I have a degree. Does that make me smart? Intelligent? Competent? I have parents and mentors. Does that make me a better person?
The Power of Ritual
Is ritual it just a formal, routine observance? Or does it have the power to create change? In some traditions, ritualistic ceremonies are believed to bring about a physical change in the natural world: dances bring rain, a community feast secures the next harvest, prayers bring safety, and various superstitions bring about good luck.
Credibility Lost?
I have a co-worker who can be difficult to work with. He’s not difficult in a bad way, but difficult in a way that makes you work harder to be better. He is very detail-oriented and wants to be overprepared for any scenario. Last week before a product presentation, we were reviewing all the equipment and information to make sure we had anything that our new clients might need. I hurriedly tried to reassure him that everything would be ok, but he insisted we double-check every last detail.
Bringing Values to Life
I read Awesomely Simple by John Spence today. It is an excellent book that contains some of the best lessons that I learned in his "Strategies for Success" workshop, along with a few additional insights that he has discovered over the years. One quote in the chapter about developing a "Vivid Vision" particularly struck me: "If the vision is written down in a hundred places, painted on banners, and carved in a giant rock in front of the building but is not a living part of the culture, then it is the same as not having one."