Vol 3 Iss 1

My warmest wishes for a blessed and happy new year!

It’s really hard to believe it’s here, isn’t it? Seems the holidays slipped up on us so quickly, I blinked and they were gone. I never completely decorated my Christmas tree. I managed to get the lights on and a few ornaments and glass balls, but my angel collection sat in a box. That’s sort of sad to me. I started collecting them when I was 16 and still have the first one. It’s hung on my tree every year since – except this one.

What I did get done was to make my contribution to Heifer International and to meet with my closest coaching colleagues to envision the future of my business for the incoming year. This is the third year in a row we’ve blocked off a day and retreated from the phone and family demands to listen to each other’s dreams. Wow. Thank you Cynthia and Sara!

Their contributions to me have been immeasurable, and I know they have benefited from my perspective. Individually, we’re good, together we’re fabulous! What collaborations and partnerships have you formed?

If you notice the way that leadership is shifting and the way the world economy is flattening, you then you realize how important it is to form partnerships, collaborations and networks are. This months article offers a perspective on collaboration. I hope you enjoy it!

P.S. Here I go again! Time to put in applications for graduate school! Wish me luck!

“New Year’s Eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man [sic] has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.”

I just finished reading the most amazing book, “The World is Flat” by Thomas Friedman. In it, he talks about changes in technology and the way we do business that has allowed other nations to compete globally. The playing field is being leveled and our teammates don’t live in America. The book is eye-opening and I recommend you read it.

What I realized as I read it is that your relationships are more important than ever. Your ability to communicate clearly and to contribute in a meaningful way will take on more significance as the years pass. No longer will the commando leadership style be effective, there is too much distance between the leader and the troops; and not just geographic distance, but distance in philosophy, cultural norms and technical skills.

What I think must develop is a leadership style that encompasses and makes good use of differences.

In order to thrive in a collaborative world, we need to change our thinking patterns and behavior. Here are some thoughts that make sense to me in this new world:

~ You have something unique to add to the world. No one can replace what you have. When you contribute from the place of your own unique gift, your contribution is magnified.

~ The way to be successful is to focus on what you give, and take your mind off what you think you should get.

~ Your ability to contribute is powerfully influenced by your ability to care about and for yourself.

~ Everything you give is received somewhere. A kind act can set something into motion that you cannot see.

I don’t usually make New Years resolutions in January; I usually make mine in September. But this year is an exception. I resolve to contribute more. Give more of my time away without wondering if there will be a payoff; to give more freely to my charities (though 2005 was a banner year!); and to put my energy into developing my gifts and finding more ways to use it.

There is a storehouse of knowledge I’ve accumulated over the years and I want to be a resource for my colleagues and friends and clients. I also want to continue to build that storehouse by nurturing my thirst for learning.

So, what are the things that come up for you?

What is your unique gift and what are ways you can find to use it to contribute to the greater good?

The answer to these questions can shift your ability and willingness to collaborate and create partnership in our rapidly flattening world.

Upcoming Events:

For the full listing of workshops, visit http://www.forwardmomentum.com.

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You are free to use material from Moving Forward! in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including a live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read:

"By Debra DeVilbiss, CPCC, of Forward Momentum, LLC. Please visit Debra's website at http://www.ForwardMomentum.com for additional articles and resources on creating your right livelihood."

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