Thriving Amid Differences and Uncertainty
For those who want to influence and make a difference
For Leaders, Those Who Support Leaders and Self-Leadership
“If the first two decades of the twenty-first century have taught us anything, it is that uncertainty is chronic, instability is permanent, disruption is common and we can neither predict nor govern events. There will be no new normal. There will only be a continuous series of not normal episodes defying prediction and unforeseen by most of us until they happen.”
–Jim Collins.
It is easy to react and become closed these days given the uncertainties and our differences on so many things. We yearn for more control and often feel like we are just trying to survive. Like me, you may have tried many strategies to not only survive but to be in a position to influence others amid the turbulent changes and challenges and found that they are not working.
How do we move from being:
Stressed to being more grounded and adaptive
Reactive to creative
Fearful to joyful
Alone to experiencing community
Resistant to being open to possibilities
Polarized to connected
Pessimistic to optimistic
Drained to being connected with our energy and passion and
Holding our breath to embracing life?
Emotions are contagious. We need to start with ourselves to impact our communities and situations. While it is natural to contract and become polarized, we will be more resilient and thrive if we adopt an open mindset and take an open stance. A stance is your posture or the way you are holding yourself that embodies your attitude, thoughts, emotions, sensations and ability to influence.
What is it to be Open and take an Open Stance?
It means being grounded, present, and appreciating what is; it means being optimistic about what is unfolding, being grateful, expecting inspiration, and being connected with myself, others, and the environment.
In addition, when we are open, we are:
• Open-minded/curious
• Open-hearted/compassionate
• Open-centered/courageous
• We are ready to take kind action.
Are we prepared to be open amid the challenges and uncertainties before us? A different part of our brain is activated when we are open. Rather than being judgmental, closed and stressed, we sense potential. When we take an Open Stance we embrace possibility, enjoy life and have the satisfaction of making a difference.
Two critical skills to be an effective and transformational influencer in these times are to be open-minded, and to engage in positive and productive conversations to co-create solutions.
The course builds the capacity for emotional intelligence, leadership and a coaching mindset, and the skills to support resilience, wellbeing, and thriving. We will explore who you want to be, your mindset and how you talk with yourself. We will focus on self-mastery and building the mental muscle of being open. You will explore and learn these experiential practices as part of a community that deepens awareness and learning.
Course Goals
– Build the mental fitness of an Open Stance i.e., increase self-awareness and lead with an open mindset.
– Be more emotionally and socially intelligent.
– Identify practices that will enable you to live and enjoy life more fully.
– Learn a Coach Approach of being open to make a difference in your interactions and influence others.
This course will focus on building the mental fitness of taking an Open Stance. The focus will be on our internal conversations as well as learning a Coach-Approach.
A Coach Approach is an interpersonal process that assists people in coming to their own conclusions and it is proven effective in enhancing learning, performance and motivation. You will learn the benefits of coaching and the characteristics and skills of effective coaches such as embodying an open mindset and open stance. You will experience the Road to Wow model to engage in coaching conversations.
Structure
Four two-hour sessions over four consecutive weeks will support participants in applying the practices and processes. The live interactive sessions will take place via Zoom. Participants will receive recordings if they need to miss a session. A team environment will be created for open dialogue and sharing.
Participants will be expected to apply the skills and practices in between modules and share their learning and challenges during the sessions. Participants will be encouraged to develop the habit of taking an Open Stance and will be given resources and reminders to do so.
Module 1
Be Grounded, Present and Connecting
At the end of this module, you will recognize the importance of mindset and the benefits of an Open Stance. You will appreciate the value of taking a Coach Approach. You will review the OASIS Conversations process for emotionally intelligent conversations and apply it in a challenging situation. You will begin to build the muscles of mental fitness that will support an Open Stance. You will learn a process of how to be more present and a way to connect with more meaning in your life.
Module 2
Be Optimistic and Grateful
You will learn the power of being optimistic about what is possible. We naturally have a negative confirmation bias and with intention, we can find and create opportunities. You will recognize that we are all making different assumptions based on our background experiences. By developing the habits of optimism and gratefulness, we can be more impactful in influencing others. We will apply the Coach Approach to enhance energy and aliveness.
Module 3
Be Curious and Compassionate
You will identify best practices for responding rather than reacting. By being open-minded and curious you will connect with your Wise Coach Self and visualize how you want to be and influence others. You will experience the power of empathy and how to be self-compassionate and compassionate toward others. You will coach a colleague on how to be open-minded for impact and receive coaching from a peer.
Module 4
Be Courageous and Take Kind Action
You will experience authentically offering compassion for others with different styles and perspectives. You will learn a practical process for being courageous and connecting with others. You will be encouraged to create awareness and take positive and productive actions that will make a difference in your sphere of influence.
The models that are central to this course are:
- Open Stance Postures
- Coach Approach: Road to Wow
The concepts and practices will be reinforced with handouts and follow-up emails. Participants will be expected to practice the skills during daily interactions and to build the habit of taking an Open Stance.
Sessions Include:
- Grounding/centering experiences
- Experiential processes to embody openness.
- Interactive and reflective exercises.
- Practices to enhance an Open Stance.
- A workbook to support the learning.
- A rich environment of sharing.
Are you aware of what supports you in being open?
What practices will best support you in taking an Open Stance to create more resilience, well-being and thriving?
