We've all heard that perception is reality. What is perception but a mixture of observation, assumptions, our own history and the real world context we are in. Our perceptions are changed into stories to help us explain why the world is the way it, and what we must do with it. When our perceptions become too narrow, too defensive, too calcified, then we stop learning and life's goodness begins to recede.
It from this perspective that I began to read Gerald de Jaager and James Ericson's fine new book - See New Now: New Lenses for Leadership and Life. It is a book of brief stories intended to open our perceptions about life and leadership. The authors speak of these stories as lens because the stories enable us to visualize more than the story itself. We can see simple, compelling truths that guide us to perceive how we can be better leaders.
De Jaager and Ericson are connected to the Masters Forum in Minnesota, a program that has brought top-level thinkers and business leaders to their community. I've been reading Jim Ericson's blog - Conversational Kindling - for some time, and just love his talent for telling a story.
The stories are quite short, but well written, and the purpose of the story is clear. It would be a great tool for any leadership team that wanted to expand their ability to think and communicate together.
I'm going to focus on just one of the 24 stories in this book. It deals with the presence of fear in the workplace. The chapter is The Baboon Reflex. They begin with a description of how baboon's hunt better alone than in groups.
Anything like that ever happen in your organization, or your life? Forgetting the team's goal and worrying instead about who might be gaining on you? These baboons had a goal and they had motivation to achieve it that's just about as powerful as any motivation could be: food and survival. In today's terms, they were "highly incented." But fear undermined them nonetheless.
This is just part of one of many compelling stories. The authors have not just published a book of stories, but have also created study guides for each of the "lens." This is a valuable resource for leaders who want to deepen the interaction of their team.
I highly recommend this book. It is a book and resources that will open, simply, clarify your perceptions so that wisdom and insight for leading will result.
Ed, a simpler way for your readers to get that free copy of "The Baboon Reflex" has occurred to me. No forms to fill out for the email and no waiting. They can just go to www.seenewnow.com, click at the top of the home page where it says "Click to Look Inside," and then click on the image of the baboon (the tooltip will say "Download this lens for free"). When the lens opens, it can be read onscreen and saved to their computers.
Also, we'd like to offer a 20% discount for anything your readers might want to purchase from the site. They can receive that discount by typing LEADQUEST into the "Coupon Code" bar at checkout.
Thank you!
Jerry
Posted by: Jerry de Jaager | September 30, 2009 at 08:03 AM
Ed, thank you for you kind words about our book, See New Now. Coming from you, they mean a lot; we both greatly admire your perspectives. If any of your readers would like a free copy of the full version of the lens you mention, "The Baboon Reflex," we would be happy to provide it to them. They can go to www.seenewnow.com and send us an email from the "Contact Us" tab (or the "About Us" tab). If it simply has the words "Baboon Reflex" or "Leading Questions" in the subject line or in the body of a message, we'll attach a pdf file of that lens to an email sent to the email address they provide. They will not be placed on any kind of mailing list or subjected to any kind of follow-up mailing from us.
(They can also read, but not download, "The Baboon Reflex" and two other lenses -- "The Scent on the Floor" and "The Balance Pole" -- by clicking on the "Look Inside This Book" icon at the website.)
Regards,
Jerry de Jaager and Jim Ericson
Posted by: Jerry de Jaager | September 29, 2009 at 09:51 PM