“If experience was so important, we’d never have anyone walk on the moon.” (By Doug Rader)

Sometimes you just have to trust your intuition. We are living in times where old structures, identities – what we have known to be true - are falling away or dying – because they don’t work. You can’t lie to yourself anymore about who you are or what your purpose is. Companies can’t cut corners on integrity anymore.

The times are calling for new vision, courage and the bold audacity to reinvent yourself or your business.

It’s time to clean out and reboot.

…And lean into the wind of possibility.

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   All rights reserved.   www.sagelead.com

-Hindu Proverb

- Lao Tzu

Today, France celebrates it’s independence with fireworks, as we in the U.S. did, just 10 days ago.

The storming of the Bastille is the symbol of the victory of the French people against the Monarchy. What started as a revolt became a Revolution that changed the face of France’s policy forever.

France put in place a Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen, defining a set of individual and collective rights for all the people, regardless of their estate. This is very similar to what happened in the United States, however the U.S. was being ruled at a distance by the King of England. Interesting that our declarations occured just 13 years apart from each other in the 18th century.

Both stories are inspirational in that they show, it is possible, even when your head thinks you are “out numbered,” to fight for what you believe in – and win, against all odds. And the energy and committment of small numbers of people can be more powerful than weapons and large numbers.

We need to remember this as we continue to hold the flame for enforcing basic human rights around the world. Many other countries are not as fortunate as France and the U.S. And, we all still need to stay vigilant with how our elected officials govern, particularly in these turbulent times.

Anything is possible.

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   All rights reserved.   www.sagelead.com

-Unknown

It’s easy to lead in good times. Sometimes all it takes to be perceived as a strong leader is to just be in the right place at the right time and take advantage of the opportunity at your feet.

But true leadership is demonstrated when someone makes tough choices, tradeoffs, or takes a courageous stand when times are tough and uncertain.

We are seeing a number of our clients doing this now. They may not have regained their complete stride back but have felt enough of an uptick in their businesses that the time is right to bolster investment in their talent – especially after the previous 18 months were many leaders were asked to cut back and do much more with significantly fewer resources.

We have had a number of our clients make significant investments in development opportunities for their senior leaders this quarter, which is giving them a renewed perspective and energy jolt. Many are revamping or creating for the first time, development programs aimed at fostering strategic thinking and navigating the whitewater environment of today.

We partner with our clients to create or facilitate these kind of high impact experiences that are embedded in the context of solving significant business challenges. We continue to “receive rave reviews” with sustainable results.

Please don’t hesitate to call for a consultation today. 203-730-2103.

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   All rights reserved.   www.sagelead.com

I love the principles this country was founded on: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – However, I may not always agree with how we exercise democracy around the world.

I see this country as the greatest experiment of modern times. There is power and challenge of truly living in community as people have different ideas about what freedom and happiness are for them… so it requires mutual respect, dialogue, and the willingness to compromise.

This was really apparent to me when, two nights ago, my family was having dinner on our deck in the beautiful summer night. My neighbor’s large dog ran over and went after my small dog. This happened the previous night and I didn’t say anything. This night, I asked my neighbor if he could keep his dog tied up so he didn’t keep coming in our yard.

I was taken aback by what ensued. He yelled, screamed and berated me using explicatives. The anger and hostility that emanated from him was palpable and scary. This is the second conversation I have had with him in six years, because the first wasn’t that pleasant. When I asked, if I ever did anything to offend him to cause this reaction – he listed the two requests my husband ever made (pick up their tree that fell in our yard and we would help them do it, if he could pick up the fallen leaves in December as they were blowing in our yard). Both reasonable.

Does freedom mean do whatever I want, whenever I want, regardless of the impact on others? I think not.

If we can’t co-exist with our neighbors, how can we solve world peace? Freedom does not mean I do what I want and bully others to comply. If we can’t change this on a neighborhood level, how can we, as a country, change it with neighboring countries?

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   All rights reserved.   www.sagelead.com

I’m noticing a general sense that things are “heating up” – and I don’t just mean because it’s summer here in the Connecticut/New York area.

Perhaps this is due to a variety of reasons – ongoing uncertainty with the economy, getting laid off, having too much to do in a given day, going nuts keeping up with technology – but people’s fuses and capacities are getting shorter and tighter.

This is a sure sign of stress overload – operating with an overtaxed sympathetic nervous system – the flight or fight syndrome.

This leads to people saying things they don’t mean or saying them in a mean way. Everything starts and ends with the power of the word. Whether you are finding yourself in a tense meeting trying to do the impossible with less, working against insane deadlines or you are looking to find more meaning in your work – what you say and how you say it are key in these changing times.

Before you say something to the ‘wrong’ person, at the ‘wrong’ time, in the ‘wrong’ situation, take a moment to cool down your nervous system. If you feel the temperature rising, the most basic way to cool down and “detox” the moment is:

Take a slow, deep inhale through your nose to a count of 8, exhale through your mouth with an “o” shape to a count of 8. You can add: bring in positive feelings with each inhale; discharge negative feelings with each exhale.

Do this 3-11 times. This will allow enough pause and space in the conversation and energetic exchange for a shift to happen. Then open your mouth to respond versus react.  It is only in the present moment that we can truly change anything. And it starts with ourselves.

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   All rights reserved.   www.sagelead.com

Okay, so what is quantum entanglement and what does it have to do with the workplace?

Marilyn Schlitz, President of the Institute for Noetic Sciences in San Francisco has asked the question: “Does our consciousness have the capacity to reach out and connect to someone else in a way that’s health-promoting?” (BTW: Dan Brown based his lead character in his book, The Lost Symbol, on Marilyn and the Institute).

To me, science is catching up with what many of us have known intuitively. So quantum entanglement is described as ”Once two particles have interacted, if you separate them, even by miles, they behave as if they’re still connected.”  So far, this has only been demonstrated on the subatomic level but Marilyn and her team are investigating this possibility with human relationships.

Dean Radin, a senior scientist at the lab wonders: “Could people in close relationships — couples, siblings, parent and child — also be ‘entangled’? Not just emotionally, and psychologically — but also physically?”

I suggest, we think about this concept in terms of our working relationships. I’m sure you have taken worries about work relationships (your boss, co-worker, customer) home – and vice versa – brought feelings about personal relationships to work. There has been a lot documented on the physical effects of stressful work environments. I’m sure at some point you have experienced a stressful work relationship.

What would it feel like if these were joys – charges, positive feelings – about your work relationship? What would it feel like to be engaged with a helpful, positive entanglement? Choose one relationship today to focus on to boost your immune system and allow the other worries to fall away. Just for today.

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   All rights reserved.   www.sagelead.com

The article in The Huffington Post today by Robert Lanza is interesting, not just because of his provocative message – scientist are now starting to work on experiments that explore the thought that perhaps we are more than purely physical – maybe even spiritual. (We know we have consciousness in a way that no other creature on earth does) – but also because of the  heartwarming story he tells about the day he just hopped the trolley and went to Harvard because he wanted to meet a Harvard doctor who could help him with his experiment. It sounds like a scene from a movie.

Dr. Lanza implies that this encounter was a seed for reinforcement of his lifelong quest to understand more about life through scientific inquiry.

When Stephen Kuffler, the “world-famous” neurobiologist engages Robert, the boy, he doesn’t “shush” him away but instead he listens to him and invites him inside the building where he does indeed introduce him to one of his colleagues. It’s a very human moment that we come to understand had a profound impact on Dr. Lanza. One wonders if this scene happened today, would the individual be too busy answering emails or trying to secure grants to give an aspiring next generation scientist’s brave inquiry and venture any attention – let alone invite a stranger into the building?

What can you do today to listen to, or inspire a tween or teen to pursue their questions or dreams? Just think, if Bill Gates or Steve Jobs didn’t pursue their curiosity and drive while coming of age, what would we all be typing on?

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   All rights reserved.   www.sagelead.com