Beginnings
It is often surprising how we begin putting a newsletter together,
only to see a theme emerging without our deliberate intention.
This month, that theme is beginnings.
The current economic upheaval is undoubtedly bringing much
pain, fear and suffering. At the same time, it is worth remembering
that every crisis also creates many new beginnings. We
have the power – whatever the stresses of our circumstances – to
view our present moment, here and now, as a new beginning and
to look for positive possibilities.
What quality or value can you bring to your present situation
that might transform it? Pause for a moment … just see what
comes to mind. You can experiment with living with this quality
or value for just one day, consciously applying it throughout the
day, especially at moments of difficulty. At the end of the day,
have a two-minute review before you go to sleep. How did
evoking your chosen quality change things?
Change is simply a synonym for the cycle of endings and beginnings
that weave through our lives. And this month, our theme
could not be more apt. There are the obvious new beginnings
symbolised in spring and Easter. There is also a wedding! But as
Elliot Seymour’s story shows, difficult challenges can also
present new beginnings.
Thank You
As you may have heard, I’m leaving Lamont Associates this
Easter. It’s been a hard decision to reach. My life is changing as
I’m getting married on April 19th and so a new road is emerging
for me.
Working in the area of transformation has truly been the
greatest honour, and I would like to take this opportunity to
thank every one of you with whom I have shared this journey.
It has been both humbling and inspiring to witness so many
transformations, so many moments of grace, wisdom, humour,
forgiveness, innovation and sheer joy.
With my abiding gratitude, I wish you all the very best in your
lives, at work, at home and at play.
— Jennifer
Click here to send Jennifer a personal message
A New Beginning
Elliot Seymour, Bourne Engineering
I come across a lot of people that are feeling cut off from their
business. As times get tougher, I see people withdraw into
themselves for protection, communicating only when they have to,
trying not to show that they are affected by life and work.
When talking through the business with a senior manager recently
they told me:
‘I’m fed up.
I’m being kept in the dark, I feel as though everything is going on
around me and I don’t know what’s happening, like I’m insulated
from the outside world. There is this wall and I can’t break
through it. What’s the point, I won’t ever get anywhere, I don’t
know what to do. I need to find something else, it’s all over.’
Now, some people can find it hard to look beyond the here and
now. It can sometimes be overwhelming with all of the negative
news and doom in the media. This senior manager had lost sight of
their role, their purpose, what made them special. He was looking
to me to confirm his views and tell him that he was right.
I called him a chicken.
It took several seconds for that to register with the individual. The
inevitable ‘What?’ then followed.
I repeated it. ‘Chicken! … Well not really a chicken, more like a
chick’.
The quizzical look that I received showed me that my comment
had landed, and more importantly had cleared the other thoughts
that we had previously discussed, which meant this comment now
had space to sink in and grow.
I explained.
‘Think about what you’ve just said for a moment. You said that
you’re being kept in the dark, cut off from everyone, surrounded
by a wall that you just can’t seem to break through. I’m curious
… do you think that’s how a chick feels as they are waiting to
burst through that eggshell into life?
They’re ready to take on the world, but also full of doubt as to
what they’ll find and how they’ll handle it when they do.
Stop. Think about it some more, you’ve got the advantage. You’ve
done this before and deep down you know you can do it again.’
After sitting in silence for a moment I could see that he recognised
the truth of what I had said and although this conversation
couldn’t wave a magic wand over him, it was the start of his new
beginning.
The Framework for Transformation
Principle 4: Enduring Principles
As fashions change with the speed of waves crashing on a stormy
beach, and political perspectives scurry past like gale force winds,
it can be seem as though we live in a world where nothing is
permanent, solid or reliable.
And yet, to make sense of our lives, flooded with fast-paced
changes, we require a strong framework that holds and supports us,
through the ups and downs of life.
It is for this reason that humanity, collectively, still returns to those
principles that have endured over millennia, such as ‘Change is the
only constant’. If this is indeed so, we need to learn to live with
change and to embrace new beginnings. The principle ‘Treat others
as you want to be treated’ invites leaders to think carefuly about
how they view those they work with. In living our lives through the
lens of these principles, we come to find our inner wisdom, a subtle
way of knowing how to react to change, conflict, confusion, loss, joy
and success. We can find a consistency in our response, a deeper
meaning in apparently meaningless circumstances.
These principles have survived because they resonate deep within
people. These are principles that we recognise because they are a
part of ourselves, of the innate human desire to excel, to shake off
the shackles of mediocrity, and to stand in the truth of who we are.
For it is not so much what we do in life, as how we do it, that
matters. It is the quality of our character that we bring to even the
most mundane of tasks that uplifts and inspires others, and creates
workplaces where people can thrive.
Which side of the river are you on today?
From Debbie van den Brink, Sash Window Workshop
Many of you will be familiar with the ‘Working Well and Treacle
Days’ diagram on the following page, as we often use this on
Lamont programmes.
At our most recent “Thriving in Tough Times” workshop, Debbie
shared that she had taken the poster from the previous workshop
and pinned it to her office wall. She explained that she sees the
line between Working Well and Treacle as a river, and each
morning she takes a moment to look at the diagram to see which
side of the river she is on. If she’s on the Treacle side, she makes
a conscious decision to shift to the Working Well side of the river.
When colleagues come in to talk with her, she is aware of which
side of the river they are on. If they are caught up in the treacle
she encourages them to come over to the side of the river she is
on – the side where they can work well together.
Her story illustrated the truth that how we respond to experience
is not beyond our control; crossing the river is a choice we can
make consciously, each day.
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