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| Facilitator of Transformational Leadership Lab |
Empowered organizations are said to be hothouses of autonomy and trust, where people at all levels take full responsibility for their work and for their organization's performance.
But there are skepticism on the practices of Empowerment. However I am not taking it forward to the organization perspective, rather I shall try to tell my experiences with Judy and Jack, and how it is still very important and significant to me.
Lesson I- Knowing Self
I refer to one paragraph of 'Veda', it is told like
In the beginning, in truth, there was nothing at all. There was no heaven, no earth, no atmosphere. This being that was solely non-being, conceived a wish 'May I be'
We may accept or reject the contents of this Cosmogony. One truth comes out of it, that behind all creative efforts in every spheres of life, is an act of Will. But what is Will? Where from does it originate? Swami Vivekananda told
Will is the compound of self and mindSelf is the real soul. It is beyond causation. It is undifferentiated consciousness. In the consciousness there is no Will, because Will presupposes reaction to something external and others. Mind is subtle matter.
Therefore it is clear that will has two strands, one of the spirit and other of the matter, strand of light and strand of darkness.
Jack had given us two tasks. First was to fill a Table tiled as 'Significance of myself' (based on past experiences) and Second was to draw life path (based on aspirations) with the headlines
- Learning
- Transition
- Transformation
- New Mission
- Significance - Settling down for next birth
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Photo by Jakob
Owens on Unsplash
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First Task
It is about leveraging over past real world experiences which provide a foundation to become a transformed leader. To be fare it was a tremendous task for me probably for most of the participants.After putting the words/data, I realized and quite surprised with the facts and so many things that happened in my life which I was holding in my subconscious that directs my stand at that point of time. I had encountered so many persons and they hold their presence in my subconscious without my direct knowledge. Combination of all these experiences are my behavioral pattern at any point of my life span. By minding , cleaning and scientifically organizing our subconscious we can step forward.
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Photo by Jaromír
Kavan on Unsplash
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Second Task
It is about questioning our aspiration. What do we actually want to do, say, for instance, 20 years or 40 years down the line. In working terms, it is that creative and positive function of mind which impels, propels and enables us to do a chosen work, in a definitive way and avoid doing an un-chosen work in the same definitive way. It is that power of mind which enable us to do a job which is known to be right and not to do the job which is known to be wrong, under any circumstance favorable or unfavorable, known or unknown. The two most commendable aspirations are 'worldly prosperity and well being' and 'spiritual illumination and freedom'.Morning Exercise with Judy- One with the Universe
It was a daily routine we all together worked out with Judy , freehand , postures and breathing
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Photo by Tom
Sodoge on Unsplash
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We can understand reality through the senses, mind and the soul. We understand reality mainly through our senses. But what we understand through the mind is more significant. Scientists conduct thought experiments. The essential nature of material reality is its being non-material. It consists of just states of energy and vibrations coming out of a void. Our senses are the least reliable because they lie to us. Hence we need to see reality through the eyes of the soul.
When use our senses, we are following the materialistic way of seeing reality which states that if one can understand how molecules behave then one can understand life.
What is the purpose of my life?!
Jack asked us to write few sentences or at-least one sentence. This question still bothers me, I believe till the end of my life the question will remain asIs there a good enough purpose to exist?Our experience of life itself has not become grand and worthwhile enough. That is why we do not find an answer. To find an answer we must learn to enhance our life to it's maximum potential. By controlling senses we can get rid off anger, agitation, irritation, anxiety or anything like that. Then we can experience pleasant physical and mental condition. If we can manage to remain in continual state of blissfulness, our intelligence increases significantly. This is the fundamental mechanism of human being. Until we experience our grandeur existence and magnificent nature of our being, the question will remain unanswered. To be in meaningful existence we need to do nothing. If we can sit for a moment and meditate on the real nature of our being, we can understand that we don't need to do anything. Just being alive is good enough.
7 Habits - The courage to change
Jack had given utmost importance on Stephen R Covey's the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. |
| Stephen R Covey |
- Habit:1 - Be Proactive
- Habit:2 - Begin with the End in Mind
- Habit:3 - Put First Things First
- Habit:4 - Think Win-Win
- Habit:5 - Seek First to Understand Then to Be Understood
- Habit:6 - Synergize
- Habit:7 - Sharpen the Saw
- Living for Today
- My Flower Shop
- The Surprise Visit
- Stephanie's Recovery Plan
- Merging Missions
Emotional Bank Account
The Emotional Bank Account is a metaphor for the amount of trust in a relationship. Like a financial bank account, it's something we make deposits into and withdraws from. Actions such as seeking first to understand, being kind, making and keeping promises and being loyal to the absent increase the balance of trust. Being unkind, breaking promises and gossiping about someone who is absent decrease or even bankrupt the trust in a relationship.
Paradigm
A paradigm is the way each person sees the world, not necessarily the way it is in reality. It's the map, not the territory. It's our lens, through which we view everything, formed by our upbringing and cumulative experience and choices.
Witnessing
In the second session, one afternoon we were assembled on the beautiful field. Jack asked us to go separately anywhere , stay for sometime and comeback. I among others went one corner and come back . He then asked every one to tell what we saw. We tried to say something. Then again he asked to go to the same place and try to see something more if you can. We again went to the same place. As I wanted see more then I found a tree. Came back and told the same. He then asked me to go to the same place try to observe and report. I again went there and saw two nests and some birds on the branches of the tree which I had not noticed earlier . I came back and told this to Jack. He was happy but again told me to go there and come back. I was so surprised to see some ants , one branch was broken and many things . The same thing had happened to every participants. Jack then explained us the meaning of viewing, seeing, observing, and witnessing. When we witness, we can understand how the universal laws and nature's forces are working continuously.Osho states
Meditation starts being separate from the mind, by being a witness. That is the only way of separating yourself from anything. If you are looking at the light, naturally one thing is certain: you are not the light, you are the one who is looking at it. If you are watching the flowers, one thing is certain, you are not the flower, you are the watcher.
Watching is the key of meditation
Watch your mind.
Don't do anything- no repetition of mantra, no repetition of the name of God- just watch whatever the mind is doing. Don't disturb it, don't prevent it, don't repress it, don't do anything at all on your part. You just be a watcher and the miracle of watching is meditation. As you watch, slowly mind becomes empty of thoughts; but you are not falling asleep, you are becoming more alert, more aware.
Gung Ho
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| Gung Ho Moment |
Jack arranged to show the movie Gung Ho to us . It was also an amazing experience. An American Wheel dealer who hopes to save Pennsylvania town by getting a Japanese automobile manufacturer to buy the town's biggest employer- a falling automobile assembly factory (Habit:1- Be Proactive). The dealer goes to Japan to convince the Japanese(Habit:2- Begin with the End in Mind) that buying this factory is in mutual interest (Habit:4- Think Win-Win). The rest of the movie is about how the Japanese and American cultures try to work together to successfully run the factory. For the most part, the Japanese management and the American workers can not manage to get along because of cultural differences. However the story ends on a positive note when Japanese and Americans are able to cooperate with each other and reach their very high production target to avoid a lockout (Habit: 5- Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood and Habit:6- Synergize).
The car manufacturer is a Japanese company. The name Gung Ho is an Americanized Chinese expression. Gung translates as Work or To Work and Ho means Together or in Harmony reflecting the Team Work ethic portrayed in the movie's story line.
Please watch the clip of morning Exercise - Movie Gung Ho
Lagaan
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| Teaming Up |
Jack insisted us to watch the movie Lagaan and explained how one man army builds a Regiment. Lagaan is a story of a battle fought by a group of villagers led by Bhuvan , an enigmatic farmer with courage born of conviction and a dream in his heart. A story of extraordinary circumstances thrust upon ordinary people. Faith and courage come face to face with arrogance and ruthlessness. Ultimately the human spirit triumphs.
Gesture - Namaste or Namaskar
Jack emphasized the gesture Namaskar in utmost importance when we see a person in our workplace or on the street or anywhere by putting the palms together and bowing down, is born of a profound |
| Namaste ! |
Hands are the operational instruments of the creator. If we look at the sky, the gesture teaches us to bow down. This practice is a constant reminder that the source of creation is within us. If we are able to understand and recognize the source , we are paving the way to the ultimate nature every time when we do Namaskar.
There are more
Jack had discussed and taught us how to create a Personal Mission Statement by proper and scientifically defined our life Roles; and how to evaluate and reflect it in our day to day life.Leader Behavior Analysis and SLII : The Model of the four Leadership styles as well as the Introduction to the Focused Conversation Method were among the most interesting Lessons we had learned from him. As these are a bit technical, therefore, I prefer not to elaborate more in this scope of writing a blog on Jack and Judy Gilles.
Final Thought - Pleasure in Leisure
Panic and Uncertainty is the key phrase in our day to day modern lifestyle about what to do with free time. Or else are we able to find a free time for us?! Technology is supposed to solve this problem, but it doesn't. What does it mean to spend free time well? Nobody knows. One can only spend free time well if one has an inner life. Thinking, introspection and discovering things by oneself leads to it.The constant overload of information does not allow us breathing space. The exchange of communication between people, via social media tools, such as emails, Twitter, Facebook etc does not allow the full freedom of expression.
Jack emphasized on the breathing space for nurturing creativity.
Leisure comes in three forms as Robert Dessaix reveals, which can be understood from observing a pack of animals, like the dog.
After you have hunted and eaten, you do nothing. It is restorative and wonderful, and you should not feel guilty about it. An activity that allows this, is smoking, but unfortunately, it kills you. The second type is nesting which can only be done with your domestic partner. The third type is what I like to call play. This includes activities we like doing, like hobbies. Some of the greatest inventions have come from play, and not work.Jack and Judy provide an engaging insight into how we can reclaim the pleasures of relaxation, leisure and enjoying life in spite of having long working hours and a hectic lifestyle. It should be done for our own sake.
Watch here - End of Gung Ho - 'Working Class Man'
Related Posts from other pages of this Blog
How I-O Psychology can bring Positive Environment in WorkPlace
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| Work-Life Balance |
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| In Giving We receive |
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| Slowing Down |
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