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January 30th, 2012
By David Tunney, Executive Director
Welcome to this week’s GISC Weekly Newsflash, a headline summary of what’s planned or recently happened at GISC:
- The ground-breaking and highly successful Setting Up New Worlds: Organizing Our Futures led by Rob Farrands was held at Bentley College this week with 17 participants including Sonia Nevis and her grandson Aaron Kamholtz, Bentley University faculty, PhD students, executives and consultants from Bank of Canada, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, WRT Planning and Design, Minto Development Corp, Teleos Leadership Institute, Totem Hill, and Figure Ground Consulting.
- Efforts are underway to analyze the results of the survey completed by 41 Professional Associates. Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey.
- The year-end appeal resulted in donations from over 50 individuals totaling $31,884. Thank you for your financial contributions and building our donor base!
- Work is in progress to host a Professional Associates Webex in the near future.
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“Be willing to influence and be influenced” Boid rules for group effectiveness.
Tags: Bentley University, executive forum, fund drive, GISC Weekly Newsflash, professional associates
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January 13th, 2012
By David Tunney, Executive Director
HAPPY NEW YEAR and welcome to this week’s GISC Weekly Newsflash, a headline summary of what’s planned or recently happened at GISC:
The 2012 Catalogue of GISC Programs and Services is in the mail…
Setting Up New Worlds: Organizing Our Futures led by Rob Farrands will be held from January 24-26 at Bentley University and is co-sponsored by Bentley’s Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility. Interested?
The second session of the Competency Development Program for Coach Certification started today with 24 participants; faculty includes Mary Anne Walk, Stuart Simon, Zeynep Tozum, and Nancy Hardaway
Last week, GISC hosted the 2012 Cape Cod Community Leadership Institute Program. Sonia Nevis and Nancy Hardaway facilitated a workshop on leadership and team development for the 28 participants.
The GISC Philly Region met on January 7th and this time the meeting evolved into a gestalt group discussion on bearability. In addition, Susan Fischer led a writer’s workshop with 7 participants. The next meeting is March 16th.
Mike Sturm passed away on January 3rd. He was a student of Edwin and Sonia, and created the 5 Dynamics Assessment, a popular Gestalt-based survey. More info and remembrances can be found on the 5dynamics website.
Peace
Tags: Cape Cod, GISC Weekly Newsflash, Sturm
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January 10th, 2012
By David Tunney, Executive Director
In 2011, GISC co-founder Edwin C. Nevis, PhD, passed away on his 85th birthday. The memorial service held at the Center included an outpouring of condolences and support and occurred between the launch of Professional Associates and the first annual Community Gathering. A fine tribute indeed to Edwin’s life and legacy. Many fond remembrances of Edwin also appeared in the last issue of the 2011 Gestalt Review, GISC’s academic journal co-founded by Edwin. One reflection in particular seems appropriate here: “He was huge in the ways in which he touched and impacted so many lives through his friendships, consulting, teaching, writing, and especially his mentoring of so, so many people.”
A founding father of process consulting, Edwin taught at MIT’s Sloan School of Management for 17 years and served as director of the school’s program for senior executives. He also launched dozens of study groups, conferences, and programs at GISC. Edwin had a passion for lifelong learning and leading, and so does GISC. Though Edwin is gone, his legacy continues as strong as ever, evidenced by upcoming programs and successful initiatives. In 2012, we are pleased to offer Roots V: Gestalt Organizational Development in honor of Edwin. The conference will be held in Stockholm with co-sponsors Gestalt Academy of Scandinavia and Perlan Dialogue and Leadership.
The Education Initiative is one of many undertakings inspired and fostered by Edwin. GISC faculty are now working with school systems from Cape Cod to Maine, ranging from elementary grades to colleges; and in 2012 there will be two programs at GISC specifically designed for educators.
The Healthcare Initiative is going strong after the successful design and delivery of a customized leadership and mentoring program for physicians and their teams at an Alaskan native, relation-based, healthcare organization. We are also honored to have two healthcare industry experts as co-faculty in one of the leadership programs.
This 2012 program catalogue reflects the extraordinary efforts and capabilities of GISC Professional Associates, faculty, and guest faculty in transforming the way we live and work in the world. Whether for leaders, practitioners, or individuals, all program tracks have many new exciting offerings and faculty.
For Leaders, we offer a new series of Executive Forums starting in January with Setting Up New Worlds: Organizing Our Futures. The outcome of the January program will help shape the agenda of the May and September Forums. In addition, we now offer a program that will integrate Gestalt-based leadership principles with proven methods for creating a continuous improvement culture. Another new program will help leaders improve virtual work team effectiveness. This year we also welcome two new co-faculty for the popular cornerstone program for senior executives, Leadership in the 21st Century. Three other highly successful programs will be offered including Leadership Transitions which will be conducted in New York City.
For Practitioners including consultants, coaches, change agents, psychotherapists, lawyers, healthcare providers, and other service professionals, the Cape Cod Model programs continue to be successful, well-attended anchors for GISC. Most of our programs are eligible for continuing education credits by the American Psychological Associate (APA) and/or the International Coach Federation (ICF).
In 2012, the renowned Cape Cod Training Program will be offered in Stockholm, Sweden, in association with the Gestalt Academy of Scandinavia, as well as in Wellfleet. For organization development professionals, we continue to offer a series of programs for fulfillment of the Advanced Practice OD Consulting Certificate. And for existing and prospective coaches seeking new skills and ICF certification, we now offer the Competency Development Program for Coaching Certification, with accreditation expected in 2012.
For Individuals, we will continue to offer the popular Next Phase program along with Women’s Wisdom and several other programs. In addition, we are excited to offer a new Summer Series 2012 of workshops for personal growth and exploration on diverse topics for mind, heart, and body. We will also be hosting our second annual Community Gathering in June, an event where newcomers and old-timers attend free workshops to explore the latest research and theory development, new program offerings, and GISC initiatives.
Nestled in the woods of Wellfleet, a short distance from the world-famous Cape Cod National Seashore, GISC offers a retreat-like training facility in an ideal location. Many participants return year after year not only for the programs but to reconnect with a world-wide community dedicated to lifelong learning, teaching, consulting, writing, coaching and mentoring.
And when you become a member of GISC, you will receive an annual subscription to the Gestalt Review. Please contact us if you have any questions. See you on Cape Cod!
Tags: 2012, Gestalt, GISC, leadership, Leadership Development, Nevis, Training Programs
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November 1st, 2011
Almost half a year has slipped away, now I’m waking up.
Many of you knew Edwin my husband. He died, suddenly, within three days. He had no pain and died at home. He was surrounded by his children and his grandchildren and it was on his birthday.
If you didn’t know him in person you probably knew him from his books.
During these last months, immersed in the dramatic shift in my life, I did very little thinking about myself and very little about Ed.
What I did think about was our relationship. I always imagined that our relationship was unique but now I suspect that many of us share the same journey in whatever relationships we are in.
They are probably just different.
Ed and I met when he was 16 and I was 15. We met near a beach in New York City. Our connection was that we both were in the same school in Brooklyn, New York.
He had friends and I had friends and we quickly became a group. At first music held us together but soon we all rented bikes and took long rides, we walked over the George Washington Bridge into the New Jersey hills. We went to anything interesting in the city that was free. Even went to Night Court to watch.
We never “dated” but there were three marriages from within the group.
Although the group is now shrinking, we still meet regularly and stay in close touch.
Ed and I were one of the weddings. Neither of us had good homes and both of us wanted to be out of our homes. It was 1947; we had no money and no idea other than to leave our homes. We were both still in school, both had part time jobs and we jumped into the unknown.
Once we rented our own place, we clearly saw how we were different. From that beginning we laid out our own paths.
Our major asset was that we didn’t put much energy into changing each other’s lives.
Our second major asset was that if I had an idea he would consider it and use it or not. If he had an idea I would consider it and use it or not.
The amazing thing for me is that we rarely talked things out and Ed did not want to be asked questions.
It feels like magic that our relationship continued so long. I never considered leaving him (I liked my life). I did ask him a question once. I asked him if he had ever considered divorcing me. He said sure, but not seriously.
I’m talking about a 64 year old marriage. In the last few years I got into calling it a Lack of Imagination.
Now I’ve become aware of how rich our imagination was.
We gave each other breathing space and gave each other very little grief.
My major annoyance is that Ed died before me. He clearly wanted to live to be 100, and I was counting on him to achieve it. I assumed that it was a pact between us.
On my side, since my mother died when I was five, I have had no wish to live long and yet I am already 84.
Since I am now alone, I can see clearly how Ed and I were actually on the same track. We both connected with people and took it on as our life’s work.
We just came at it differently.
We never worked closely together until we built the Center at Cape Cod. I was worried whether we could work that out and we did. Still amazes me.
Those of you who knew Ed know how much his work drove him. My sorrow is that he died feeling that he hadn’t done enough when in fact he had done so much.
I, on the other hand, am awed at how much I have accomplished in my lifetime and am secure in the belief that the work I have been doing will continue well past my life.
Ed did not have enough time to put his work into your hands. He was waiting until he was 100 to do it. I take it on me to tell you he would have liked to have done that himself.
I will hold your hands as long as I can and am already feeling how you hold mine.
Warmly, Sonia
Tags: aging, Edwin Nevis, life's work, marriage, Nevis, relationships, Sonia Nevis
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June 2nd, 2011
By Bob Eason
Editor’s note: The following article was written to celebrate Edwin Nevis, his life, and the Lifetime Achievement Award he was recently awarded by the Organization Development Network at its 2010 Conference in New Orleans. Sadly, Edwin passed away before the article could be published in our newsletter. We have decided to go ahead and run the article in its original entirety. It is a salute to a man who spent his entire life helping others reach their full potential.
Edwin Nevis Recognized for Lifetime of Innovation
The amazing thing about Edwin Nevis is that his passion for making the world a better place still burns bright after nearly 60 years at the forefront of the organization development movement. In recognition of that fire, and his pioneering work with organizational consulting, the Organization Development Network recognized Edwin with its 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award.
“It’s a real honor,” the co-founder of the Gestalt International Study Center (GISC) responded when asked what the award means. “It’s a reward for years of work. As recognition from my peers, it’s the culmination of my career.” And what a career it has been.
After spending over a half century in the organizational consulting field, Edwin Nevis has introduced literally thousands of consultants, coaches, therapists and leaders to an approach which has become the very foundation upon which GISC and its core programs have been built. “I’ve been involved with leadership since 1955 and training people from all over the world, the organizational practitioner explains. “The work is truly global in scope. My colleagues and I have worked with management from South Africa to Sweden, even the U.S. Presidency.”
What attracts so many OD consultants to Edwin and Gestalt International Study Center? Unlike most Gestalt institutions, who deal only with therapy, GISC works with couples, groups and organizations. It is an approach that is experiential rather than theoretical. “Our approach is hands-on,” Edwin says. “The goal is to create tools that will enrich our participants’ lives with greater self awareness, interpersonal and professional skills.”
Edwin’s approach is built on a set of principles that begin with self awareness. “It’s a question of how one interacts with the world,” he explains. How you are perceived by others. The impact your behavior has on others. Then there is what we call skillful dialogue. It’s how you interact with others in a skillful way. For example, dealing with difficult conversations such as performance reviews. And then there’s the ability to receive information from others. You need to receive information from others and hear what they saying … not just shout them out. It all leads to the ability to influence others.”
These principles are part of a body of work that is rooted in years of experience dating back to 1956 when Edwin co-founded the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland. While serving as president and a member of the faculty, he also co-created the well known Organization and System Development Program and the OSD International Program. But his fascination with Gestalt psychology and group dynamics actually dates back to his early college studies in New York City.
It was while there that he was first introduced to Gestalt by a legendary group of expatriate German teachers who had migrated to New York City at the dawn of World War II. Today, Edwin is the second oldest living practitioner who studied under the originators of the movement. These included such legendary pioneers as Fritz and Laura Perls, Isadore From and Paul Goodman. “We were out to change the world,” he remembers. “There were lots of free flowing ideas being bounced around. I guess it was just a question of being in the right place at the right time.”
The right place for Edwin soon became the Sloan School of Management at MIT. Heading back East, he taught courses in organizational change and consulting for 17 years. He also served as a core faculty member and Director of the MIT Program for Senior Executives. It was also during this time, the early 60’s, that Edwin and his wife Sonia March Nevis, pioneered a new vision of what enriches relationships. Edwin’s focus was on organizations and consulting.
Eventually tiring of constantly being on the road consulting, and in search of yet another challenge, Edwin and Sonia co-founded the Gestalt International Study Center (GISC) in 1979. Located in Wellfleet, MA, GISC is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to leadership, professional and organizational development. It offers advanced training for leaders, practitioners and individuals. GISC’s mission is to encourage advances in the application of Gestalt to the fields of family therapy, leadership, coaching and organizational consulting. Edwin continues to teach there and sits on the Board of Directors.
Over the years, Edwin has also been the author of numerous articles and several books including Organizational Consulting: A Gestalt Approach; International Revolutions (with Lancort and Vassallo); How Organizations Learn (with DiBella) and recently released by GISC, Mending the World: Social Healing Interventions by Gestalt Practitioners Worldwide (co-edited by Joseph Melnick).
Teaching. Publishing. Consulting. Some 60 years after he first started, Edwin Nevis’ passion to make the world a better place is still a driving force in his life. Today, at an age when most of his peers have long ago settled into retirement, Edwin is still going strong. He has career goals and unfinished business. In fact, even now; he is working to introduce his organizational approach to America’s educational system through a demonstration project at a community college in Connecticut and at a Cape Cod school system.
When asked what he’s the most proud of after all these years, Edwin quickly ticks off the accomplishments without skipping a beat. “First, my marriage and family, then doing good work and the influence I’ve had on people, he proudly states. “Over the years it has led to work with organizations based on a growing recognition of the skills you need in life and your professional world.”
But Edwin doesn’t stop there. “You know, I’m a 100% living embodiment of the American dream. I was the first to go to college from my family. And because of that I’m rooted in a certain set of values,” he says. “ I’m not a crusader … or a utopian … I simply believe in the working man. The dignity of work,” It’s something I inherited from my father and that I’ll always carry with me.”
Which might explain why after all these years, Edwin Nevis is still trying to make the workplace, and the world, a better place.
Tags: Edwin Nevis, Gestalt, GISC, OD, Organizational Development
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May 2nd, 2011
By Sonia Nevis
I’m not sure why I used the word “mean.” Probably closer to my experience is that the winter weather was restless and I was surprised by it. I was restless and I had many reasons to blame the winter, but I still didn’t know what got me so stirred up. It was as if the fierce winds and the cold blasts were echoing some long ago experiences I have had. I decided to write this to figure some things out.
Usually I would have ignored my restlessness with some certainty that it would pass. And, I’m fairly certain that it would have passed. But I know that I am racing toward my 84th birthday and it is time for me stop and note what I pay attention to and what I ignore. It’s time for me to know more about myself.
My early life was pure confusion -strange homes and mysterious caretakers and above all, the shower of differing advice.
How to brush my teeth, whether a wet towel is to be hung up or tossed on the floor, when to start eating and when to wait for someone else to start, was I to wear my clothes for only one day or to wear them for several days, to speak or to wait until spoken to. Nothing was ever the same, and each bit of advice was different than the last one I was given.
I realize, as I write, how much I learned from those early experiences. I also realize that when I lecture, I often say listen to me “lightly,” since whatever I say on Tuesday will probably be different than what I say on Thursday. Only this minute do I realize where I learned to believe that and to say it.
My good fortune was having the experience I had with Fritz Perls and with Gestalt theory. Once a month in Cleveland, Fritz taught a group the essence of Gestalt principles.
This was in the 50s, when I was experiencing complete confusion, and Fritz was working to articulate his principles. His ease with teaching one principle and, then, the next month announcing that what he taught the last month was not important since he has now figured what he wanted to say was exactly what I needed to hear from someone that I trusted. And I did trust him. I learned to trust myself and to have the courage to step into the unknown without my knowing what will happen.
I read an article written by Jonah Lehrer in the December 13, 2010, New Yorker called “The Truth Wears Off.” The article is about the scientific experiments that are conducted in the search of “truth,” that when replicated a year later prove to be wrong. He cites many such experiments.
“But now,” he says, “confirmed findings have started to look increasingly uncertain. It’s as if our facts are losing their truth: claims that have been enshrined in textbooks are suddenly unprovable.”
“We like to pretend that our experiments define truth for us. But that’s often not the case. Just because an idea is true doesn’t mean it can be proved. And just because an idea can be proved doesn’t mean it is true. When the experiments are done, we still have to choose what to believe.”
I hope this makes your life easier as it did my life.
Warmly, Sonia
Tags: experiments, Fritz Perls, GISC, truth
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January 4th, 2011
For GISC, 2010 has been a year of transitions, awards, successes, new opportunities—and challenges. Like you, perhaps, I believe there is an enormous need in the world today for the programs and services offered by GISC. Fortunately, we are well positioned to expand into new areas; however, we need your financial support. Therefore, this year’s annual campaign is about Funds for Growth!
In the years since Edwin and Sonia founded GISC in 1979 for study and research, GISC has grown to serve individuals and organizations worldwide. Our current momentum is exciting and puts us at a crossroads familiar to many organizations: the need for funds to ensure our ability to keep up with increased demand and opportunity. This year especially, we need your donations to support our growth. Here’s what we’re doing and how you can help.
This year’s biggest story is the extent to which GISC is expanding its base of operation from Wellfleet. We have a substantial new venture at a healthcare organization in Alaska and momentum to fulfill 2011 growth goals elsewhere in the US, Canada, and Europe as well. We are – as our name states – a truly international organization.
In Alaska, the GISC Healthcare Initiative is working to transform a major healthcare organization into a team-based, collaborative medical practice. An on-site, GISC-trained consultant is working with other GISC practitioners to provide a better model for medical care for Native Alaskans.
On the educational front, we have two new ventures. We will begin teaching GISC courses in the Leadership and Organization Development MS Program at
St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. This strategic education initiative gives GISC greater impact and visibility and will position us to extend our programs into other colleges.
Second, the GISC Education Initiative – and its extraordinary team – is preparing to launch a “demo project” in 2011. The goal is to teach teachers GISC methods and demonstrate the results: improved skills and reduced dropout rates. This exciting project could be replicated and make a major impact on education.
In leadership – where GISC already has a well-established reputation for quality – we are preparing to offer programs in Toronto and/or Ottawa. Because our Leadership Consortium members have been so pleased, several members now want us to bring our proven, successful programs to their employees.
In Europe we have been asked to develop a strategic alliance with a leading Gestalt center and with Gestalt-based consulting firms. We expect to offer several courses – including the Cape Cod Training Program – throughout 2011 and beyond in many different European countries.
As you may be aware, the core history of GISC is based on the creation of new methods and theories, so in 2010 we honored our roots and launched the Leadership and Organizational Development Initiative (LODI). This effort will analyze GISC’s unique approach to leadership and result in a new Gestalt-based offering that will help us work even more effectively with large and small systems.
Finally, I am pleased to announce that this year also saw one of GISC’s own founders and leaders, Edwin Nevis, receive the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Organization Development (OD) Network! This award honors an individual whose commitment to the field of OD and achievements over the course of a lifetime have made a significant contribution to the OD profession. Please join us in congratulating Edwin on his many and remarkable achievements, now formally acknowledged by the professional community.
The remarkable history and past success of GISC combined with our current growth opportunities offers exciting expansion prospects for 2011. However, we need your financial support and ask that you donate to position GISC for sustainable growth. Here are a few examples of donation needs and dollars at work:
· The Nevis Scholarship Fund: provides financial support for participants to any program.
· Program-Specific Scholarships: provides financial support for a program of your choice, such as Leadership in the 21st Century; Nonprofit Leadership; or Next Phase: Life Strategies for Navigating Personal and Professional Transitions.
· Education Initiative: supports development and delivery of GISC courses and methods in education.
· Donor’s Choice: Is there something particular you would like to fund? Last year, a donor provided funding for a survey to understand the impact of our programs in the lives of participants.
“Be generous, it’s good for the heart.” Sonia March Nevis
If you donate $125 or more, you will receive your annual GISC Membership benefits. If you donate $500 or more, you can allocate that money to a specific program or initiative mentioned above. If you donate $1,000 or more, you are invited to attend a special event with Edwin and Sonia next spring.
Please give today according to your means and intention to sustain and grow the impact of GISC in Wellfleet and throughout the world.
David Tunney
Executive Director
Tags: fundraising, Gestalt, GISC, Giving, healthcare, leadership
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May 20th, 2010
By Nancy Hardaway
When we first started our GISC newsletter, I kept a journal of what it was like to come on board as the new CEO and shared pieces of it in the newsletter, hoping to offer first-hand insight into the process of leadership transition. We value transparency in organizations and wanted to model it. As many of you already know, I have made a decision to end my tenure as CEO, so I want to again share my experience – of the process of deciding to leave, and of helping this organization through another transition.
Recently I was reviewing a compendium of our core teachings and came across a line that described my experience in coming to awareness that it was time for me to move on. “We follow the paradoxical theory of change, which encourages people to pay careful attention to what is going on in the present, before moving to change it in any way. “
Early last December I injured my arm falling on a patch of black ice, and spent a few days away from writing or computers. It occurred right around the 3 year anniversary of my first days in this role, so I spent some of my resting hours reflecting on all that has been accomplished by so many at GISC since December 2006. It was that process of exploring where we had been and where we are now that made me realize I had accomplished the goals I’d set out for myself and had been set by others for my work at GISC.
The goals I accomplished were all collective efforts. I was hired to move the organization through a transition from founder leadership to professional leadership. I was hired to create a marketing vision and to build our visibility in the world. I was hired to create financial and organizational sustainability. I was hired to expand our programs and faculty. I was asked to build GISC into a larger community with a gravitational that expanded well beyond our founders.
Some of these goals will continue to be out front of GISC leaders and others will be added, but I realized that the “unit of work” for which I had been hired was now complete. Then I had to reflect on what I wanted to accomplish next, both at GISC and in my life, and having faced a sudden family crisis this past year I was starting to think more personally. What and who mattered most in my life? What did I want to make sure I attended to? What was on my “bucket list” of things to do while I still have the energy, good health, and willingness to embark on adventure to do them?
Contemplating leaving GISC evoked so many memories of people I’ve met and come to love, of folks around the world I’ve learned from, of challenges that have helped me grow. I thought about our concept of co-creation – how we influence and are influenced and create our experiences together. Just as I have touched and changed GISC, so has GISC touched and changed me. I thought with grief of the losses I’d experience by leaving. But I cannot make space for something new without letting go of something.
With a decision made, it has been the work of the board to move forward to hire a new leader to take GISC on to its next stage of development. I have stayed on five months during this hiring process. With good will from all sides, we have been moving gracefully ahead. I have been focusing on the work of GISC as always, public speaking, filling programs, building visibility, etc. all the while preparing the staff, and leaving a history for the next leader.
I’ll finish with one last thought on change from our compendium of knowledge. “Change is a way of life that enables us to remain healthy and productive. “ I know that this change of role will not only create new opportunities for me but also for GISC. I look forward to watching the next phase.
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April 2nd, 2010
By Nancy Hardaway
At a workshop on social networking for small businesses run by a local chamber of commerce, the presenter was asked how many times a day should a business plan on posting to their social networking sites. The answer was no more than 5 and it evoked a groan in the room.
Who has time for social networking? Who is really using it effectively? We’re wondering where you are interacting in cyberspace? Are you active on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Ning, Wordpress?
The statistics on increase in users on each of these channels are impressive, but if everyone is signing on because they feel they have to and not really becoming active or finding value, then the statistics are somewhat meaningless. The real question is what content or tools are valuable, either for your business or practice development or for your professional development. How is it changing how you do business or interact with others?
We got started on advice from the marketing pros. With participants and faculty located around the world we wanted to offer new ways for our community to interact and continue to engage with one another to share best practices, new ideas, and ongoing learning. Just as we recommend experimentation as a way to learn new behaviors, we tried experimenting with blogging, tweeting, and linking ourselves.
As in face to face communication, presence is key. Making good contact requires energy and involvement. We quickly discovered the commitment it takes on top of everything else we do. It’s easy to lose track without a strategy and a focused prioritization. We see and hear that others are finding the same challenges in managing their time and social networking engagement.
Now we are refocusing. We’re looking at ways to engage our participants that offer connection and value. We’re looking for your ideas of what information you’d like more of and how you want to see it. We welcome your ideas.
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June 19th, 2009
Rhythm,Rain,the Blues,Listenting,Meetings
By Nancy Hardaway
It’s been raining for days and days. Mushrooms thrive in the fields. I don’t. My rhythm changes. I don’t walk or run in the morning. I sleep later. I get the blues. I read more and take less action.
I was in a bookstore the other day and saw a book in the Leadership section on the Rhythm of War. There was something about the Rhythm title and the size of the book (it was skinny) that intrigued me. I leafed through it – sorry Barnes and Noble, I didn’t buy it. But it talked about the rhythm of martial arts. The rhythm of soldiers marching. The rhythm of advance and retreat. The rhythm of swordplay.
I studied theater – even apprenticed in a professional summer stock playhouse. I remember watching the choreography of a swordfight for an upcoming performance. No question – there was a powerful rhythm to it, as for a dance.
It got me thinking about how unaware I can be about the rhythms around me all the time. The rhythm of the day’s start, the rhythm of a conversation, the rhythm of a meeting, the rhythm of my family, my organization.
I sat in a board meeting of another organization recently and noticed the rhythm of voices. Rather than an ebb and flow, it was a constant hum. One voice, on and on. I believe if that one person who did all the speaking could have paid more attention to the rhythm, they might have allowed others in. If the chair of the meeting paid more attention to the rhythm they would have noticed that the agenda was no longer in sight and only one person was participating. I wonder if we all paid attention to the rhythm, we would have dealt with the issues in front of us rather than leaving them to the next meeting, undecided.
In music, the notes matter, but so also does the rhythm. In golf, the club choice and swing path matters but the rhythm does as well. This is true in a sentence, in phrasing. The words matter but without the rhythm, they mean different things – a question, a statement, an insult, a compliment. If we know it in all these things, why do we not pay attention more in our work?
There are patterns in organizations of inter-department behavior as well that lead to the organizational culture, and to blocks in the organization’s success or the flow that leads to satisfying results. To me, it’s learning to see the rhythms. To pay more attention to all this other information that is right in front of us, beyond the words.
On rainy days when the rhythm of my thinking is about being “stuck” - stuck indoors, stuck in progress, I know I’ve got a case of the blues. That’s okay. I don’t slow down on my own. And sometimes what I most need is to slow down to a crawl. A full stop. Take time to sit and stare at the raindrops. Not rush to action. Constant action isn’t a rhythm. Act and reflect. Speak and listen. Speed up and slow down. Take time for today.
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