MAC Week 3 - Post 2 Response to Sue Parler's Blog post.

Below is Sue Parler’s blog post for the MAC Week 3 reading, followed by my response. This link goes to Sue’s original blog post: http://fullsailsue.blogspot.com/2011/05/mac-week-3-art-of-possibility-reading.html

“…his true power comes from making other people more powerful.”

As a softball coach, I often use the orchestra conductor metaphor to create an image that I can explain to others. I realize that my team is a collection of highly talented athletes (metaphorically, musicians); and my job is to make them play in perfect harmony – each feeling comfortable enough with her own contribution to be able to praise the skills of another. In so doing, I can see tangible evidence of engagement; through which we can achieve tangible evidence of progress in terms of better play. Wins and losses are never a barometer of our greatness – simply ask the question, “Are we a better team after the game, than we were when we started?” If so – we win, regardless of the score.

Because of their comfort in contributions to the team, I often have players step up and lead. Rarely is it the same player twice in a row. They lead by example and by words. Rarely is it the best player – it is simply one who perceives a need and steps in to fill it. They do not usurp my position as coach – they empower it.

That being said, the fifth principle, “Lead from any Chair” presents a conundrum. The book is written from the perspective of the leader. What if I’m in some other chair? Other than presenting him with the gift of this book, how do I get my leader to shed his/her calculating self? How do I draw him from his competitive measurement world and allow others to lead? Hmmm… ‘tis a puzzlement.

I gave him the book.

With regard to the seventh principle, “Be present to the way things are”, since I started at Full Sail last June, I have made this a practical goal. I have much to do and much in my head. But I owe it to those in front of me at that precise moment to be present to and with them. The glass half full metaphor crystalized this even more for me; as the full portion of the glass is the only thing tangible – real. Do not waste energy on the imagined – too much energy is already required in the real world, so be present to it.

Last Sunday, a friend of mine and I went to a farm – 32 acres of beautiful flowers, trees, gardens, and animals. It was a dismal day – gray and damp, with an occasional downpour. When we made the decision to go, we both said the worst that could happen is that we’d get wet, so what.

I adore nature. If I had to narrow it down to a single passion, I would say that the outdoors tops the list. I invest every Sunday morning in reconnecting with nature. I have often said that if I had my life to live over again, I’d be a Landscape Architect.

I walked around those gardens, jumping puddles, for two hours. Then we stopped at a little rustic deli for a good country lunch and headed home. It was a glorious Sunday.

Then I revisited my “If I had my life to live over” thought. Why live it over? I am who I am today by virtue of every experience I’ve had up to this point. I’m still here living. And I can pinpoint my passion. So I made a choice. Once I have finished the program at Full Sail, I’ll be returning to school once more – for Landscape Design. I’ve put in inquiries to several local schools and several online schools. I’m excited to see what develops.

Then I sat down on Sunday afternoon and read chapters 5 and 6 of the “Art of Possibility”. Imagine my surprise Monday night when I reached Chapter 8 – Give Way to Passion.

Serendipitous, wouldn’t you say?

@Sue

You pose a great question with regards to the “lead from any chair” chapter. What do you do if you aren’t the leader, but someone sitting in one of the chairs? I sat there thinking for several minutes about this question, and in a great many cases, it boils down to one of two things, 1) you could accept things for “the way they are” (see chapter 7 of the book for more on this), or 2) your solution. I think solution 2 is probably the better of the two, if the person actually reads it. I feel as though I am in much the same situation at the moment, however “Remember Rule #6” and “The way things are” are the chapters most applicable in my situation. I have bought the book for that person, but at this point, they want to read it, or are not open to reading it.  The person is caught in a persistent thunderstorm of life and is not willing to alter their perceptions and perspective and accept the things that they can’t change in their life. Instead the sit there in the rain drowning is self-pity over their situation. I have offered the proverbial umbrella, yet there the sit getting soaked to the bone. We can’t force them to take or to use the umbrella, but we can continue to offer it, in hopes that they might someday decide to use it.