It seems in the first few months of this year, we've seen so much more destruction and disappointment throughout the world and this week we are entering still another year of
war in IRAQ, smoldering out of control.
These realities bring with it a powerful call-to-action for us all. I believe this is especially true for women as we have the natural talents for nuturing, healing, bringing people together. It means we have to hold and share visions of a different future than we see today. This doesn't mean you have to be in a big, pretigious position to do this. You can spread hope and seeing life anew right where you are through your words and through your example. There is much to learn from the great visionaries that can be applied to our lives at home, at work and in the community.
Some years ago, when I wrote Action Dialogues:Meaningful Conversations to Accelerate Change, Frances Hesselbein, a visionary leader and mentor... and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom wrote a beautiful foreword for my book. It speaks about the way our words and actions can transform the workplace and our communities. I wanted to share it with you:
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Over thirty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. set an examle about the power of meaningful dialogue when he spoke of his dream on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. It was a remarkable speech, but if you were there or have ever watched the footage of that day, with the vibrant faces and the response of those taking in his message, it is clear there was also a dialogue taking place. A dialogue with a deep sense of shared meaning between him and all the people there with him. His circle of influence continues to reach out to us today.
There is much we can learn from Dr. King's example that will help us respond to one of the most critical quesions in today's world, "How do we help people deal with their deepest differences?" In just a few minutes, with relatively few words, he spoke the truth. He asked everybody to examine their own behavior and make a pledge to continue to be part of change. Regardless of the struggle that came before and the distance left to travel, he marked the time as a beginning. He appealed to the goodness and dreams of all people. He brought us together with inclusive language that we could understand.
...In 1980, in Managing in Turbulent Times, Peter F. Drucker reminded us, "A time of turbulence is a dangerous time, but its greatest danger is a temptation to deny reality." It through honest, open dialogue followed with concrete actions that we will be able to move beyond the barriers we have built, consciously and unconsciously, around race, gender, equal access. The old answers and language do not fit the new questions and challenges we face in a world that must learn to understand, relate, communicate and work together in the 21st Century across all its boundaries for the good of every nation.
As we reshape the world as we have know it, this is a time of remarkable opportunity for innovation. The individual efforts of thousands of leaders, in millions of organizations, will begin to transform the vision into a new reality of the diverse and inclusive community.
Frances Hesselbein
Chairman of the Board of Governors
Leader-to-Leader Institute
(former The Peter F. Drucker Foundation)
Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
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In what ways can you use your natural talents to create a positive, hopeful, inclusive environment for those in your span of influence?
Remember, you can use your talents at work, at home and in your community. Every day we have opportunities to set an example. "Influence starts with us and ripples outward." -- Lao Tze.
Welcome the unexpected.
Look for uncharted path that bears your name.
Lead the way!
Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women of the Lead
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