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You Learn Faster if You're Willing to Blow It:
Reflections of a Nosefluting Troubadour!
You can learn without growing but you can't grow without
learning. Simply Put: For any person or organization wishing to
grow, learning is not an option. Obvious? Perhaps. Easy? Definitely
not! If so, everyone would be learning as much and as fast as possible
- yet this is not the case. Adults are paid a premium for "knowing"
whereas "learning" is something done in one's spare time
and is rarely encouraged or supported. So what's holding everybody
back? In this topic we explore and explode one of the main barriers
to learning: our unwillingness to "blow it" through a
desire to save face, either publicly or privately. This highly engaging
(and marginally musical) presentation invokes the noseflute as a
unique metaphor, reminding and encouraging us to get back in touch
with our joy of learning. Let's "blow it" faster and seize
the gifts and opportunities that mistakes offer us!
| Membership in the Vancouver Noseflute Ensemble
is optional (yet encouraged!) for graduating participants of
every Nosefluting session. Hmmmmm! |
The Ordinary Hero: Be One Today
Nelson Mandela, Joan of Arc, Terry Fox, Mother Theresa,
Sir Edmond Hillary and Amelia Earhart. Heroes each of them. Known
and respected by millions. What makes them heroes? Why do we look
up to them? Does a person have to risk life and limb or demonstrate
superhuman abilities to be one? And what about you? Do you think
of yourself as a hero? I'd bet some of the children in your life
think of you as one (or did at one time). I want to be a hero to
my young daughter. Not because I want her to love or respect me
more, but because I want her to see in me the values I believe will
help her live as fulfilling a life as possible. We all carry the
potential to be heroes to someone if we're clear on what's important
to us and are prepared to act accordingly. This lighthearted look
at ordinary heroes will leave you with the tantalizing possibility
of becoming a hero yourself, each and every day.
A Passion to Lead: Creating Our Future!
Why would anyone in his or her right mind desire a
passion to lead? After all, "passion" comes from the Latin
word "passio", meaning "to suffer". Perhaps
because the worlds we live in are not quite perfect and limitless
opportunities exist to make them better. For every living, breathing,
human being, the gap between the desired future and the present
condition creates conscious dismay and tension. Suffering begins
by seeing an opportunity to make a difference and choosing to do
nothing. So we suffer if we don't lead when there's an opportunity
or need to do so. What does it take to develop passion? What is
the cost of living without it? Seeking or creating opportunities
to lead is an amazing path of growth and satisfaction for those
who choose - so let's start building our passion to lead today!
Fun Without Guilt: Putting Joy Back in Your Work!
So, are you having fun or are you getting your work
done? Wait! Don't answer - it's a trap! It's not one or the other
and don't be tricked into thinking it is! An unfortunate consequence
of our productivity-driven society is the myth that "if you're
having a good time, you can't be doing much of value". Given
the choice of working with someone who is effective, efficient and
having fun over someone who is effective, efficient and miserable,
with whom would YOU rather work? This fast-paced exploration of
having fun at work bursts through some of the barriers that prevent
us from enjoying ourselves while keeping our organizations happy
(sorry, make that productive ….. or profitable)!
Creative Executives, Unicorns & Other Mythical
Creatures
The Creative Executive. Yet another oxymoron in today's
business lexicon? A term with inherent contradiction? Please say
"it ain't so", because in today's climate, creativity
has become an essential quality for present-day executives. Fast
paced environments and increasingly demanding customers render the
traditional obsolete. Fresh approaches are critical to organizational
growth - yet stakeholders hold verdict on the right decisions at
the right time for the right reasons and at the right cost. The
pressure to do things "right" generates judgmental environments
that at best discourage creativity, and at worst are downright constipating.
Everyone is creative. You just need to be comfortable
with being creative. The challenge is augmenting solid, traditional
business skills with the ability to recognize when creativity is
essential and then tapping into it. This session serves as a mental
laxative to loosen up fixed positions, perspectives and perceptions.
It allows the creativity within to be recognized and dragged from
the depths of the mind to the surface where it can be refreshed
and nourished by light of day and fresh air. Fun and challenging,
this session encourages everyone to release their inherent creativity
and seek exciting opportunities to use it!
Building the Courage to Win
No one can argue that we're in the midst of one of
the most challenging, complex and confusing times in recorded history.
Regardless of our job or occupation, what used to work either no
longer works or works differently than it used to. Gone are the
days of predictability and consistency, putting an incredible strain
on all of us. A particular burden falls upon those looked to for
leadership in both organizations ranging from huge multi-nationals
all the way down to individual family units. The challenges are
the same - they just play themselves out differently.
Literally hundreds (perhaps thousands) of books have
been written on how to be an effective manager or leader, each offering
unique, useful advice on building the personal skills necessary
to guide others. This session focuses on what is believed to be
the most critical of personal traits: courage. What is courage?
When and why do we exercise it? What conditions are required for
us to act courageously? How does courage provide a foundation for
our curiosity, creativity and commitment? How can we encourage others
to act with courage too?
Little is written specifically on this topic, so we
examine courage in depth and explore the areas where exercising
personal courage will have the greatest potential impact. We unfold
the questions surrounding courage throughout the session with an
emphasis placed on there are no "right" answers but plenty
of "possible" ones. Be prepared for a delightfully personal
and highly engaging offering.
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