9 Questions ... Question 2, Week 2 (day 2)

"Community requires the ability to expose our wounds and weaknesses to our fellow creatures. It also requires the ability to be affected by the wounds of others... But even more important is the love that arises among us when we share, both ways, our woundedness. The overall purpose of human communication is – or should be – reconciliation. It should ultimately serve to lower or remove the walls of misunderstanding which unduly separate us human beings, one from another. We are incapable of loving another unless we love ourselves, just as we are incapable of teaching our children self-discipline unless we ourselves are self-disciplined. It is actually impossible to forsake our own spiritual development in favor of someone else’s. We cannot forsake self-discipline and at the same time be disciplined in our care for another. We cannot be a source of strength unless we nurture our own strength." ~ M. Scott Peck

Resources for Question 2:

RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNITIES, DIALOGUE?(Downs and Doyle)

Introduction

This volume provides additional resources to enquire into the second question we pose in our curatorial book, 9 Questions for Leadership in Life and Work.

With this question, we enquire into how we can both discover and express our inspiration in relationship with others. Sometimes it is one-to-one with another person. Sometimes it is in small-groups, like a family circle or a working team. Sometimes it is in larger communities, like organizations, community groups, or collectives who come together in service of a cause.

Exercises for Exploring Question 2

• (we offer five exercises; here's a one example)

Holding Challenging Conversations

"Be brave enough to start a conversation that matters." ~ Margaret Wheatley"

Consider a conversation you are about to have, perhaps one that has the potential to be charged in some way. How might you help that conversation become a learning conversation for everyone involved, instead an argument or a contest of views? Perhaps by discovering some shared purpose and by committing to approach others with mutual respect. Perhaps by reflecting on the implications for everyone's identity, their sense of self-worth. And on the implications for your relationship?

Try preparing well for the exchange, and reflecting on your experience afterward. Consider sharing insights and ideas with others with a perspective, whether they were in the room for the conversation, or not.

Record your learnings in your journal.

For me, ... I am thinking about three conversations that I must have this month with myself (- a bit of a reckoning), a colleague (- establishing an end-date for current projects), and a sibling (- repairing and healing). Naming these is my commitment to you -- and me -- to have these conversations. To the extent that I am able, I will share my learnings with you.

For me,?... I would invite you to review the resources and 4 other practices and exercises found in the volume, Resources for Question 2: RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNITIES, DIALOGUE, and select one (or a few) to live with in the weeks ahead -- or perhaps another practice and exercise that speaks to you.

Good luck with this exploration into your realm of Question 2.

Much peace and blessings for the journey ahead.

Gerald Doyle

Accompanying Resources for the 10 Week Course:

9 Questions for Leadership in Life and Work?(you are welcome to download a complimentary copy of this book)

Resources for Question 2: Relationships, Communities and Dialogue (you are welcome to download a complimentary copy of this book)

"A container is a field of exchange in which possibility is the answer and the question – not winning and losing and not even winning win-win. New possibilities emerge when the questions are more important than the answers." ~ Bill Isaacs

Tri Cosain: Weaving inspiration, learning and career

Gerald and Scott are co-founders of?Tri Cosain, a practice which weaves inspiration, learning and career coaching for leadership in life and work; they are the?co-authors of?9 Questions for Leadership in Life and Work,?Conversations of Inquiry?(a workbook and an invitation to explore),?Reflections on Careers?(an interactive workbook). All of these publications are freely available for you to download.

Their work embraces equity, inclusion, diversity, accessibility and well-being as foundations for personal leadership.

Gerald Doyle serves on the faculty of?Wolcott College Preparatory High School, provides Ministry Placement Research/Consulting for Career Formation Services at the?Catholic Theological Union, advises several edtech companies including?Upkey?and?GetSet?and works as a Higher Education Consultant at?TSI - Transforming Solutions, Inc.

Scott Downs, an Agile and Design Thinking Coach, calls forward great Agile delivery teams, with leaders in every chair.