Why Daniel Ofman’s heritage matters (a lot)

Best-selling management author Daniel Ofman is very much alive – but he did go into late (rather than early) retirement last Sunday, April 28, reaching the respectable age of 75. This provides a good moment to look into the value of his intellectual heritage, and why it matters so much for the world of personal and organizational development.

Anyone who has worked with Daniel or read his books commends him for his ability to:

• provide a comprehensive framework to observe and analyze a situation;
• make things simple, clear and actionable;
• ensure a constructive, creative approach that generates energy and enthusiasm.

In our current world, the self-help books for people and organizations that abound usually promise to create a fundamental turnaround if you just follow a number of specific, easy-to-follow steps. These books and approaches build on the premise that you NEED to get from A to B, and that this transition requires hard work and dedication, like any diet or sports regime. Daniel’s approach is a different one and that is why it is so powerful and wonderful (having worked with him for over two decades does not make me entirely impartial). Rather than promoting the paradigm of hard-earned progress, his models and ideas – like his own life – are built on a number of universal spiritual principles that, together, constitute key ingredients for growth. They all help people to get rid of the concept of ‘Need To’, replacing it instead with the true inspiration and motivation of heart & soul. I will mention the four main principles that apply not only to Daniel’s work: They are a great basis for anyone seeking fulfillment and effectiveness in their lives.

#1 universal principle: Build on what is good?

This sounds like a no-brainer but actually, it is very far from being just that. How much time and energy do we spend in our lives to fight the things we want to get rid of? Fight our bad habits, fight the competition, fight overweight, fight the ideas and behaviors of colleagues and loved ones who get on our nerves. What if, instead, we cherish the good things in ourselves, in others and in life like nourishing a plant? Explore the type of plant it is, identify the soil it needs to prosper, water and fertilize it on a daily basis, and appreciate its flowers with love and affection. The ‘build on what is good’ principle is like a muscle that needs to be trained, and by doing so, it changes the perspective we have of ourselves and the world around us. It does not mean we ignore the shadow side of life, but that we confront those issues from a place of growth, with a constructive attitude, being fully aware of what we are building rather than what we are fighting. Doing that, requires that we..

?

#2 universal principle: Embrace the fundamental paradox

In a digital world, options are usually viewed as either/or choices. We prioritize work OR family. We are driven OR patient. You are an introvert OR an extravert. What if life is more nuanced than that – and true progress lies in embracing a fundamental paradox? If you take a closer look, any situation requires a balance between two things that seem contradictory, but are actually two sides of a scale that balance each other out. My life may look different if I can prioritize BOTH work and family life. If I succeed in being driven AND patient. And if I can reach out to other people WHILST staying connected to myself. This approach goes against the comfort we obtain from putting labels on people and situations. But the fundamental paradox is a law of nature as well, of night and day, of Yin and Yang, of male and female energy, of any toxic plant having its antidote growing in its immediate surroundings. To paraphrase Nobel-prize winning author Elias Canetti when he describes, in his autobiographic work Die Gerettete Zunge, the main life lessons he has learned from his mother as a boy: “The fact that one can take in so many seemingly incompatible things without dying of fear is the true essence of human nature”.

Embracing the fundamental paradox requires seeing light and darkness at the same time – and acknowledging that they belong together rather than being separate things. Which brings me to the third principle.

?

#3 universal principle: Fully take in everything there is – and then let go

Most coaches work with their clients in a process that is similar to the approach a personal trainer follows; they establish where you stand today, define where you want to go, and create a plan to go from A to B. And then they get to work with you. The notion of going to work to create change comes from a world where we think in terms of cause and effect, and of linear progress. This mechanism applies to many processes in life, whether it is about baking a cake or about implementing a project within a company. But the development of people and the discovery and deployment of the ‘corporate soul’ requires a different approach. As the word discovery implies, it is more like digging up a treasure in the snow, than carrying a box from A to B. Daniel Ofman’s models and methods all have in common that they provide a comprehensive perspective on people, organizations, innovation and decision-making. And they teach us that if we have a full view of what is in front of us, if we take all of it in ‘head, heart and soul’, then change will happen as a consequence, and not as a hard-earned result.

That doesn't mean that fully taking everything in is easy. It requires that we are brutally honest looking into the mirror. That we fully embrace both our possibilities and our deficiencies. That we dare to think, feel and act – all at the same time. But the weird thing is that if we succeed in doing so, and then let go, that change does materialize all by itself. Like an athlete who has put a lot of work in getting prepared for a match, and then fully goes into the game. So, getting into the game is the next and final element of our little journey.

?

#4 universal principle: Taking real decisions is what changes the world

Gaining insight and understanding is the first step towards meaningful progress. But, as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe observed: “Whatever you dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.“

Beginning implies action. And action implies a decision to get moving. Daniel Ofman’s methodology to ensure creative (rather than reactive) decision-making is the key in the ignition of many development processes. As he has pointed out to countless individuals: “It is great if you have insight into who you truly are. But the world does not need people who know who they are – it benefits from people who do something with that insight”. The funny thing is that many individuals and organizations who gain insight in what makes them tick, whether it is after reading one of Daniel Ofman’s books, or after participating in a workshop or retreat, immediately afterwards risk to go back to their usual rhythm of grumpily responding to every day’s challenges. This process of responding or reacting to people and situations drains us from our energies – because we act like a beach ball on the tidewaves of our lives. If we succeed in translating our self knowledge into firm, creative decisions to start building what we consider fundamental, and where we can contribute who we truly are and what we believe in, life becomes a different story. Moving from reactive to creative choices is (like the Build on What’s Good principle) a muscle we can train. The stronger it gets, the bigger our impact and wellbeing will grow.

?

--------

?

About ten years ago, Daniel and I worked for a large Italian firm where, based on the four principles above, we built and lead a leadership program in which over 2000 of the company’s corporate executives participated in Rome and elsewhere in Italy. The program met with approval ratings that averaged at 95% out of 100. When we evaluated the program with some of the faculty and participants, their feedback was consistent and clear. “In addition to the comprehensiveness, clarity and simplicity of your tools, you provide a message of hope, a perspective of what is possible here and now. And that is deeply moving and relevant to us”. To me, in a nutshell, that sums up the true nature of Daniel Ofman’s legacy. Providing a perspective of hope and authenticity. And paving the way for creative people and organizations.

?

Which of the four principles above would create the biggest change in your life? Let us know in the comments below or through a personal message. We would love to hear from you.

?===============================================

?

Niels-Peter van Doorn is a strategy consultant, executive coach and an expert on multi-cultural organizational development. He has been working since 2002 with Daniel Ofman and co-leads Core Quality International, the consultancy firm founded by Daniel.

?

?

?

?

?

?