on what’s possible when fun meets work in community, drink in the Gandini Jugglers below (8:02). Look for the following as you watch:

• How there is a continual dance between all of the members of the community;
• How playful “conversations” between two or three members are always occurring, which contribute to the meta-narrative of the community;
• How each member’s contribution is vital to the success of the community;
• How each member is a leader AND a follower at different times;
• How the community works (and plays!) as one system;
• How by playing while getting the job done, the result is pure joy for everybody.

Incredible isn’t it?

So stepping back into your world, ask yourself:

• Where is more play needed in your community?
• How can you be the catalyst to bring more play into your community’s experience?
• What might be possible if you dared to do it (today!)?

Share your thoughts with us below…oh, and don’t forget to have some fun while you’re doing it !

Technorati Tags: community, connected, connection, leader, Leadership, play

When was the last time your felt really heard by another person? What did they do to create this experience? Chances are that they were mainly just present with you.

Active listening is a skill that few of us practice with any regularity.  To actively listen is to remove your own agenda from the table and to try to really understand where the other person is at.   

So how do you go about actively listening?  Here are some ideas:

• Stay engaged with the other person.  Notice any dialogue going on in your head while you’re listening and let it go.  Notice your body language.  Notice your eye contact with them;
• Encourage the other person to fully explain what they are communicating by asking open-ended questions to allow you to fully understand.  This does NOT mean that you necessarily need to agree with what they are saying;
• Hold judgement – actively listening is about their perspective, not yours;
• Make the person feel safe in your company;
• Notice what they are NOT saying.  Be curious about that, point it out and see how they respond;
• Notice the person’s body language and energy.  Is it resonant with their words?
• Allow for silence.  Many people are generally uncomfortable in being with silence, and yet… and yet…  silence can inform us if we hold the space for the other person and stay present for them.

Actively listening is a skill that most of us need to learn – it is not something that just comes naturally for most people.  Many of us are only listening to the person’s words (if that !), or we may be busy planning our own next killer comment! 

How often has someone been telling you a story and rather than taking their story in, you’re chomping at the bit to tell them your own story that’ll top theirs!

As leaders in community, why does active listening matter though?  Effective leaders need to connect people and ideas to build solutions.  If we don’t make the effort to actively listen, how can we ever hope to accomplish our goals?

By actively listening, many benefits can arise:

• We may help the other person to find their own solution;
• We model effective leadership for our community.  Because of the other person having a positive experience with you, they may apply active listening with others within the community to build a culture that actively listens to each other;
• We may ourselves discover a new perspective that we had not previously considered;
• We may find common ground with the other person that we were not aware of;
• We build stronger relationships and social capital within the community.  When the other person feels truly heard, they will be more willing to be open to work with us towards our common goals;
• We may uncover synergies and new creative ideas that may otherwise have remained hidden.

While you’re still present here, think of a conversation that you intend to have in the next 24 hours with someone.  Decide right now what three things you will do differently to practice active listening with them.  Be intentional about doing it differently than you typically would, and notice how the conversation is different than you might otherwise expect.

Photo credit: :/

Technorati Tags: active listening, community, connected, connection, judgement, leader

Randy Pausch is young, energetic, accomplished and a father of three young children…and in September, 2007, he was told that he only had a few months to live. His message to us about realizing our dreams? Set aside 11 minutes now to hear this truly inspiring clip about what he has learned about living life and pursuing dreams!

Wow – what a powerful reminder about how to live life to the fullest. Imagine how much richer * our * lives could be, if we lived by the lessons that Randy is imparting.

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, power and magic in it” ~ Goethe

Why is it that, for many of us, we all too easily shelve our dreams for “some day” when we have the time or resources (or fill in the blank!) to pursue them? What if all of the stars never align in the way we think they need to for us to get started? What if our time runs out before we expect, as appears to be the case for Randy?

I’ve always loved Nike’s slogan “Just Do It!”. Full of energy and “can-do” spirit!  It is so aligned with what Randy is saying.

So what are your dreams? Do you really remember? Ask yourself:

• What story have I made up that is keeping me from realizing my dreams?
• How are my dreams calling me to lead in the world?
• How will the communities that I belong to, both current and future, forever miss out if I am not courageous enough to “just do it!” and make my dreams a reality?

If we are truly leaders, we need to lead by example. Stop telling yourself the old story and design a new one!  Get started today – don’t wait any longer! Even just taking one step towards your dreams, will set those dreams in motion. What steps can you take * right now *?? 

As Goethe said, “Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it!  Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Randy and his family as they continue on their challenging journey.  We are really grateful to him for his courage, strength and wisdom, demonstrated even amidst his daunting challenges. 

Post-script: At the time of writing, Randy was recently admitted to hospital for complications from his chemotherapy treatments, and continues to fight the good fight.  Randy, feel this community’s support for you as you move forward.

Technorati Tags: community, connection, courage, dreams, gratitude, inspiring, leader, Leadership, life

Connection in community must start with honest and authentic conversation, and who better to initiate this work than leaders in community…

Recently, 1,500 people in 39 countries participated in a survey sponsored by Conversation Cafe and Global MindShift to identify the most pressing questions on the minds of socially-conscious people in the world today.  From an original field of approximately 600 questions, here are the top 10:

1. How can we best prepare our children for the future?
2. What does sustainability look like to you? How do we get there?
3. How do humans need to adapt to survive the changes predicted for this century?
4. How do we shift from “Me” to “We” on both the local and global levels?
5. How can you, as Gandhi said, be the change that you want to see in the world?
6. What kind of economic structures can best support a shift to sustainable living?
7. How should we re-invent the political process so that people feel that they have a voice?
8. What kind of leadership does the world need now?
9. How can we balance our personal needs with the most pressing needs of our community and the larger world?
10. What can we do to reduce or eliminate violence in the world?

Conversation Cafe is profiling these questions as the basis for their upcoming Conversation Week.  The objective is to encourage genuine conversation between friends and strangers about topics that matter, in an effort to start building bridges between people within communities.  These questions may be conversation starters only – the point is to engage in meaningful conversation with others, regardless of whatever course the conversation takes.  Important work!

As leaders in community, we should also consider:

• How do these questions resonate for us in terms of our own leadership in the world?
• How do they inform us about our leadership and the work that we are doing?
• Which questions really jump out for us and why?    

For me, the place to begin is “How do we shift from “Me” to “We” on both the local and global levels?”  Making this fundamental shift in mindset is germaine in my opinion to finding solutions to these other important questions.  We will not be able to solve any of these problems if we are trying to do so from a place of self-interest. 

In addition, I believe this shift will only be possible by starting at a grassroots level (i.e., starting locally) - by leaders like us in this community embodying a “We” approach in both our leadership and how we live our daily lives.  By moving to “We” with full integrity, we become able to genuinely engage others in searching for real solutions and being the change that truly addresses the greater good, even if the resulting solutions do not personally benefit us directly.  Ultimately, even such outcomes will indirectly benefit us as members of community, by growing our social capital of trust, respect and connection with others.

Craig and Marc Keilburger wrote a fabulous book on making this shift (called “Me To We“), which I highly recommend!  They propose that making this shift requires four skills:

1. gratitude to move from a mind-set of scarcity to one of abundance;
2. empathy to see ourselves in others and how much we have in common with them;
3. a re-definition of happiness from building a life of things to building a life of purpose and meaning; and
4. a re-definition of our idea of community to be more expansive and inclusive.   

Share your thoughts below about how this speaks to you!

Technorati Tags: authenticity, community, connected, connection, conversation, empathy, gratitude, happiness, leader, Leadership, me to we, meaning, purpose

Remember the earthy smell of the forest in your nostrils, the stunning peaceful scenery, the cool, fresh air on your face…and breathe again! 

Recently, I read a book called Presence (Senge, Scharmer, Jaworski, Flowers, Doubleday, March 2004).  A book full of wisdom about profound change in people, organizations, and society.  One quote by Dr. Peter Senge in particular that I found quite stunning was the following:  

“Our capacity for democracy grows from our connection with nature. As we lose that connection, isolation, fear, and the need to control grow – and democracy inevitably deteriorates. It’s easy to forget that a deep connection with nature provides the inspiration for genuine democratic thinking.”

As we continue to become an increasingly urbanized world, the opportunities to remain connected with our natural environment become more difficult.  At the same time, our natural environment is showing the signs of stress and strain from many decades of abuse in countless ways (think global warming for instance and the ramifications on the natural environment that we are just beginning to see!). 

At the same time, there is certainly compelling evidence of a decline of democratic involvement in many countries.  In his book Bowling Alone,  Dr. Robert D. Putnam clearly illustrates this decline when comparing years 1973/74 to 1993/94.  From a scope of 12 measures of civic involvement, there was an overall decline of 25% of citizens who were involved in at least one of these 12 measures between these years.  US-only data, but I suggest a similar trend exists in many others countries to a greater or lesser degree.

Actively experiencing our natural environment, at least periodically, helps us to remember that we are a part of a much bigger purpose in this world.  One of the great things that being in nature provides is an opportunity to slow down and gain perspective on our busy lives and what really matters to us.  I believe that Peter Senge is correct that spending time in a natural setting does in fact serve to inspire us to higher ideals, and to live our lives in a more purposeful way.  And this must ultimately benefit our society and the way in which it is governed.

So what do you think…here’s an opportunity to let your voice be heard below:

• To what degree does our capacity for democracy grow from a greater connection with nature?
• How can we make room in our lives for more “down-time” to be in a natural setting?
• In what ways might our willingness to be more engaged in community change if we did? 

***** 

Postscript about Dr. Peter M. Senge:

Dr. Peter M. Senge, Senior Lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also Chairperson of the Society for Organizational Learning (SoL), a global community of corporations, researchers, and consultants dedicated to the “interdependent development of people and their institutions.”

The Journal of Business Strategy (September/October 1999) named Dr. Senge as one of the 24 people who had the greatest influence on business strategy over the last 100 years.

Technorati Tags: connected, connection, democracy, inspiration, inspired, natural environment, nature, purpose

But while watching this presentation by Deborah Gordon, ant biologist from Stanford University, I found myself fascinated with the organization that actually underlies the apparent chaos in an ant colony.

All of their processes are very connected and harmonized, and the truly amazing thing is that these processes are not directed or managed by any single ant or group of ants!  No ant (aside from the queen) has an assigned job, but simply senses what is required of him/her from moment to moment and they just get on with it. 

No arguing, no debating, no strategizing, no lobbying, no mind games…

How do they sustain themselves without any apparent leadership or management? 

What can a colony of ants or other natural systems teach us about our own human communities?  There is much wisdom to be extracted from natural systems if we really look closely at these systems to understand how they survive (and thrive!)

The video is about 20 minutes long.  While scientific in nature, ask yourself while watching:

• What if we were able to collaborate so effectively in our own communities?
• How can we let go of trying to control outcomes and other people in our communities, and rather, turn our focus to what contribution is needed from us for the good of the system (community)?
• What if every member could be a leader by doing an outstanding job at what they are individually called to do, by maintaining their connection within the community and by supporting others to lead in their own way?
• When it appears to us that chaos reigns in our community, what if like an ant colony, there is actually a deeper organization amidst the chaos that is serving the community as a whole?

 Love to hear your own insights after checking the video out!

Technorati Tags: community, connection, Leadership, natural systems