virtuousCITY, January 2022

This morning, I practically stumbled upon my grad book for 1982. FYI, I am on page 116.

It got me digging up my Commerce '82 Year Book.... and my Junior High School '75 Year Book. Now, I am looking for my High School Year Book, '77, lol.

40 years since my undergrad. 45 years since high school. 47 years since those crazy days of junior high. Wow.

When I look back at my thoughts expressed then, I see truths and then not. Some things truly were important to me. Some were more "for the day". But these many years later, I feel blessed for the work I do as Educator and Entrepreneur. Indeed, with now 40+ years into a career around leadership training and development, both roles serve to allow me the expression of joy and purpose in teaching, speaking, coaching, mentoring, facilitating, training, blogging, vlogging, writing, cartooning, singing, dancing, and creating.... on that which matters most to me.

Since 1982, I have tried my best to follow the guidance of the work of Richard Bolles and his seminal Service of What Color is Your Parachute?

The book is edited each year, and I must have some 10 copies as they have evolved. I wholeheartedly recommend the work, with no personal vested self interest. Indeed, it grounds my work around Purpose to this day.

But, I digress.

Most recently, in Accountability Forward, I shared what I consider to be my own practice of Accountability, as I move forward.

I noted that my work and play and living is about "Advancing conversation, consultation and capacity around character, purpose and unity, and the global goals. Build a better world at school, work, business and community; locally and globally. Humans together, strong."

I say all of this to introduce you to my new monthly blog series, called...

virtuousCITY

virtuousCITY will serve those of you I affectionately refer to as Activants... Educators, Entrepreneurs and Emerging Leaders who are looking to make constructive change happen, on the ground, real-world, real-time. You are world-embracing and noble-hearted. You seek to mobilize a strong, united and character-driven team to change the world or your corner of it. You want to lead, inspire, educate and unite in doing so.?You are the Leaducators, Communitrepreneurs and Emergents ready to build a better world; locally and globally... at home, school, work, business and community.

Here, through virtuousCITY, I will serve by exploring the work of The Virtues Project as it pertains to home, school, work, business and community. Here, I will offer up thoughts and strategies to help advance conversation, consultation and capacity around Character, and Purpose, and Unity; and the global goals. And so, this month, I offer up two areas of thought and Service.

First, I offer these?channels of TUGtv:

• broadCAST Live talking community and leadership.
• Justice Lead talking Justice and its myriad faces, facets and forms.
• Talk Reel talking ideas that stimulate thought, will and action.

• Brilliant Souls talking of youth and those that serve youth.
• #hUmaNITY talking of unity, diversity and being human around the world
• plus TUGtalks and?Digital Coffees

Here, in this multitude of longer form conversations, you will find content exploring leadership, community building, Justice, ideas, youth, Humanity, health, environment, immigration, character and much more.

Secondly, for all Activants, Leaducators, Communitrepreneurs and Emergents alike... I offer up consideration of the 5 Strategies of The Virtues Project as a primer for our future exploration over the months to come.

Paraphrasing from the site... the 5 Strategies include:

SPEAK THE LANGUAGE

• Language shapes character. The way we speak to one another (and to ourselves), and the words we use, have great power to discourage or to inspire. With speaking the language, we are acquiring deeper vocabulary. We are learning how to speak the language of virtues when acknowledging, guiding and coaching to bring out the best in one another; and ourselves.

RECOGNIZE TEACHABLE MOMENTS

• Recognizing the life lessons in our daily trials and triumphs (throughout change and challenge) helps us to cultivate our character. Rather than simply considering our behaviour, a deeper learning comes from examining our practice of Character. In everything there is virtue, either virtues being practiced or virtues needed. When we see any situation through the lens of virtues, we become more aware of the virtues we need to call on and the virtues that are already guiding us.

SET CLEAR BOUNDARIES

• Boundaries keep us safe. In The Virtues Project, boundaries are based on virtues. Think of them as codes of character rather than conduct. How do we roll in our respective cultures at home, school, work, business and community? What is our countenance and gate? What virtues are needed? How do we practice them? This practice creates clarity and a climate of genuine peace and safety, in all of our relationships. This strategy is needed when we have a problem in any area of our life. Personal and professional boundaries help us to build healthy relationships, and protect our time, our energy and our health. Here, we will explore what I call Guardian and Hunter Virtues as they relate to boundaries and resolution at home, school, work, business, community and life.

HONOR THE SPIRIT

• This strategy begins with respect for the Dignity of each person and encourages us to make time for wellness, reflection, reverence, and beauty. It is expressing what is meaning and meaningful in our lives by participating in the arts, honoring special life events, doing our best work, time in nature, and sharing our stories with each other. What brings you joy? What forges a culture of what I call reciprocal Dignity.

5. OFFER COMPANIONING

• Learn how to truly listen and be present to another person. This is the strategy to use when someone else has either a moment of trial or triumph; or both. One of the greatest gifts we have to give to another is our presence. By being deeply present and listening with both Compassion and Detachment, we help others to empty their cup and find their own answers and a-ha's. This approach empowers others to discern their teachable moments and to reflect on their virtues. And, we can use this strategy with our own inner conversations and self talk.

All of that said, here in virtuousCITY going forward, we are going to explore how we advance conversation, consultation and capacity around character, purpose and unity to build a better world at school, work, business and community; locally and globally.

Humans together, strong. Indeed and in deed.

Peace, purpose and prosperity...

Barry Lewis Green, The Unity Guy with Epic Engage.

Me?on LinkedIn

CHECK OUT

• Developing Leadership Character – Ivey Business Journal
• The Global Goals
• The Virtues Project

Epic Engage

LEAD. INSPIRE. EDUCATE. UNITE.

• You are an Activant … an Educator, Entrepreneur or Emerging Leader who is looking to make constructive change happen, on the ground, real-world, real-time. You are world-embracing and noble-hearted. You seek to mobilize a strong, united and character-driven team to change the world or your corner of it. You want to lead, inspire, educate and unite in doing so.?Let’s go build a better world!