9 Questions, ... Question 7, Week 7, (day 1)

"The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable."

"The awareness of the ambiguity of one's highest achievements (as well as one's deepest failures) is a definite symptom of maturity."

~ Paul Tillich

“There is nothing to prove and nothing to protect. I am who I am and it's enough.”?

There are three things we have to let go of. The first is the compulsion to be successful. Second, is the compulsion to be right-especially theologically right. (That's merely an ego trip, and because of this "need" churches split in half, with both parties prisoners of their own egos.) Finally, there is the compulsion to be powerful, to have everything under control.

~ Richard Rohr

How might we learn to understand and work with the full range of human capacity?

Conventional leadership approaches usually focus on the rational and cognitive, helping leaders think and reason their way to leadership strategies.

A more holistic approach recognizes that human beings are integrated wholes, where the distinction of body and mind becomes illusory.

How can leaders learn to recognize and liberate the emotional, intuitive, and embodied intelligence in themselves, their colleagues and their organizations?

A few notes before we begin:

1. So, here we are at Question 7, Week 7 (day 1) with an invitation to?"to recognize and liberate the emotional, intuitive, and embodied intelligence in themselves, their colleagues and their organizations."
2. I'm appreciative of those who have reached out to me and to those of you who are following the dialogue around 9 Questions for Leadership in Life and Work. In response to a few inquiries, you are more than welcome to use the materials for your workplaces, non-profit organizations, classrooms and colleagues; though unnecessary, we would appreciate hearing back regarding your learnings.
3. Several of you have inquired about a synchronous time when we might gather to discuss 9Qs; at the moment, I'm thinking that we might offer this as an invitation at the end of the program.
4. As always, your feedback, suggestions and dialogue are welcomed, invited and encouraged. And, please feel free to connect via LinkedIn if you are inclined.

For me, ... in the 6th grade in the basement of our home in Philadelphia, I opened a box of books from my father's studies at St. Joseph's College (now, St. Joseph's University); my father had enlisted in the Korean War after high school and had returned to college after the service. The majority of his time was spent in Greenland. Anyway, among the books, was a theology text with an opening quote from Bishop Fulton Sheen:

“Nothing ever happens in the world that does not happen first inside human hearts.” — Fulton Sheen?

For me, ... across the next 50 years, this quote has stood at the forefront of my thinking about change -- and managing change, including thinking about systemic change. In my conversations with colleagues and friends, in small projects and in larger "scale projects," it's rare that I'm able to invite a conversation that we take time to think about what's happening "within us -- within our hearts and minds" and how this might be distorting our ability to listen and to see clearly what's present and embodied in our present (circumstances). I get that this is a harder and more difficult conversation to have, less easily "mapped as part of a processing exercise" but how we "show-up or don't show-up" matters -- at the core.

For me, ... as I think about this for the remainder of 2023, I believe that I need to me much more intentional in my process of holding these questions and should very much look to spend a day or two -- perhaps longer -- in a contemplative setting for a retreat, to further the grounding that is necessary so that what "happens in my heart is, indeed, good, healing and generative.

Peace and blessings.

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 7: Engaging the Whole Person (you are welcome to download a complimentary copy of this book)

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.