Hero's Code

Potential Energy

So many people have the feeling deep down in their hearts that their lives are shallow imitations of their true potential.  The reason they have this feeling is because it is really true. 

Here is a Tai Chi view of this.  It may be truth or may be a lie but it is useful to ponder. 

Tension, stiffness and a desire to "force" things with our mind and body serves to block the flow of energy in our bodies.  We grasp after "things," creating more tension and blockages in the spirit.

Focusing on what we lack, want or need, brings more of this lack, want, or need into our lives.  Not quite what we hoped for I suspect.

The more we struggle in this materialistic world the more that it seems that wealth and success can appear to be a mirage.  Why is it that others seem to attract things effortlessly whilst we are always locked in  hope to get enough money or status.  We can't get enough to defend ourselves against the silent terrors within?  Stuggle doesnt work - we separate ourselves from the life force.

"Among the ancients, he who wished to have the shining virtue illuminated throughout the world, first governed his nation well.
Wishing to govern his nation well, he first managed his family in good order. 
Wishing to manage his family in good order, he first cultivated his person. 
Wishing to cultivate his person, he first rectified his heart.
Wishing to rectify his heart, he first rendered his thoughts sincere. 
Wishing to render his thoughts sincere, he first let his innate intellect reveal itself. 
The way to reveal inate intellect is to eradicate the desire for things."
Confucius' - The Great Learning

If we are unable to eradicate the desire for things we can't live up to our full potential.  The Tai Chi way is to relax in order to open up to the flow of chi.  This is important becuase the chi that flows in our bodies is the self same that flows through all things in all places.  Our chi relates to the energy of thought and spirit as much as it relates to the ciculation of the blood.

In this view of the world we are not separate from abundance in the world - it is already available to us.   When we imagine things as prefect we start to move a flow toward us and when we take action without desire, want or need we meet this flow half way. 

Vortex thinking

In our work we must learn to cooperate with our colleagues, subordinates and superiors.  We all know that there is a limit to what person alone can achieve even if we always don't behave that way.  We need willing cooperation but control is ultimately limiting in its effectiveness.

I often meet people in my work that say "Yes, I trust my team" and yet they don't realise that their team mates don't see them behave in that way at all.  The harder they try to control, the more they deceive and manipulate the more difficult to get sustainable results.

Charismatic leadership is not necessarily good leadership but it brings a curious power.

With charismatic leaders my observation is that they have an ability to "magnetise" people to their purpose; often and even, without expressely asking for it.  It is a principle of resonance that charismatic people represent a strong, coherent signal that has an ability to entrain others to it.  Resonance occurs when the "head" and "heart" are aligned; when the words and feelings underneath a message are coherent so that the energy contained in them is multiplied.

We have all had that experience of listening to someone and not believing a word they say - an incoherent message if you like, when compared with the feelings we have when exposed to someone who we would say is "speaking from the heart." 

It is difficult to explain but we all have had experience of being exposed to coherence.
Kazuo Inamori, founder of Kyocera Corp, talked of "working in the centre of the vortex."

His feeling was that it is possible to aggressively pursue your work so that people around you spontaneously cooperate with you.  Unless you are an authentic leader, you might end up being outside of the vortex with someone else in the centre of it.

Imagine that in any organisation there will be many business vortexes, like the currents of a river.  If you are just floating round them the danger is that you will be engulfed by them.

To experience joy and zest in work is it possible that you need to be in the centre of a strong vortex?  As you tackle your work enthusiastically will you notice others being drawn into this?

Inamori believed that whether or not your way of thinking is independent or aggressive enough to create your own powerful vortex will decide not only the results of your work but also the results of your life.

Best network contacts?

I still meet many individuals who avoid networking events if they can.  There are many reasons people give for disliking such events but often it is fear that lies behind the perception.  Is it fear of being manipulated  or of having nothing really to offer?  Is it fear of -heaven forbid- actually having to accept something from someone.  I guess there are all kinds of reasons but basically - who cares?

I believe that if people dont like these events it is because their focus is in the wrong place.  By focusing on particular beliefs about networking they are making life more difficult than it need be.

Have you had anyone say to you that they don't go to a particular event because it "isn't attended by the best people?" I am really puzzled by this because the secret to networking is surely not trying to arm wrestle the people we meet at these events into buying something from us. 

The issue is surely first of all to make a friend - openly and honestly with no hidden agenda.  This is not a "soft hearted" notion by any means. It is just part of the cycle of life - of giving and receiving.

Trust is based on friendship and mutual respect.  Trade and business is based on trust.  If we choose to build a house we start with the foundations. If we choose to build a business it has foundations too that must weather the storms and be there for the long haul.  The foundations of your business depend on developing trusted realtionships with your clients your advisers and suppliers. It takes time and maintenance should never stop.

And anyway, have you thought that you just never know who that person you met at the networking event actually knows themselves.  It is through the connectedness we all have, and the small world effect that we can be so close to the expertise, the clients the funding or the friendships that we all desire.

There are many good reasons to invest in developing your personal relationship capital - teach your children.

What you give away

Meeting a friend, Derek, for lunch yesterday we were chatting about business and in particular our thoughts about getting new clients and developing relationship capital. 

Derek told me about an acquaintence with a CNC machine shop.  This facility was so busy the owner - John - was concerned that he might not be able to deliver product to his existing clients in a timely manner - and thus lose business in the long run. 

Faced with this large and potentially lucrative order, John had a bit of a dilemma. Should he accept the new order and possibly delay the delivery of both his existing client orders and this new one? or should he refuse the order and possibly never have another chance to work with this client.

Luckily he chose a third course of action.  John had a nearby competitor with a similar size of business.  He recognised that this machine shop was possibly better equipped to meet the specification for the new order than he was. Despite best advice of his accountant and his partners John referred the business to his "competitor"

The surprise for John was that shortly afterward he received calls from both his competitor and the client he gave away. 

The client called to say how much he appreciated John for the care and consideration with which he had been treated and how he looked forward to working with him in the future. 

The competitor called delighted at the referral of such valuable business and pointed out that he actually would like to refer work to John because he recognised that it was a better fit for John's business.

John in giving work away attracted even more to himself.
This is a true story and a reminder that we all probably recognise this principle but so often fail to practice it. Especially when times are harder.  It is so often difficult to trust that by giving we can actually be choosing to receive far more.