Each day, our new age of technology and social media are pushing us to live more open and authentically. When I do workshops and speaking engagements on Social Media, the bulk of questions are around image and privacy concerns. While we all have to be vigilant to ensure we are not putting ourselves in harm's way, today's technology is like a karmic accelerator forcing us to speak, write and live open and honestly.
Where two or more gather…let them do so with consciousness Version Français I have spent over 25 years working and consulting for all types of organizations – big, small, public, private, for profit and not. One thing I have found to be consistent is a general malaise in these organizations. The unbridled pursuit of profit at any cost has left them with products that are commoditized, employees at the brink of exhaustion and environments and communities close to depletion. Why is this happening? To understand, I removed myself totally from corporate life and gained a new perspective. I left my consulting practice and immersed myself into the mindfulness community. I went inwards using today’s contemplative practices to gain insight. I have been researching the most successful leaders in consciousness and sustainability looking for the best wisdom teachings. What I found surprised me and gave me hope. […]
Operation: "Flat Kerrsen" What began as a grade two school project later became a colossal endeavor, bringing hundreds of people together, including current and past Olympic gold medalists, rock stars and hockey legends, to share in the true spirit of the Olympics. It all started with a single note and a picture that was sent by Margo Johnston, Olympic organizer, to her friends and colleagues: I have been asked by a friend to help her grandson with a Flat Stanley project. Kerrsen is 7 years old and lost his father to cancer last year. He has mailed us his little flat self to explore British Columbia...and we are taking him to the Olympics! Your mission, should you accept, is to contribute to Flat Kerrsen's school project by making his trip to the Olympics unforgettable!" And unforgettable it was! There wasn't a more traveled person, albeit flat person, at the Olympics. Not even the press would have seen the events that he saw, nor met the number of people both behind the scenes and in front of the [...]
Often people ask me, does social media really work? It takes so much time, does it pay off? Is anyone really listening? There are times when the "mind viruses" even get to me and I question myself, wondering whether I can accomplish all I have set out to do. Last night, I went to see Deepak Chopra speak in Montreal. He was outstanding and incredibly inspirational, as anyone knows who has seen him live. This morning I was reminded of his "Seven Laws of Success". In particular, I was thinking of his sixth law, the Law of Detachment: Allow yourself and others the freedom to be who they are. Do not force solutions-allow solutions to spontaneously emerge. Uncertainty is essential on your path to freedom. As I try to detach from any particular outcome of my work, with the highest intention and hope that I can help others, I continue to post blog articles and communicate them through social media. This morning, I posted on Twitter an article on Smart Follow-ship that a good friend, Corry [...]
Much has been written about the unprecedented global economic crisis, including the causes - greed, selfishness, financial and loan schemes, rampant consumerism. As I hear talk of the recession easing, I am a bit concerned that we will come out of it too quickly to make real change. Our current economic model is not sustainable. Many of us are waking up to this fact. We have a chance to create a new economy based not only on the profit bottom line, but also on the social and environmental bottom lines - referred to as the triple bottom line of People, Planet and Profit.
We are observing evidence of the shift as we awaken to the power of follower-ship. This means that responsibility for everything about our lives lies within. We can no longer look outwards to blame anything on anyone, ever again. Follower-ship and leadership are merging. This makes follower-ship powerful because we want to be worthy of the ideals that our leaders communicate so charismatically.
"The Dali Lama is now following your tweets on Twitter." Less than a year ago I wouldn't have even understood the meaning of this phrase. The word "Twitter", let alone the concept of Tweets from the Dalai Lama were not in my lexicon a short year ago. Everyone talks about the power of the Internet and new social media. Receiving this message in my morning inbox is one of the most wonderful examples of this I have experienced to date !
Can we really create a social consciousness revolution? We finally have the tools, but will we use them wisely? There is a lot of talk today about the new social media, which includes: YouTube, Wikipedia, facebook, Delicious, MySpace, blogs, or the Smartboards that are bringing the transformative potential of the Internet into our children’s classrooms. It is clear that social technology is increasing the amount of interaction and information sharing happening globally. […]
