There is no time like the new year to start fresh and that feeling of renewal is precisely what some (myself included) need. New relationships, habits and ways of thinking are most tough to change, but with a little perseverance and encouragement, it’s possible to move forward in a positive direction *emphasis on positive!*
I intended these words to be of a personal nature, but taking a second look at them, that positive direction can be applied to any initiative that seeks change.
The business of change is exciting, complicated and involves many actors, but when results are achieved, the work seems well worth it. How to do this, however, is easier said than done. How to find common ground between varying opinions, experiences and cultures, while leveraging funding and expectations?
I’ve been doing some reading over the holidays, some fiction, some biographies, some professional development and what’s been striking a chord throughout many of the articles I’ve read is leadership development, and its importance to achieving goals.
The Harvard Business Review recently published an article “Developing Mindful Leaders,” which advises; “If you want to transform an organization it’s not about changing systems and processes so much as it’s about changing the hearts and minds of people…Mindfulness is one of the all-time most brilliant technologies for helping to alleviate human suffering and for bringing out our extraordinary potential as human beings.” At the same time, Arlene Dickinson’s new book, “Persuasion” emphasizes the same message; “cultivating authenticity, honesty and reciprocity in every relationship so you not only get what you want, but achieve an outcome that works for everyone.”
What extraordinary words and advice for developing change and a compelling message to governments, firms, communities, families and individuals. Of course, that message is subjective, but acting mindfully and authenticly in any interaction may just lead to the change that is sought after.
