Hi Folks;
It has been several months since I last sat down to write a newsletter. To say that life has been busy is an understatement. A series of respiratory ailments clung on for dear life while I was doing my best to get rid of them and still travel to clients. Finally, I discovered that I was having a allergic reaction to the many animals on our farm. Once discovered, antihistamines have become a staple supporter and the ailments have faded away.
I have continued to be blessed with strong client work throughout the recession. Several colleagues are starting to see a loosening of purse strings as clients are moving out of the shock to the massive recession and beginning to move toward how to recover, repair, or rebuild from the draconian cut-backs and heavy burdens placed on those that survived. Besides team-building, I suspect that there will be many executive coaching opportunities for preventing burn-outs. Remember, the fall-out for most individuals and organizations does not occur until after there is a sigh of relief. In addition, many who have been scarred from the recession, will begin to look for new vistas as the present one has been too tarnished. This will be not only those that were casualties of the recession, there will be many who made it through the cuts and now are asking deeper questions about their place within the organization.
Enclosed in this newsletter is a reflective poem and exercise. The poem is a reminder about maintaining perspective for ourselves and others. As coaches, consultants, or executives, we have a role to fill as a bridge builder for others. The exercise is adapted from Otto Scharmer. I have used it for several years as part of the Natural Passages Program I do each year ( www.natural-passages.com ).
As a coaching tool for someone in transition, the exercise supports a deeper examination of what prevents our clients from making the leap to a more fulfilling career within the present organization or toward clearing the cobwebs and venturing out to a new one. I encourage you to use the exercise, first for yourself and then for your clients.
Bountiful blessings for 2012.
Respectfully,
Herb Stevenson
Herb Stevenson, CEO/President
Cleveland Consulting Group
Finding Our Wisdom:
The Bridge-builder,
Elder Within
Author Unknown
An Old man, traveling alone highway,
Came at the evening cold and gray,
To a chasm, deep and wide.
The Old man crossed in the twilight dim,
For the sullen stream held no fears for him.
Then he turned as he reached the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," Cried a fellow pilgrim near,
"You're wasting your strength by building here,
Your journey will end at the end of day,
You never again will pass this way.
You've crossed the chasm deep and wide,
Why build you a bridge at eventide?"
The builder raised his old gray head,
"Good friend, on the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me one day,
A fair-haired youth who must pass this way,
and also must cross in the twilight dim.
Good friend, I'm building this bridge for the ones that follow,
like him"
Finding our Wisdom:
The Elder Within
Wisdom Reflection
1. Write a list of names of persons who for you personally are bridge-builders, elders or wise men that built bridges for you or that carry "wisdom " and have impacted your life.
2. Select one, the most important one, and write a list of key characteristics.
3. Describe how these characteristics may also apply to you.
4. Remember a situation when you sensed some elements of your future potential: what core elements of your highest future potential did you sense?
Shadows:
5. Write a list of key issues that have gotten in your way of reaching your highest potential.
6. Pick one shadow behavior that gets in your way and write in one sentence what the problem is.
Your Story:
7. Write the story of the shadow issue: when did it first show up, what happened then, and how did it continue until today?
Root Cause:
8. Why has it remained unresolved? What kept you from creating a solution?
Imagineer:
9. Imagine how you'd feel if that issue remained unresolved in the future. And imagine what would happen to your highest future potential.
10. Imagine now you are sitting in a room facing that issue, the door opens, and your bridge-builder, elder enters. How would you explain the situation to him/her and how would he/she respond to you? Write down the exact words of this dialogue as it unfolds.
11. What would you respond to him/her? Write down your response. What would he/she reply back to you? And so forth Go with the flow of the conversation.
12. Write down your personal conclusions from this conversation. What would be your practical next steps?
Adapted from C.O. Scharmer, Bagger Vance Reflection and Journaling
RETREAT
The Power of Choice
Date to be Announced
Nosara, Costa Rica
Join Executive Coach Herb Stevenson for an exclusive three-day exploration to re-connect with your life purpose in order to live with greater passion and fulfillment.
Herb Stevenson is President/CEO of the Cleveland Consulting Group, Inc. and bridges the worlds of business and spiritual healing. He is a nationally recognized author, trainer, executive coach and management consultant. He has published 26 books on various aspects of banking and business. Herb's expertise in facilitating group discussion and individual goal setting will assure attendees achieve optimum take-home value, leaving the workshop ready to live a more fulfilling life with purpose and passion.
Tierra Magnifica is the premier retreat resort on Costa Rica's stunning Pacific coast. Resort owners Steve and Maggie Jacobus will be your weekend hosts, providing an experience guaranteed to induce inspiration and transformation.
Learn more...
PROGRAM
Becoming an Effective Organizational Intervener
Program (BEI)
Becoming an Effective Organizational Intervener is a dynamic program for people involved in leadership within organizations whether it be via day-to-day management or organizational change and development. It provides an introduction to the body of knowledge developed in the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland's Executive and Organization Development programs. In five exciting sessions, participants will explore our overall model and theory base as applied to individual, group, and organizational levels of system. The program offers participants a powerful and integrative opportunity to increase their awareness, knowledge, and skills in order to become more effective interveners in organizations.
Learn more and register at www.gestaltcleveland.org.
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