“She sat at the back and they said she was shy, She led from the front and they hated her pride, They asked her advice and then questioned her guidance, They branded her loud, then were shocked by her silence, When she shared no ambition they said it was sad, So she told them her dreams and they said she was mad, They told her they’d listen, then covered their ears, And gave her a hug while they laughed at her fears, And she listened to all of it thinking she should, Be the girl they told her to be best as she could, But one day she asked what was best for herself, Instead of trying to please everyone else, So she walked to the forest and stood with the trees, She heard the wind whisper and dance with the leaves, She spoke to the willow, the elm and the pine, And she told them what she’d been told time after time, She told them she felt she was never enough, She was either too little or far far too much, Too loud or too quiet, too fierce or too weak, Too wise or too foolish, too bold or too meek, Then she found a small clearing surrounded by firs, And she stopped…and she heard what the trees said to her, And she sat there for hours not wanting to leave, For the forest said nothing, it just let her breathe”
Nature teaches and how… Every seed, plant & tree is a testimony of growth.
Growth is a…
Change A knowing that change is the only constant.
Learning A knowing that there are new learnings to get to the next level of development.
Unlearing A knowing that there will be unlearings to learn some more.
Pruning A knowing that to grow it is necessary to let go of the unnecessary and reduce the waste & excess dependencies.
Nurturing A knowing that continuous improvement requires consistent nurturing.
Collaboration A knowing of the strength of collaboration towards a common purpose.
Cultivation A knowing of the value and need of enabling the wellness for overall growth & development.
Wisdom of nature is abundant with lessons.
If you ever choose to plant a seed and are lucky to watch it grow into a tree, you have witnessed the gifts of nature and nurture.
And if you were to correlate as an entrepreneur, you are the gardener gardening the your enterprise and the wisdom is in understanding these lessons from nature to achieve holistic growth in every stage of the organization.
In the vividness of imagination At times there is a turbulence of thoughts. Of emotions entwined in the sensing. Moving beyond, patterns forming…
Inspiration & ingenuity births itself In the very uniqueness of individuality Yet the source of creativity is infinity Such is the divine mystic of creation.
Whenever I come across a heart touching action, or a prose ,a poem or quote I will be sharing it here in this series…
Some people make the world a better place by their thoughts words and deeds...
Sharing a touching story of truths of life and living…
THE HAPPIEST MAN
When Billionaire Femi Otedola in a telephone interview, was asked by the radio presenter, “Sir what can you remember made you the happiest man in life?”
Femi said: “I have gone through four stages of happiness in life and finally I understood the meaning of true happiness.”
The first stage was to accumulate wealth and means. But at this stage I did not get the happiness I wanted.
Then came the second stage of collecting valuables and items. But I realized that the effect of this thing is also temporary and the lustre of valuable things does not last long.
Then came the third stage of getting big projects. That was when I was holding 95% of diesel supply in Nigeria and Africa. I was also the largest vessel owner in Africa and Asia. But even here I did not get the happiness I had imagined.
The fourth stage was the time a friend of mine asked me to buy wheelchair for some disabled children. Just about 200 kids.
At the friend’s request, I immediately bought the wheelchairs. But the friend insisted that I go with him and hand over the wheelchairs to the children. I got ready and went with him.
There I gave these wheel chairs to these children with my own hands. I saw the strange glow of happiness on the faces of these children. I saw them all sitting on the wheelchairs, moving around and having fun.
It was as if they had arrived at a picnic spot where they are sharing a jackpot wining.
I felt real joy inside me. When I decided to leave one of the kids grabbed my legs. I tried to free my legs gently but the child stared at my face and held my legs tightly. I bent down and asked the child: Do you need something else?
The answer this child gave me not only made me happy but also changed my attitude to life completely. This child said: “I want to remember your face so that when I meet you in heaven, I will be able to recognize you and thank you once again”.
What would you be remembered for after you leave that office or place?
Will anyone desire to see your face again where it all matters?
Think! Live your life in a manner that others desire to see your face again.
Sharing my swirl artwork called Vorticity. This I created with my some of favourite colors to suit the mood of the day!
Vorticity
In the core is the dynamics of the flow , Sense the spiralling fluidity Of the momentum moving along in circles In the whirling is the dance of energy.
When what you say And what you do Are congruent The effect of your words & deeds Radiates all around you in resonance.
It’s no wonder then that In a world that seems so dissonant Words and deeds need to synch. In harmony of such synchrony Faith and trust meet belief And that’s what makes all the difference.
If you are in a position of leadership and influence, consider it your responsibility to keep your team motivated consistently.
Every career experience is deeply significant in understanding and expanding your vision. As a Consultant & Mentor, my years as a Ballroom Dance Educator & Trainer have been truly insightful in understanding teamwork and collaboration and the values of direction and motivation from a leadership perspective in team performance.
Here are a few tips to manage & motivate your team.
Attitude: A team is a set of individuals who are meant to align towards a vision and mission. Start of by getting the hiring process right. Hire the people with the right attitude.
Connection : Begin to connect with your team with genuine interest in their work plan, issues and tasks at hand. You are more likely to understand the pain points, their strengths and find proper resolutions
Trust building : Building trust in your team starts with a leader who knows when to engage and when to back off. Trust creates responsibility and makes team members accountable.
Safety : A team that is ensured, mental, physical, social, environmental safety feels well-supported. Understand how important it is for every member to sense the safety so that your team can take steps with confidence.
Respect: Give respect to get respect. Create a platform to collaborate without character assaults and biased opinions.Always remember there is the benefit of doubt.
Non-judgmental : Avoid & Reduce personal bias and judgements in assumptions from affecting your team. Be inclusive and create a diversity in the team such that it becomes a source of strength.
Attention: Care to pay attention and nurture your team. Be available and wholly present to guide, mentor your teams through their tasks and issues. But reduce dependencies.
Appreciation: Last but not the least care to celebrate their small & large wins, take time to appreciate the good work.
Savvy Raj 