BIG YES!

Posted on July 21, 2024

For every shot the golfer needs to evolve a Ritual for creating a personal, “big yes” teepee where the conscious mind becomes quiet, the body, ball, club, and target become one, and the programmed subconscious is afforded absolute trust to deliver a golf shot. In 1929 legendary Bobby Jones remarked,

The golf swing is a most complicated combination of muscular actions, too complex to be controlled by objective conscious mental effort. Consequently, we must rely a good deal upon the instinctive reactions acquired by long practice. It has been my experience that the more completely we can depend upon this instinct—the more thoroughly we can divest the subjective mind of conscious control, the more exclusion of all thoughts as to method—is the secret of a good shot…After taking the stance, it is too late to worry. The only thing to do is to hit the ball. [Gallwey, W. (1998). The Inner Game of Golf. NY, NY: Random, 19-20]

It could be argued that pulling the trigger to make the shot is the most critical of all elements of the shot cycle; and it may be the simplest, and yet, possibly the most difficult because it must be done without the Captain’s thinking, with absolute trust of the subconscious to perform to expectations, and when the golfer is excited and has energized the impulse to manifest a fantastic golf shot. As we settle to create the space bubble—the state of quiet presence—we are deliberately breathing; and the Ritual is automatic and is the one distinct stimulus that will trigger, coordinate, and create the conditions for the authentic self to show up to create-manifest the “big yes.” Quite simply, the creation of the conditions that facilitate potential emergence of the peak performance state—the visualized, inspired intent to put a ball at the target, 100% responsibility-life happens because of me, not to me, sitting in the flames-face everything, avoid nothing, and awareness and patience—we are empty, and the trigger is absently pulled.

This evolving master skill is individually unique and is the state of being present, tension-free, with that which is intended, for as long as intended [Shoemaker, F. (2007). Extraordinary Putting, NY, NY: Penguin, 8-10]. We summon the inner artist for a remarkable and often indescribable zone experience of spiritual oneness; and one becomes witness to freedom and an intuitive unleashing of a unique, creative, synchronous flow of human physical activity. Simply relax and put your awareness where your deepest natural breathing originates—sensed image approximately 1½ inches below your navel. Let breathing be deep and full, shake loose any tension in the muscles, and trust that as center is experienced—seamless unity of body, mind, and spirit setting the stage for “sweet impact” and zone performance—well-practiced actions will result naturally without effort. A “quick and dirty,” Ritual checklist might include:

Take a couple of deep, elevating breaths and visualize energy circulating between your feet and the earth below you. Feel static and dynamic balance and sense a balanced and solid foundation; and connect with the environment surrounding you.
Take three-five short, explosive breaths into the upper chest to activate the sympathetic nervous system, increase oxygen, and intensify subtle energy currents of passion. Charge the whole body, physically and emotionally, preparing for the exertion to come, make a final visual touch of the target.
On an out-breath, one-pointed concentration on the point of impact of club with ball—mindfulness—channeling all body energies into a laser beam of relaxed, focused concentration, letting go of everything—self-restraint—and sensing the synchronous, flowing swing to impact with a ball creatively floating to the target—awareness.

Squeeze Trigger: With passion burning, the captain of the ship unconsciously squeezes the auto-pilot button and trusts the programmed subconscious to creatively deliver a ball to an intended target.

A good athlete can enter a state of body-awareness in which the right stroke or the right movement happens by itself, effortlessly, without any interference of the conscious will. This is the paradigm for non-action: the purest and most effective form of action. The game plays the game; the poem writes the poem; we cannot tell the dancer from the dance. [Mitchell, S. (2006). tao te ching. NY, NY: Harper, viii.]

The challenge and opportunity are to create the conditions for zone performance to become reality on every shot!

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

Posted on July 14, 2024

O beautiful for heroes proved

In liberating strife,

Who more than their country loved,

And mercy more than life!

America! America!

May God thy gold refine,

Till all success be nobleness,

And every gain divine!

—Katherine Lee Bates & Samuel A. Ward, America the Beautiful

Where has America The Beautiful gone! Daily, we are witness to absolute, chaotic disaster! And more will unfold as campaigns unfold and as each self-serving TWEET is offered. “Nobody likes me!” It is embarrassing and disgusting!! Some words that capture the unrest: pay-offs, shootings, demonstrations, not objective, untrusted, self-serving, party sorted, low functioning, sociopaths, racism, white supremacy, deconstruction, and protection by political party sorted, power worldview associates of the Federal government institution and country. We must do better and begin the long trek to evolve America The Beautiful.

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood,

From sea to shining sea!

—Katherine Lee Bates & Samuel A. Ward, America the Beautiful

Some food for thought to help re-route the ship: Rachel Kleinfield and Aaron Sobel (USA Today, Friday, July 24, 2020, page7A) offer, “7 ways to reduce political polarization: Destroying the other side cannot be our goal.”

Call out your own party: speak truth to power and challenge your own tribe.
Avoid bad jokes: words matter, and they can perpetuate existing violence and cultivate preexisting grievances.
Make social media kinder: remove hateful messages, reduce the spread of hateful memes, and avoid prejudiced or polarizing speech.
Downplay the fringes and highlight the median: provide information that overturns party sorted beliefs and that reduces polarization. There may be less disagreement on policy issues than thought.
Emphasize disagreement within parties: most policy issues have a range of opinions within a party.
Help others imagine empathy: stories that encourage others to take the perspective of the other party can reduce prejudice.
Avoid repeating misinformation, even to debunk it: repetition leads the brain to think things are true; and there is a tendency to seek information that agrees with how one believes.

Partisanship is shaking the mighty pillars of our democracy; and destroying the other party is not a reasonable objective. The chaos, confusion, and disaster we see unfolding daily is about destroying the other group of human beings, the other tribe. As The Honorable John Lewis offered, get in “Good Trouble” and become a master of uniting. Whether Democrat or Republican America The Beautiful is the goal!!! Let us evolve together, not apart. Some folks wonder what happened; some folks watch what is happening; and some folks make things happen. Make things happen!!

O beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years; Thine alabaster cities gleam,

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood,

From sea to shining sea!

—Katherine Lee Bates & Samuel A. Ward, America the Beautiful

IDENTITY

Posted on July 6, 2024

In The Blood Lust of Identity Ian Buruma offers, “Identity is what gets the blood boiling, what makes people do unspeakable things to neighbors. It is the fuel used by agitators to set whole countries on fire.” Yes! We need to get back to the work of governing instead of focusing so much energy on ego, partisan victory, conflict, and pride. Folks, we collectively must wake up, begin to think sanely, and elect political leaders with new trajectories and course setting strategies that manifest from deep within the cockpit of compassionate, authentic souls. We are de-railed and can begin to re-rail with objective votes this November that are not self-serving and are in the best interests of America for Americans.

Having been born in Defiance, Ohio and raised in the small town of Sherwood, Ohio in Northwest Ohio farm country, the evolving America of today is a far cry from what was modeled during those early years. Dad owned a hardware store and Dad, Mom, brother Dan, and I helped make the store customer friendly for all customers. We went to church on Sunday, had pleasant times together as a family and with cousins from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Brother Dan and I played with the neighborhood kids and went to the local school. The teachers, coaches, spiritual leaders, and neighborhood parents were great, and many of the name’s re-surface daily in awe of the past. Life was simple! Perhaps Glennon Doyle nails it when she comments that when we reach the age of ten, we lose who we are and become who others think we should be. Confusion and chaos set-in and we grow up curious and puzzled about who we really are. Wow! There has been a lot of losing going on! Have we really become who others think we should be? Adding social media and smart phones to the equation simply offers more distraction from who we really are, just an imported, imposed, presented self.

To get the early Self right it was off to obtain degrees; 12 years as a trained killer and decorated, two-year Vietnam War combat veteran who did not care whether fellow soldiers were Democrat or Republican; 23 years in corporate America that included creation of minority and women supplier development programs and seven minority, women, gay and deaf employees’ advisory councils; two marriages, three wonderful kids, six grandchildren, and a great grandson and granddaughter; and retired and still trying to get the golf game and life right, a perfectionist at heart. Quite simply, conscious experience of emotion offers that the strategy of anger and divide hurts folks; any idiot can make up stories to fit a narrative; schoolyard viciousness comes from 8-year-old bullies; disrespect invites disrespect; violence incites violence; and when the powerful use money and position power to bully others we all lose.

As one of many combat veterans, we are witness to a past President who chooses not to champion those in uniform and respect the core values of the military: 1) he is a convicted felon; 2) leadership is absent; 3) not objective, is self-serving, and makes decisions not in the best interests of the country; 4) does not set a good example; 5) lies to self-serve; 6) dismissed as headaches the blast exposure soldiers received from a 2020 Iranian missile attack; 7) in four years made only three visits to soldiers in war zones; 8) has referred to military leaders as “dopes and babies” when being briefed about the value of allies and overseas commitments; 9) reversed punishments or convictions for troops accused or convicted of war crimes; 10) has excoriated soldiers who have irritated him: Senator John McCain, a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for more than five years; Defense Secretary James Mattis: “…the world’s most over-rated general…”; and combat-wounded Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman was “very insubordinate” and fired from the White House for testifying at Donald Trump’s impeachment.

Political party sorting has divided the country…Senate, House, Supreme Court, state governments…is dividing the country, and will continue to divide and deconstruct this country unless “we the people” make a definitive course correction. We need to elect and re-elect sane political leaders who are aware and understand the perils of partisanship and who are sane and have a track record of leading, healing, transcending, and including, and uniting diverse groups of folks…coalitions, communities, and collectives unify. We are all humans and have needs and wants and together we can make those needs and wants become reality. Each of us needs to stand in the face of power and tell the truth. Let us elect political leaders who are masters of the Self and who model the way as persons, in relationships, socially, institutionally, culturally, and by helping others and caring about others. Let us not re-elect or elect the deranged.

LEADERSHIP??

Posted on June 29, 2024

Political headlines remind of little kids who are desperate for approval and have never been told that bragging is obnoxious; and that lying, cheating, name calling and using other people’s money for self-serving outcomes are not ethical and moral. Where are the political leaders and leadership? They have been replaced by actors, entertainment, circus, and showmanship.

Directed mass communication and social media efforts to manipulate, discredit and dismantle; deliberate, vindictive attacks of media; election interference; politically inspired chaos, violence, distractions and divisiveness; loss of truth to power; deception and fake news intended to manipulate and nurture egos; emergence of fringe political organizations and activist groups; and undermining international coalitions, these headlines portray boiling, turbulent, conflicted and partisan times. An analytical glance establishes the least common denominator to be nothing more than a manifestation of the reality of our individual and collective human condition—everything human can be reduced to entertainment that can be branded, that manifests competitive spirit and that can be marketed and sold as a commodity. Of notable interest in our Western culture has been the transition from politics with leaders and leadership to politics with politicians who are actors and entertainers who love showmanship and ego aggrandizement: a long-term, global worldview has been replaced by short-term entertainment snippets that are divisive and attract human ego’s thirst and greed. The glaring need is to grow leaders who are students of the human condition and leadership; and who have a track record of leadership successes with measurable accountabilities.

LEADERSHIP is an attribute of an individual’s brand; and is an earned, trust based, influence relationship between the respective leader, other leaders and followers who intend ethical and moral change that mirror common purpose. Some key qualities are as follows:

INTEGRAL ETHICS: The concept of integral connotes comprehensive, whole, balanced and “best of the best” and the concept of ethics is sincere private commitment to doing what it takes to grow into a life of full integrity: “walk the talk” in every area of life and “model the way” as individuals; in relationships; and when skillfully helping and supporting others. It is an opportunity for happiness and freedom and embraces 100% ethical responsibility for cultivation of care, compassion and awareness in the world and the globe: the range and depth of ethical choices that includes conscience, intra-psychic ethics—health, wellness and wellbeing, behavior, cultural relationships and systems and the environment. Ethics includes the full spectrum of morals, values and principles and is the art of being a good person and practicing goodness in everyday life. It includes all ways of being truthful, intelligent, authentic, and courageous that constitutes integrity: coupling intentions, promises and commitments with actions and behavior. The fruit of everyday ethics is humility and deep self-respect, a meaningful and lasting integrity that frees the person from living in denial, self-division, and self-contempt. Good leaders provide clarity about institutional ethics, morals, values, and guiding principles and behave consistently with these organizational beliefs. Ethics can also be the common values of a specific group.
MORALS: Judgments made by an individual and concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness and badness of human character.
VALUES: Determine what a person pays attention to and how the person acts. Examples: trust and trusted; integrity; direct; open; honesty; caring; compassionate; moral; health, wellness, and wellbeing; financial viability; leadership; hope; and peace-of-mind.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES: Core values that are articulated. Examples: Do not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do. Objective, not self-serving and acts in the best interests of the people and organization being served. Committed to the concept of 100% responsibility: life happens because of me and not to me. Does not blame others, learns from one’s own experiences in an intentional and self-directed manner and applies that learning to new challenges. Sets a good example for physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, spiritual awakening, ethical behavior, and integration of hidden, denied, and repressed reflections manifested in the world. I am a student of life. I am silent self alone. I do everything with love. No matter what I am experiencing, it is arising in the awareness I am-the Universal Self.
PURPOSE: Reason for existence. Examples: Exemplary student of life. In the service of global health, wellness, and wellbeing, to embody, celebrate and study the ever-greater depth of awareness, humanity, and life.
FOLLOWERSHIP: The actions of someone in a subordinate role. The intentional practice on the part of the subordinate to enhance the synergistic interchange between the follower and the leader. Team play.
INTEGRAL VISION: Comprehensive, compelling picture of a desired future state. Leaders create and communicate a world centric vision, strategies and direction for the organization and persons led. Articulate a worldview for the Nation and the globe and possesses an integral understanding that allows the leader to be aware and understand other persons thus opening greater mutual understanding and openness to innovative, harmonious resolution; and more intelligent and appropriate responses to conflicts faced.
MISSION DRIVEN: Peace-of-mind with purpose and connections built on a foundation of compassion. Has a bias for action, for trying new things and for getting things done. Aggressively pursues objectives and sets high standards for self and others. Takes calculated risks and makes personal sacrifices to get things done.
EXECUTIVE MATURITY: Acts appropriately in business, social and political situations. Displays control in complex, ambiguous or stressful situations. Identifies with people, shares their values and beliefs and is comfortable with them. Works toward mutually carved-out, worldview goals.
HUMAN NEEDS SATISFACTION: Is “in-tune” with mental and emotional needs of others, cares about people and puts action plans in-place to create an environment to improve the quality of life and personal productivity that is beneficial for persons. Links recognition to accomplishment and shows appreciation and expresses pride in the team’s accomplishments.
INTEGRAL THEORY and PRACTICE: Student of integral theory and integral life practice—physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, and spiritual awakening—that includes a pluralistic and multicultural composite map of the human territory and ways to include all of the important dimensions of being to enable growth, awakening and development to fullest capacities. Integral theory does not dictate how to practice or how to live. It offers new perspectives on practice and life, new possibilities, and new horizons; and it opens minds, thus hearts, to a more inclusive and compassionate embrace of the Cosmos and all its inhabitants. Leaders who push the edges of their discipline do so by taking perspectives with more depth and more span than most others.
INTEGRAL COMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY and ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MASTER: Integral communications translates the way an individual speaks to others’ perspectives while still being an authentic self. Simply keeps persons informed and creates communication forums and diverse coalitions to give and receive information and ethically manage perceptions. The spectrum of communication expertise: intrapersonal, interpersonal, person-to-persons, mass media, social media and associated technologies that optimize communication needs and strategies.

Artificial Intelligence: The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence-visual perception, speech recognition, decision making and translation between languages.

QUALITY RELATIONSHIPS and INFLUENCE: Develops, uses, and sustains strong, cooperative relationships with persons. Uses effective listening and interpersonal skills to achieve mutual trust and respect. Accomplishes tasks and objectives by resolving conflicts and influencing the actions of others. Is seen as a change agent; and makes a difference when involved.
STAFFING and STAFF DEVELOPMENT: Attracts and selects people with innate talents and learned skills. Assesses the short and long-term needs of the institution and develops plans to improve the overall structure and talent and skills strength of the institution.
TEAM LEADERSHIP: Achieves results by motivating and inspiring a unified, winning team. Builds commitment to common goals by communicating a sense of mission and by energizing the team. Creates an environment where differences are valued, where systems work equally well for all and wherein people can retain uniqueness and contribute at their full potential.
BUSINESS and FINANCIAL SAVY: Has a worldview perspective and is aware and understands the implications of changes in the globe. Has “street smarts,” sizes-up situations quickly, is practical, and knows the right things to do and when to do them. Plans, communicates, monitors, and controls, establishes risks, solves problems, and makes sound decisions concerning economic and financial performance.
HANDLING COMPLEXITY: Analyzes and solves complex problems. Deals effectively with large amounts of data, changing conditions, incomplete data, or uncertainty. Understands how seemingly unrelated issues interact and affect one another. Gets to the essence of complex issues quickly, generates a variety of alternative courses of action and makes effective decisions.
IDEA LEADERSHIP: Open to input, change and new ideas. Implements breakthrough and innovative ideas, programs and processes that make a genuine difference.
INTEGRAL POLITICS: is aware and understands the inadequacies of political parties because of limited and partial views that do not address the complex issues facing the world today.

Individuals matter, leaders matter and leadership matters. If democracy is to prevail, we must select good leaders and hold them accountable for high quality leadership!! The evolution imperative of wholeness and inspired, growing awareness of the human condition, coupled with helping others, can change the daily headlines from an underlying sense of fear, chaos, and domination to love and freedom. Leaders can be grown who create a vibrant civil society where people continue to be free, to live as they choose, to speak their minds, to organize peacefully and to have a say in how they are governed.

LOTUS BLOOMING

Posted on June 22, 2024

Anais Nin expresses the experience beautifully, “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” (Dr. Susan M. Johnson, Hold Me Tight, 153.) Maybe! And an obvious question: What do these words have to do with anything?

The simple answer: Take off the presented Self mask, the culturally created, fear bound, in the bud, “should be,” and simply blossom by being authentic, open, honest, and vulnerable. Let’s peek at recent headlines.

Ukraine-Russia War, Israeli-Hamas War, fraud, daily polarized, hatred circus of unfolding 2024 Presidential Election, voter suppression, corruption, violence, and deconstruction of federal court system. A helicopter view offers that the least common denominator is emotional sickness from an overwhelming dose of “Demon Dialogues” (“separation distress,” relationship storms, love starvation) (Dr. Susan M. Johnson, Hold Me Tight, 45, 48) Quite simply, we have lost sight of the fact that the need for love is in the human genes and is not about bargains, reasoning, and deals about profit and loss. It is sane, conscious, emotional responses and mutually satisfying experiences in a partnership. The perception is that one becomes so addicted to the Demon Dialogue loop, pattern, habit, that it becomes impossible to see the forest for the trees, be vulnerable, open, honest, and simply share our human love needs, just blossom as life was meant to be.

Several years ago, it was a great deal of fun to create a blossoming lotus tattoo for the back of the right hand. The inspiration was a shared legend about 10,000-year-old lotus flower seeds. They shelter and lie dormant at the bottom of the swamp, eventually begin to geminate, grow through the thick and thin muck of the swamp, and eventually emerge and blossom for the world to see and admire, sparking beauty. Yes, simply modeling the gift of human life unless for some reason one becomes derailed, distracted, confused, culturally groomed, brainwashed, addicted to cell phone social media, and unable to blossom. I call it stuck in the swamp’s misery loop.

On the heels of six months of energy psychology, deep inner digging work with an energy psychology coach, it has been humbling and awakening to evolve to the work of Dr. Susan M. Johnson (Attachment Theory in Practice). Her work offers that our journey is inside out as opposed to the culture dictates of outside in. The inside out journey is to have conscious experience of the dance of emotion (anger, fear, attachment, egotistical pride, jealousy, envy, shame, shock, etc.) and attachment style to “music,” 1) targeting for a shift of emotional music to decrease the “Demon Dialogues” and simply be open, honest, and vulnerable and love the Self and one’s chosen partners in life; and 2) confronting perceived attachment style threats to unfold love for the Self and chosen partners. The goal is to have the music, the dance, and the dancers become one, just cannot tell the dance from the dancers. As Anais Nin offers, “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” (Dr. Susan M. Johnson, Hold Me Tight, 153.) We just need to move through the swamp, wake up, look around, take a helicopter ride, and look around. Peace-of -mind and a foundation of compassion for purpose and connections are a few deep breaths away. Eventually, the compassion scab comes off and we become one with the suffering of others. Quality, common good, authenticity, and virtue can certainly become a blossoming way of life. Staying in the bud is not a fun, joyful way to live this wonderful gift of life. Stressful, too…and the body keeps the score. And boy is it ever difficult to be open, honest, vulnerable, and bare the soul.

TRIBALISM

Posted on June 15, 2024

Evolution reveals that political party waves ebb and flow; and literature (Boot, M.,2018, The Corrosion of Conservatism: Why I Left the Right. NY, NY: Liveright) offers that political institutions, systems and organizations show up as tribal. Concerning tribal, Ken Wilber (Wilber, K., 2008, Integral Life Practice. Boston, MA: Integral) contends “…safety and security are sought by bonding together and identifying (fusing) with a tribe to persevere and protect against outsiders. Allegiance and admiration are given to the chief…for the well-being of the tribe.” Webster suggests tribal is “…following a particular path of policies more associated with a political party dogma rather than the general good of the country and all the people…the tribe you belong to is your party group. This especially is demonstrated by voting against the government just because they are not your party, however beneficial that policy might be for others.”

A recent mid-term election process saw whites without a college degree vote right and white college diploma folks were propelled to the left; 18–29-year-olds supported the left; women voted for the left and the most significant swing to the left was among college-educated suburban women; and ousted left candidates came from more rural states while the left flipped seats in suburbs and in some of the rightest states. As we move forward, tribal divisions will remain on display and become deeper with some attributes as follows: leadership incompetence; absence of vision, ethics, morals, values and principles; self-enhancing, opportunist and not objective; power at all cost; lack of courage and consistency; a dearth of leaders who unify, transcend and include; experience of discrimination, harassment and violence by women and people of color; and a President who exhibits no respect for the Office of the President of the United States, the most powerful position in the world. How can sane, American democracy-life, liberty and pursuit of happiness-be restored?

We have a great deal of “waking up” and “growing up” to do to realize the unalienable rights of all Americans to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The best defense is a good offense; and a good offense demands leaders who have a track record of success closing with, unifying, transcending and including tribal institutions, businesses, organizations and systems. A good leader’s brand: leadership is a trust-based relationship between the respective leader and among leaders and followers who intend ethical and moral changes and transitions that mirror common purposes. Attributes of these leaders are as follows:

ETHICS, MORALS, VALUES and PRINCIPLES: The art of being a good person, practicing goodness in everyday life, making good moral judgments; and it includes all ways of being truthful, authentic, caring and courageous that constitutes integrity: coupling intentions, promises and commitments with actions and behavior. Ethical persons “walk the talk” and model the way through individual interior (psychology, intentions, thoughts and feelings) and exterior (body and behaviors); and collective interior (relationships, culture and shared meaning) and exterior (environment, social structures and systems) persons. Good leaders provide clarity about institutional values and beliefs and behave consistently with values and beliefs.

Values: Trust and trusted; integrity; direct; open; honest; caring; compassionate; moral; joy; hope; and peace-of-mind.

Principles: Does not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do. Objective, not self-serving and acts in the best interests of the people and institution being served. Committed to the concept of 100% responsibility: life happens because of me and not to me. Does not blame others, learns from one’s own experiences in an intentional and self-directed manner and applies that learning to new challenges. Sets a good example for physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, spiritual awakening, ethical behavior and integration of hidden, denied and repressed subconscious aspects of the finite Self reflected or projected in the world.

STRATEGIC VISION: Creates and communicates strategic objectives, values, strategies and direction for the institution, business, systems, organization and individuals led. Articulates a worldview for the Nation and the globe.
MISSION-PURPOSE-RESULTS DRIVEN: Peace-of-mind with purpose and connections built on a foundation of compassion. Has a bias for action, for trying new things and for getting things done. Is focused and aggressively pursues objectives and sets high standards for self and others. Takes calculated risks and makes personal sacrifices to get things done.
FINANCIAL SAVY: Plans, communicates, monitors and controls, establishes risks, solves problems and makes sound decisions concerning economic and financial performance.
STAFFING and STAFF DEVELOPMENT: Attracts and selects people with required and specified innate talents and learned skills. Assesses the short and long-term needs of the institution and develops plans to improve the overall structure and talent and skills strength of the institution.
QUALITY RELATIONSHIPS and INFLUENCE: Develops, uses and sustains strong, cooperative relationships with persons. Uses effective listening and interpersonal skills to achieve mutual trust and respect. Accomplishes tasks and objectives by resolving conflicts and influencing the actions of others. Is seen as a change agent; earns respect and position power; and makes a difference when involved.
COMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY, CYBER OPERATIONS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, INFORMATION and MEDIA MASTER: Simply keeps persons informed and creates communication forums and diverse coalitions to give and receive information and ethically manage perceptions. The spectrum of communication expertise: intrapersonal, interpersonal, person-to-persons, mass media, social media, cyber operations, artificial intelligence and associated technologies that exploit communication needs and strategies.
BUSINESS and POLITICAL SAVY: Has a worldview perspective, is aware and understands the implications of changes in the globe. Has “street smarts,” sizes-up situations quickly, is practical, knows the right things to do and when to do them.
COALITION and TEAM LEADERSHIP: Achieves results by motivating and inspiring winning organizations and teams. Builds commitment to common goals by communicating a sense of mission and by energizing and inspiring the teams. Creates an environment where differences are valued, where systems work equally well for all and wherein persons can retain uniqueness and contribute at full potential.
EXECUTIVE MATURITY: Acts appropriately in business, social and political situations. Displays control in complex, ambiguous or stressful situations. Identifies with persons, shares their values and beliefs and is comfortable with them. Works toward mutually carved-out, worldview goals.
HUMAN NEEDS SATISFACTION: Is “in-tune” with mental and emotional needs of others, cares about people and puts action plans in-place to create an environment to improve the quality of life and personal productivity that is beneficial for persons. Links recognition to accomplishment, shows appreciation and expresses pride in accomplishments.
HANDLING COMPLEXITY: Analyzes and solves complex problems. Deals effectively with large amounts of data, changing conditions, incomplete data or uncertainty. Understands how seemingly unrelated issues interact and affect one another. Gets to the essence of complex issues quickly, generates a variety of alternative courses of action and makes effective decisions.
IDEA LEADERSHIP: Implements breakthrough and innovative ideas, programs and processes that make a genuine difference.

Individuals, cultures, shared values, relationships, leaders and leadership matter. If democracy is to prevail, good leaders must be selected and held accountable for high quality leadership!! The evolution imperative of unity and wholeness and an inspired, growing awareness of the human condition, coupled with helping others, can change the daily headlines from an underlying sense of fear, anger, sadness and domination to love, appreciation, care, compassion and freedom. Yes! Leaders can be selected and held accountable to create a vibrant civil society where people are free, live as they choose, speak their minds, organize peacefully and have a say in how they are governed.

LEADERSHIP

Posted on June 8, 2024

A VISION of the American “character” we are working to evolve…

WE HAVE A CLEAR, EASILY UNDERSTOOD VISION, CORE VALUES and BELIEFS, PURPOSE, MISSION and DESTINY.

We put our coherent heart, mind, brain, and emotions in all we are and all we do.
We are the “best of the best.”
We strive for continuous improvement and have quality improvement processes to achieve continuous improvement.
We manifest our mission statement: an unparalleled culture and country with a soul dedicated to teamwork and respect for individuals, organizations, communities and the environment.
Our country and work are challenging, exciting and fun.
We trust and really care about each other.
We strive for continuous improvement.
We are committed to building diversity in our country.
We support and strengthen the American way of life and the individual and economic freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.

WE ARE ETHICAL and MORAL and UNDERSTAND, BELIEVE IN and MODEL THE WAY OF STATED CORE VALUES and GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

We are committed to being 100% responsible: life happens because of me and not to me.
We compete to win and refuse to compromise on the quality of our work.
We honor our commitments and promises and help others be accountable for theirs.
We have organizations that operate in conformity with Federal, State and local laws.

WE HAVE PROACTIVE SYSTEMS THAT CONTROL THE FLOW OF INFORMATION, METHODS OF COMMUNICATION and CONDUCT WITHIN THE NATION.

We have political parties and political leaders who are our democracy’s gatekeepers.
We have free education that develops skills to address complex issues facing an evolving world.
We have legal institutions that are respected.
We respect and value the media.
We have an infrastructure that satisfies current and evolving needs.
We have an affordable healthcare system that is the “best of the best.”
We have a simple tax system.
We have balanced budgets and live within our means.
We have a military and space force that are well-trained and ready.
We have artificial intelligence resources that are second to none.
We pride ourselves on information flow, methods of communication and core values for conduct within our culture.
We have processes, practices, policies, artificial intelligence and technology that are innovative and provide the means to evolve in a changing, complex world.

WE HAVE FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES THAT ARE DYNAMIC and STRATEGICALLY ALIGNED TO MEET STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES and RESPOND TO CHANGING INTERNAL and EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTS.

We have clearly defined roles, norms for bosses and subordinate relationships, reporting relationships and methodologies for decision making.

WE HAVE TEAM ORIENTED RELATIONSHIPS and WORK TOGETHER AS EQUAL PARTNERS and ACHIEVE COMMON GOALS THROUGH OPEN, HONEST, TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS WHICH RESULT IN ENTHUSIASM and PROMOTE EXCELLENCE.

We work with peers, in work units and teams, across organizational lines, in special groups, task forces and committees.
We participate in team sports.
We encourage and support individual growth and opportunity.

WE HAVE EMPOWERED PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SKILLS, TALENTS, KNOWLEDGE and ABILITIES TO EVOLVE AMERICA FOR GENERATIONS TO FOLLOW.

We have opportunities for continuing development and honor the human need to be respected, contribute and be recognized for accomplishments.
We are highly trained professionals empowered to make decisions at the lowest possible level.
We respect each other, perform to the maximum of our potential and transcend and include others.
We are knowledgeable teams committed to the success of ourselves, our organizations, our country and the world.
We recognize that people are our most valuable asset and that the price of greatness is responsibility and accountability.
We build on the strategic and personal importance of people to our Nation’s success.
We staff organizations with well-trained, qualified personnel.
We are innovative, creative and share new ideas.
We are encouraged and recognized for making ethical and moral decisions.

WE HAVE INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP and LEADERS WHO MODEL THE WAY and ARE COMMITTED TO A BRAND OF LEADERSHIP THAT IS EARNED and TRUST BASED, TRANSCENDS and INCLUDES and UNIFIES.

We have a code of ethics that is comprehensive and establishes a sincere, private commitment to doing what it takes to expand awareness and show up with caring, love, compassion and a life of full integrity: “walk the talk” in every area of life and “model the way” as an individual; in relationships; and by skillfully helping and supporting others.
We have individual and collective morals that clearly manifest principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness and badness of human character.
We have core values: trust and trusted; integrity; direct; open; honesty; caring; compassionate; health, wellness and well being; financial viability; leadership; hope; and peace-of-mind.
We have leaders who exemplify executive maturity, are mission driven, are “in-tune with human needs satisfaction, model the way of integral life practice, are good communicators, build quality relationships, understand organizational development, staffing and team leadership, have business and financial savvy, can handle complexity and thrive on new, innovative ideas.
We “walk the talk” with guiding principles such as: Do not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do. Objective, not self-serving and act in the best interests of the people and organization being served. We are good followers.
We understand integral politics as awareness and understanding of the inadequacies of political parties because of limited and partial views that do not address the complex issues facing the world today.
We have leaders who have a track record of successes through team play.
We have leaders who can transcend and include differences and can unify diverse strengths.
We have leaders who remove roadblocks and encourage people to participate in America’s successes.
We have virtues that include gratitude for the gift of life and others, trust, hopeful, compassionate, honest, courage, integrity and prudence.

WE HAVE COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS and ARE ENERGY INDEPENDENT.

We have passionate intent to be and remain energy independent.

WE ARE LEADERS IN DOMESTIC and FOREIGN RELATIONS

We strengthen democratic alliances around the world.
We contribute to the betterment of industries and communities by acting in partnerships built on supportive, trusting and caring relationships.
We are leaders in quality relationships.

Let’s select leaders who will create teams and partnerships to close the gaps between our current disheveled, polarized reality and an America with the “character” of a long-treasured vision!

APERSPECTIVAL MADNESS

Posted on May 25, 2024

The purpose of this essay is to shine light on Ken Wilber’s “widespread global disaster” of “aperspectival madness”—no vision, completely lost, without compass and without worldview. Drawing on Ken Wilber’s work, this offering will briefly unpack current reality, share a vision, make concluding comments, and offer some reading resources.

CURRENT REALITY

Home grown terrorists, divisiveness, fascists, fake news, alternative facts, lies, racism, white supremacists, partial truths, chaos, war, the threat of nuclear war, bullying, violence, hate crimes, dominant hierarchies, blaming, post truth world, cheating, stealing and tolerance for those who lie, cheat and steal—these are words drawn from media that give identity to fundamentalists, scientists, fascists, white supremacists, and modernists. An analytical glance establishes the least common denominator to be culture wars characterized by negative judgments and aperspectival madness. Ken Wilber comments, “We are in an orgy seeking egoic rights with no responsibilities.”

VISION

Global cultures are on the leading edge of evolution and are unfolding world-wide, heartfelt consciousness, heart-mind-emotional coherence, ethics, and wholeness. Societies are waking-up, cleaning-up, growing-up, showing-up, transcending and including. Collective awareness, understanding and commitment include the following:

Recognition that unity has diversity and that different perspectives deserve to be respected, honored, and genuinely interpreted with dialogue.
Healing of narcissism, nihilism, negative judgment, and aperspectival madness.
Creation of growth hierarchies that have leaders with leadership that is a trust based, influence relationship between the respective leader and his-her Self, and among leaders and followers who intend ethical changes that mirror common purpose.
Deliberate, developmental cultures that have exemplary values and principles and that model the way as persons, in relationships and when helping others.
Emergent happiness because of peace-of-mind coupled with purpose and connections that rest on a foundation of heart-felt compassion, loving-kindness, mutual tolerance, care, appreciation, and love.
Use of the worldwide web and artificial intelligence to grow and nurture integral perspective and development.
Education processes that nurture awareness, contemplation, stages of development, openness, heart-mind-emotion coherence, human communication skills, and skillful means of including and transcending.
Conscious conservation of the environment.
Citizens are committed to walking the talk and 100% responsibility: life happens because of us and not to us.

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

It has been an emotional roller-coaster studying, perking, and sitting with Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory. Sadness emerges while rolling with the chaos, the violence, the blaming, the bullying, the divisiveness, embarrassment of the country and possible self-dissolution. Excitement and inspiration bubble while rolling with optimism and hope for progressive evolution, education, leadership, development and sparkling global cultures. Cultures can genuinely evolve world centric views and wholeness and become quality in all they are and all they do. This evolution emerges as each of us takes one step at a time to be present, tidy-up, blossom and simply notice: just Human Being 101. Doc Childre offers,

To improve our society and our world, we have to go back to the family, where core heart values that make up a world worth living in are meant to be developed and nurtured. If our families are unable to fulfill this role, then our schools, churches, hospitals, businesses, and community service organizations must; it’s not a question of should. Unless people step in to fulfill the heart-centered nurturing role, we abandon hope of providing a secure foundation for our social future. (The HeartMath Solution, 238)

SOME RESOURCES

The HeartMath Solution (Childre, Martin, & Beech, 1999, HarperOne, New York, N.Y.)
Heart Intelligence: Connecting with the Heart’s Intuitive Guidance for Effective Choices and Solutions (Childre, Martin, Rozman, McCraty, 2022, Waterside, Cardiff, CA.)
The Life We Are Given: A Long-Term Program for Realizing the Potential of Body, Mind, Heart, and Soul (Murphy & Leonard, 2005, Penguin, New York, N.Y.)
Integral Life Practice: A 21^st Century Blueprint for Physical Health, Emotional Balance, Mental Clarity, and Spiritual Awakening (Wilber, Patten, Leonard & Morelli, 2009, Integral Books, Boston, MA.)
Integral Meditation: Mindfulness as a Way to Grow Up, Wake Up, and Show Up in Your Life (Wilber, 2016, Penguin, New York, N.Y.)
A Brief History of Everything (Wilber, 2001, Penguin Random House, New York, N.Y.)
Consciousness Is All: Now Life Is Completely New (Dzuiban, 2017, Amazon Whispernet)
Simply Notice: Clear Awareness Is the Key to Happiness, Love and Freedom (Dzuiban, 2013, Amazon Whispernet)
In the Zone: Transcendent Experience in Sports (Murphy & White, 2011, KindleUnlimited)
The Phenomenon of Man (Teilhard de Chardin, 2015, Amazon Whispernet)
The Life Divine (Aurobindo, Amazon Whispernet)
Integral Spirituality: A Startling New Role for Religion (Wilber, 2007, Penguin Random House, New York, N.Y.)
Evolutionary Enlightenment: A New Path to Spiritual Awakening (Cohen & Chopra, 2011, Amazon Whispernet)
Evolutionaires: Unlocking the Spiritual and Cultural Potential of Science’s Greatest Idea (Phipps, 2012, Amazon Whispernet)
Leadership for the Twenty-First Century (Rost, 1993, Amazon Whispernet)
Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self-Interest (Block & Piersanti, 2013, Amazon Whispernet)
Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen (Kouzes & Posner, 2017, Amazon Whispernet)
Beyond Religion: Ethics for a Whole World (His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 2011, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, Boston, MA.)

WORDS

Posted on May 19, 2024

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble.” (Y. Berg) Persons who control the message of words have tremendous power over others.

As the 2024 election unfolds, we have choices to make about leaders and leadership for America for Americans. More than likely choices will be based on words. Will choices be based on words of encouragement or words of despair?

Words that today monopolize media…lies, deception, spins, obstruction, abuse, human scum, traitors, chaos, entertainment, corruption, use other people’s money, kleptocracy, dynasty, autocracy, racism, above the law, divisiveness, partisan, war, fascism, automatic weapons, bombs and bullets, street shootings, smoke and mirrors, corruption, contempt, fear, abuse of power, obstruction of justice, cult, tribal, business failings, partisan vulgarity, broken promises, scandals, low character, bad judgement, failed policies, dereliction of duty, cover-ups, low intellect, disruption, conflict, deconstruction, selfish, narcissist, demagogue, cruel, fraud, short-sighted, failure to honor oath of office, et al.

The opposite spectrum of powerful words…prosperity, security, facts, truth, order, respect, harmony, poise, receptivity, positiveness, team effort, teamwork, caring, compassion, virtues, common good, guardians, self-mastery, integral life practice, health, non-partisan, wellness and well-being, mindfulness, awareness, helping, self-restraint, values, equality, fairness, globally respected, quality, guiding principles, ethics, peace, clean air, non-partisan, value in diversity, safe schools, no debt, sincerity, trustworthy, believable, passionate, disciplined, generosity, wise, direct, open, nice, 100% responsibility, apology, loving-kindness, patient, tolerant, compassionate, humanness, beautiful, smiling, integrity, honesty, et al.

Words are powerful and the paradox of choice is clear: an America for Americans that is inspiring and visionary for generations to come—love, hope, happiness, peace-of-mind, purpose, common good, and connections created on a foundation of compassion and good; or an America for Americans that is evil and dictatorial for generations to come—pay-back, fear, hate, vindictive, intimidation, economic insecurity and decay, and global disrespect. Christian D. Larson offers, “So long as we continue to resist or deny evil, we will think about evil, and so long as we think about evil, evil will be impressed upon the subconscious, that the subconscious will reproduce and bring forth into personal life.” When there is only one power which decides who is right and who is wrong, and who should be punished and who not, we have a form of…dictatorship. (James Heiser)

Yes! We have choices to make about leaders and leadership for America for Americans. Let’s make choices based on words of encouragement for evolution of consciousness and culture of America for Americans and evolve with the hearts and minds in coherence.

SANITY

Posted on May 12, 2024

Today, the real crisis—national emergency—in these United States is the glaring absence of unifying, political leadership. Our politics has evolved to be a circus of “entertainers” who are orchestrating a dirty, 2024 election duel of parties who have obvious inadequacies, partial truths and lack the perspectives to address the complex issues facing the world today.

The recycling crisis of the absence of unifying, political leadership and limited perspectives offers the opportunity to study, reflect and itemize policies of particular interest to us; and to choose unifying political leaders who are ethical and moral, are guided by core values and guiding principles and have a track record of leadership successes through team play. We need leaders who listen to differences, who can transcend and include differences; and can unify diverse strengths. We need politicians who will facilitate hope for this great country, put us back on the track, and restore the brightness, sparkle and shine of our democracy.

Seven key brand attributes to look for in candidates who are marketing qualities for elections are as follows:

LEADERSHIP: This quality is an attribute of an individual’s brand; and is an earned, trust based, influence relationship between the respective leader, other leaders and followers who intend ethical and moral change that mirror common purpose.
INTEGRAL ETHICS: Integral connotes comprehensive, whole, balanced and “best of the best.” Ethics is sincere, private commitment to doing what it takes to expand awareness and show up with caring, love, compassion and a life of full integrity: “walk the talk” in every area of life and “model the way” as an individual; in relationships; and by skillfully helping and supporting others.
MORALS: Judgments made by an individual and concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness and badness of human character.
VALUES: Determine what a person pays attention to and how the person acts. Examples: trust and trusted; integrity; direct; open; honesty; caring; compassionate; moral; health, wellness and well being; financial viability; leadership; hope; and peace-of-mind.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES: Core values that are articulated. Examples: Do not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do. Objective, not self-serving and act in the best interests of the people and organization being served. Committed to the concept of 100% responsibility: life happens because of me and not to me. Do not blame others, learn from one’s own experiences in an intentional and self-directed manner and apply that learning to new challenges. Set a good example for physical health, emotional balance, mental clarity, spiritual awakening, ethical behavior and integration of hidden, denied and repressed reflections manifested in the world. I am a student of life. I am silent self alone. I do everything with love. No matter what I am experiencing, it is arising in the awareness I am.
FOLLOWERSHIP: The actions of someone in a subordinate role. The intentional practice on the part of the subordinate to enhance the synergistic interchange between the follower and the leader. Team play: good leaders have practiced being good followers and are good followers.
INTEGRAL POLITICS: Awareness and understanding of the inadequacies of political parties because of limited and partial views that do not address the complex issues facing the world today. Requires a transcending and including leadership philosophy to unite multiple perspectives.

In Integral Life Practice Wilber et al offer, “People born with beauty, privilege, wealth, and fame sometimes make poor use of all of their advantages, diminishing themselves and those around them.” As Americans, we can select good political leaders who transcend and include, appreciate the strengths found in diversity and can lead efforts to restore the global shine and sparkle to our painfully evolving nation and world. Some glaring policy needs: 1) respect for the role of the media who need to be objective, not self-serving and held accountable for delivering messages that are in the best interests of Americans; 2) infrastructure maintenance and evolution for tomorrow’s needs; 3) comprehensive reform of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security and reined in healthcare costs; 4) comprehensive immigration reform; 5) foreign policy that strengthens alliances around the world; 6) simple, equitable tax system; 7) sound economy, balanced budget and sane trade policies; 8) stop the scourge of the opioid crisis; 9) tough, finely tuned, well-trained military, space forces and artificial intelligence resources; and 10) comprehensive environmental programs. Let’s do our homework and cast votes for political leaders who are objective, not self-serving and make decisions that are in the best interests of an America for Americans.

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