One way to understand what I’m about is through the books I read and share. Above are the titles and below is just a taste of the wisdom of these brilliant authors who’ve had a profound impact on my thinking and understanding of myself and others. They all influence the lenses through which I coach.
I’ve had the privilege of attending retreats with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Stephen Cope based on these books and it’s not an exaggeration to say they were life changing. Peter Senge’s Systems Thinking and Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence have transformed the workplace and our understanding of leadership. Brene Brown challenges us to take off the armor and rumble with vulnerability.
These books are always close at hand. The learning and inspiration never stop.
“The present moment is always right here, yet more often than not it is not apparent to us and therefore, practically speaking, unavailable, that is, we cannot avail ourselves of it. Its rich dimensionality is hidden and unknown in the press of our preoccupations and getting somewhere else, speeding through the present without noticing it or that we are always in it, there literally being no place else to go, no other time to occupy.”
“Might this dimension that is the present moment unfurl for us? It might. It might. What would it take. How about stopping, looking, and listening? How about coming to our senses?”
— Jon Kabat-Zinn - Coming To Our Senses
“Ask yourself these questions: Am I living fully right now? Am I bringing forth everything I can bring forth? Am I digging down into that ineffable inner treasure house that I know is in there? The trove of genius? Am I living life’s calling? Am I willing to go to any lengths to offer my genius to the world?”
— Stephen Cope - The Great Work of Your Life
“At the heart of a learning organization is a shift of mind - from seeing ourselves as separate from the world to connected to the world, from seeing problems as caused by someone or something “out there” to seeing how our own actions create the problems we experience. A learning organization is a place where people are continually discovering how they create their reality. And how they can change it”
— Peter Senge - The Fifth Discipline
“Under the guidance of an emotionally intelligent (EI) leader, people feel a mutual comfort level. They share ideas, learn from one another, make decisions collaboratively, and get things done. They form an emotional bond that helps them stay focused even amid profound change and uncertainty. Perhaps most important, connecting with others at an emotional level makes work more meaningful. We all know what it feels like to share in the excitement of a moment, the elation of completing a job well done. These feelings drive people to do things together that no individual could or would do. And it is the EI leader who knows how to bring about that kind of bonding”
“On the other hand, if a leader lacks resonance, people may be going through the motions of their work but doing merely a “good enough” job rather that giving their best. Without a healthy dose of heart, a supposed “leader” may manage - but he does not lead.”
— Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, Annie McKee - Primal Leadership
“When the heart is open and free and we’re connected to our emotions and understand what they’re telling us, new worlds open up for us, including better decision making and critical thinking, and the powerful experiences of empathy, self-compassion and resilience.”
“Clear is kind, unclear is unkind”