In a recent LLF, hosted @ Seyfarth Shaw, with Pierce & Assoc. I.T. professionals, two participants presented Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning”, in an outstanding coverage, that everyone, even those of us who’ve read it several times, can benefit from! It’s an LLF “core book” [ i.e., continually grows with you as you grow!!!], and a favorite referral reading for many of us. Enjoy their perspective and research. They brought the classic Forum “Magic”, intensely to that session!
May 26
On the Memorial Day weekend, which is the traditional opening of the summer season here on Cape Cod, Barbara and I were out for a walk in The Boston Commons, saw the below stature dedicated to learning and thought it appropriate to share. Learning is such a basic to my life and to my counseling work with retainer clients and in Leadership Learning Forums. AND it flows to the 2nd most important element in both, i.e., helping others work to develope their own selves, fully!
Apr 19
I have often used this exercise in LLF’s [just did in one!] to foster participants’ exploration in areas of potential growth, or change, that are not front and center, in their current busy, interrupt driven professional lives. Ten minutes quiet, then 20 minutes more discussion.
“There is an Eastern belief in the value of acquiring knowledge or insight, not through action, but by the silence and stillness of introspection and reflection……. Can you do this? Do you understand that others can with powerful results? How might you incorporate this idea in you own leadership growth?
Of course, an intense, sometimes surprising, often deeply useful discussion follows. Which also always “integrates” ideas/perspectives from earlier speakers, book, exercises, in a “magical way!! Usually there are at least a handful of participants who practice some personal process of introspection or reflection, and are willing to share their benefits/techniques. A thunderously valuable 3o minutes.
Mar 23
On 3/20 I talked about creating your own magic as an Internal Consultant, recognizing the “Color of a Dollar”, or perceiving what will bring bottom line value to the organization, using the “magic” of individual, open, connections, with multiple others, collaborating across functional lines. For ANY organization. The flyer describing this presentation, and the more detailed handouts are posted under “Documents”, under “Magic’ on this website. There were many graduates of my Leadership Learning Forums and of SIM’s Regional Leadership Forums present, who resonated with this perspective. It was a fun interaction, and is adding to the “Wood-lore” being shared about that “magic” on this website
Mar 10
I just returned from an uniquely designed LLF for clients of the hosting organization, SmithBucklin Corp. Of course the Forum process includes more reading, beyond the participant’s field, than many current business leaders are accustomed to…. thus the ?’s. My current reading list, with some historical data, is a frequent handout [Post 130 Reading 3-11-2014],in Forums and the “Core Books” list [Post 290 Core Books 3-10-14] is also reflective of my evolving focus.
Feb 17
The photo below is from our deck out to the lake we front on, which has been in other past videos [click here]. It’s from 2/16/2014. Having just returned from a week in the Berkshires with Barbara, where they had 2 feet of snow, but know well, how to handle it, we were surprised by 9 inches here. A “panic” on the Cape. The two swans [ just perceptible out there] seem to enjoy it!! Hopefully it won’t inhibit my travel to Chicago Wednesday 2/19, to run a Leadershi0p Learning forum there for two clients together. Which is generating it’s own special “Magic”!
Feb 03
Heavy snow falling now, which usually paralyzes the Cape… & is particularly abrasive after a week with Loma Linda University Health in California, helping them commence their first Transformational Leadership Program [TLP 2013]. It was held symbolically, near the historical center of their huge Campus, with many of the senior LLUH leaders who spoke or facilitated, during the program, attending. The participants in TLP 2014 attended the last two days of the program, to capture and assimilate the proud energy/commitment/gratitude of the graduating class! Awesome to be part of this power, for everyone, but surely for me, experiencing it again so soon [referenced in the blog on 1/22/14 below]. So genuine leadership lives there, is being shared broadly & deeply!! And as seems the pressing case all over, in ways that is needed for today’s challenges.
Jan 22
Cape Cod doesn’t handle snow over 2-3 inches as well as Chicago does….where I just came from. Lucky to get in here. I helped “Commence” the third Leadership Learning Forum [LLF] there 1/17-18/’14, @ SmithBucklin Corp., sponsored and led by Henry Givray, their CEO. A spectacular process, deep & broad learning/growth, powerful bonding by all participants/speakers, wonderful gifts & memories, unique energy and commitment being carried forward both personally & professionally! With uniquely positive organizational impact. Lots of “Magic”!!
Most note-ably, for my own continued growth & learning. I’ve been involved in perhaps 250 LLF’s since 1984. This one was at the top or close to it!! A joy and solid pride for all to be part of!!!
I will travel to Loma Linda University Health, in San Bernardino, next week to help “commence” there, their first such LLF, which has had, so far, a lot of the same results/impacts, and “magic” as referenced above.
Much of this website is now dedicated to helping bring that about more frequently, more predictably, as referenced below, especially the evolving section “Magic”
We’ll see.
Dec 28
In all my current Leadership Learning Forums [LLF’s], four capacities, or fully transportable skill sets, are increasingly more tightly integrated in the work of evolving high impact leaders! 1) Project Management, which nowadays, everyone needs to understand and be reasonably adept at. 2) Self-assessment, or deeply engaged in one of the better “profiling” techniques., which is less frequent but becoming essential in my opinion. 3) Leadership development which has been a focus all over for some time [not always achieved successfully]. 4) Business enabled counsel, or “internal consulting skills”, which is much less frequent, exists in individual cases, but has now become a crucial part of effective staff leadership. When all four are together and focused on the customer or marketplace the positive impact is huge……a very positive advantage that is easily identified and creates quite a competitive edge. Part of the LLF “Magic” is the combining, & the growth, of these capacities in forum participants. Look for it!!
Dec 17
At long last, I’ve taken the steps to replace my Dell laptop, used for several years here in the office & on the road, with two 23″ monitors, a new Lenovo ThinkCenter, plus an iPad Air Wi-fi + cellular. Hopefully all this will help support my grtowing virtual work with clients helping them run superb Leadership Learning Forums, @ their sites. and for when I do travel, to do so, more lightly & conveniently. 2014 will tell!?!
Nov 19
Most, perhaps 99.9%, of those who have engaged completely, in the Leadership Learning Forum process, have had a deeply beneficial, both individual and group, “magical” experience. Some of us who have facilitated this over the years [ I began it in 1984], have communicated about how/when, & under what circumstances does the “magic” occur? And what might get in its way? There is already a body of thought resulting from this quest!
During the Nov.2013, 45th annual SIMposium, hosted by the Boston SIM Chapter [superbly done!!], I began pondering a revival of this research/dialogue, as part of this current 6th phase of life, my “legacy” phase. A quest revitalized, so to speak. That would be fun for me, very absorbing, and perhaps usful in coming years to those who wish to continue providing such powerful leadership development, as I am. I will reach out again to as many of you as I can.
This ” magic” surely happens in most Forums, but also in tons of other situations! All needed now, all over, and likely more so, in the world we are inheriting. It goes way beyond I.T., of course. Our past working of this quest already has shown that
Some past contributions/perspectives from my network, are posted under “Magic”, in this growing section of my website. hopefully you’ll find it useful. Please connect with me directly with you comments
Oct 27
“Certian Trumpets” The Nature of Leadership Garry Wills 0-684-80138-8
We very often include this book in internal LLF’s. It covers 16 tpyes of leadership with a selected historically well know person as an example, then followed by an “Antitype’, also usually well know. The juxaposition of both is insightful. Often provoking new perspectives, even for those of us who’ve read the book several times. Wide and deep coverage. And of course, the full transcript of leadership, yes, & followership ,and even by some views, failure to lead or follow is distinctly portrayed. AND…… as is sometimes the case with excellent books, the introduction, and the conclusion, plus the appendix, can all be meditated on by themselves, for superb personal understanding of the topic.
Get it out and review for you own growth!!
