Thoughts On Thrivability
From Purposeless Fear to Fearless Purpose
What a rich and beautiful evening! Last night, Stephane Leblanc and Jeanne Rahilly of the International Centre for Conscious Leadership gathered a wonderful mix of generous, thoughtful people to explore the role of fear in leadership, no matter what the context. The...
The Call to Stewardship
There is a certain amount of reverence that comes when you see something — really see it — as alive. When you understand that it has a life of its own. That it exists for its own ends. That it has potential that can’t fully be known and that may or may not be...
Reality TV and the (Even More Real) Search for Reverence
When my teenage daughter told me she was getting hooked on a cooking show, I thought that was wonderful. “It’s Gordon Ramsay,” she said. “I like watching him yell at people,” she continued, with a conspiratorial smile. In a surprised reaction, I blurted out that I...
Beyond the Buzzwords: The Need for a Deeper Look at Thrivability, Regenerativity and Resilience
Over the past two decades, the business world has gradually become more aware of living systems principles. The vocabulary of emergence, resilience and self-organization has grown more common, as has the general language of purpose, passion and thriving. Even the...
The Silver Lining of These Dark Days
These are wildly encouraging times. (No, really, they are.) So many of us have been horrified to realize the extent to which bigotry and intolerance still exist - and currently drive the national agenda - in the US and elsewhere. And yet, the ugliness that has been...
Destiny or Downfall? The Decision Point in the American Experiment
The founders of the United States laid out quite a brilliant and comprehensive plan. But their vision is often misinterpreted and oversimplified. Many have some of it right. Few truly grasp the broadest original intentions, in all their wisdom and critical relevance...
The Wisdom and Folly of Systems Thinking
I’ve just read an article that excites me and irritates me in equal measure. This is usually a sign that there’s something profoundly valuable there. The article is called The Programmable Enterprise. In it, Esko Kilpi brilliantly articulates the dynamic, responsive,...
It Takes a Village to Raise an Entrepreneur
Like the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child, I would also say: it takes a village to raise an entrepreneur. We have this myth of the lone, heroic entrepreneur. And certainly, there is courage and heroism in launching a business. But if you are to...
The Refugee’s Gift
I've been helping a family of Syrian refugees - Omar, Salwa and their 7 children - since they arrived here 3 weeks ago, sponsored by the Unitarian Church of Montreal. After escalating violence, their home was destroyed by bombs 4 days after the youngest child was...
