From the New Zealand-based reggae band, Fat Freddy's Drop, the chorus from their song "The Raft"
"And though my people may not be many, we are ready for the storm to come
And though my people may not be many, we are ready to be strong as one,
And though my people, travel light, they are willing to fight the fight
And though my people may not be many we are ready
We have got to find a way, let it be done, let it be done (ooh)
Do you want to keep the faith until the storm has broken?
We have got to find a way to rise above the pain... "
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
The Answer to How is Yes
I have been reading this book off and on for about two years now. It's not very big, less than 200 pages and large print, so it seems the issue might be more about being ready for what the teachings are. It's really resonating with me and seems like something else that provides us with justification-after-the-fact for how we do summer institute.
Here's the blurb from the publisher:
Modern culture’s worship of "how-to" pragmatism has turned us into instruments of efficiency and commerce—but we’re doing more and more about things that mean less and less. We constantly ask how? but rarely why? We use how as a defense—instead of acting on what we know to be of importance, we wait until we’ve attended one more workshop, read one more book, gotten one more degree. Asking how keeps us safe—instead of being led by our hearts into uncharted territory, we keep our heads down and stick to the map. But we are gaining the world and losing our souls. In The Answer to How Is Yes, Block places the "how-to" craze in perspective and presents a guide to the difficult and life-granting journey of bringing what we know is of personal value into an indifferent or even hostile corporate and cultural landscape. He raises our awareness of the trade-offs we’ve made in the name of practicality and expediency, and offers hope for a way of life in which we’re motivated not by what "works," but by the things that truly matter in life—idealism, relationship, intimacy, and engagement. In his classic book Stewardship, Block showed how to free our organizations from stifling, control-obsessed bureaucracy and redesign them so that they are governed by the ideals of service, responsibility, accountability, and meaning. In The Answer to How Is Yes (inspired by a chapter in Stewardship), Block helps us realize similar ideals in our individual lives. Block offers a new way of thinking about our actions that helps free us from being controlled by the bombardment of messages about how we should live and act. He inspires us to say yes to our ideals and aspirations.
Interested? I am hoping to get some copies, so please let me know if you are interested so I can get an order in.
Here's the blurb from the publisher:
Modern culture’s worship of "how-to" pragmatism has turned us into instruments of efficiency and commerce—but we’re doing more and more about things that mean less and less. We constantly ask how? but rarely why? We use how as a defense—instead of acting on what we know to be of importance, we wait until we’ve attended one more workshop, read one more book, gotten one more degree. Asking how keeps us safe—instead of being led by our hearts into uncharted territory, we keep our heads down and stick to the map. But we are gaining the world and losing our souls. In The Answer to How Is Yes, Block places the "how-to" craze in perspective and presents a guide to the difficult and life-granting journey of bringing what we know is of personal value into an indifferent or even hostile corporate and cultural landscape. He raises our awareness of the trade-offs we’ve made in the name of practicality and expediency, and offers hope for a way of life in which we’re motivated not by what "works," but by the things that truly matter in life—idealism, relationship, intimacy, and engagement. In his classic book Stewardship, Block showed how to free our organizations from stifling, control-obsessed bureaucracy and redesign them so that they are governed by the ideals of service, responsibility, accountability, and meaning. In The Answer to How Is Yes (inspired by a chapter in Stewardship), Block helps us realize similar ideals in our individual lives. Block offers a new way of thinking about our actions that helps free us from being controlled by the bombardment of messages about how we should live and act. He inspires us to say yes to our ideals and aspirations.
Interested? I am hoping to get some copies, so please let me know if you are interested so I can get an order in.
Momentum
Momentum is an important thing. I really love how people leave summer institute feeling revved up, inspired, connected, and ready to do great things. What happens once everyone gets home and re-enters everyday life? Does that momentum carry forward, or does it become just another fond memory?
We need to get action plans loaded up and sent out (Connie and I are working on it), the slide show completed (Chris is working on it, and I need to get her some pictures) and downloadable soon, and get people re-inspired. It's harder to get re-started once things fall by the wayside.
I hope you are all well.
We need to get action plans loaded up and sent out (Connie and I are working on it), the slide show completed (Chris is working on it, and I need to get her some pictures) and downloadable soon, and get people re-inspired. It's harder to get re-started once things fall by the wayside.
I hope you are all well.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Thinking ahead to Rice Lake
Matt and Xong and I will be doing a 4-day workshop up in Rice Lake as part of an event called "Facilitating the Future." (This is a repeat of last year's "I'm doing WHAT?! a week and a half from now" workshop that Dot and I whipped together at her kitchen table.) In many respects, it was one of the best sessions I have ever been involved with, thanks in no small way to Matt, Xong, and Dot.
There is a piece that misfired just slightly because I had not thought it through all the way. We distributed the American Indian "Culture Card" from SAMHSA and asked the group to do some analysis. I had hoped they might recognize the contradictory nature of so many would-be tools, but we had to spell out the fact that ultimately the answers on the card boil down to "learn something" and "build relationships with those who can help you." Any thoughts on how to do this?
A pdf version of the card can be found at http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/ken/pdf/SMA08-4354/CultureCard_AI-AN.pdf
There is a piece that misfired just slightly because I had not thought it through all the way. We distributed the American Indian "Culture Card" from SAMHSA and asked the group to do some analysis. I had hoped they might recognize the contradictory nature of so many would-be tools, but we had to spell out the fact that ultimately the answers on the card boil down to "learn something" and "build relationships with those who can help you." Any thoughts on how to do this?
A pdf version of the card can be found at http://download.ncadi.samhsa.gov/ken/pdf/SMA08-4354/CultureCard_AI-AN.pdf
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)