I’m with you. I work at Impact Hub Westminster in London, designing the support programmes for other social entrepreneurs, but on the side run my own startup called Inspiring Adventures.
In fact I’m about to spend February with a group called Tribe Wanted, in Bali, working on our startups in a relaxed, decelerated way.
Hopefully in the future I can be part of designing more decelerators for my self, the impact hub network, and the wider social community.
If living an exemplary life of sustainability habits and practices was the key to the movement for a sustainable world then our leaders would be Trappist monks, Quakers and Amish farmers. Alas, the world is too much with us and disengagement or following the Ghandi plea that there is no way to peace but rather peace is the way don’t seem to move the needle while imperfect initiatives led by imperfect people on such issues as renewable energy, community-based agriculture and industrial products recycling do seem to create some progress - small that it may be. I think it is a paradox of our time.
I fully understand what you’re talking about, as a result of my own 40 year effort to build volunteer-based systems of support for urban youth. I started hosting networking events of peers in 1976 when I was first leading a tutor/mentor program in Chicago, while holding a full time advertising job. I did this out of self-interest. I learned from peers and was constantly renewed by the energy and support my peers offered me. In 1993 I created the Tutor/Mentor Connection and in May 1994 I started hosting networking conferences in Chicago to enable others do connect and share ideas with me and each other, while also increasing visibility for the sector, with a goal of drawing more of the needed resources we each need, to all of us.
I’m hosting the 43rd conference in May 2015. The web site is http://www.tutormentorconference.org I hope others who are burning out on their own journey will look on this as a place for renewal and new ideas.
While many have offered thanks for what I do, too few have provided the money needed, and I’ve put a lot of my own money, too much really, into this effort. I hope others step forward to share this burden, and to carry it forward in future years since the problems I was focusing on 40 years ago still persist today.
Thanks for the above advice. Honestly, finding a tribe is hard to come by. I am just so thankful with the internet that I can express myself without being rediculed. Locally known as “psychogreen” more pleasant term of crazy, I’m in this state of mind.
I’ve learned to appreciate that long ago and today, people especially relatives slowly appreciate it too.
Your advice to go slow to move fast is timely. I’ve changed job and, totally a new career. Literally all new and have to double time coping the challenge.
I am just thankful not to be infected by parasites or accidents to force us to slow down. Anyway, with all sincerity, thanks for the advice.
When I saw the excerpt from your article on Facebook, “It’s ironic that the people who seek to create a more sustainable world often live the most unsustainable lives of all,” I was guessing the article was about the way people working environmental sustainability fly around the world and contribute more to carbon emissions than almost any other individuals. So I was a little surprised to see that one of your main slowing down examples was flying to Bali.
Another paradox of mindful innovation for me is finding my truest tribe and most inspiring places, no matter where they are in the world—while also loving and committing to the place I am and the people I’m with right now as the shortest path to deep, generative slowness.
Great summary of skills for sustainable leadership: focus on the core, build a practice of renewal, and find your tribe.
On “building a practice of renewal,” one thing I’d humbly suggest including - in addition to doing things that energize you - is not doing things that don’t energize you. I call that “knowing your NO!” (and honoring it). Sometimes leaders think they can’t say no, but I think it’s absolutely essential not only to set clear boundaries, but also to create a culture where that is welcome by everyone on the team.
I first started this practice when I was the Director of the 100,000 Homes Campaign. I kept a “no notebook” where I scribbled down everything that I didn’t really want to do. I faced into how often I was doing things I didn’t actually want to do, clustered those activities, and identified colleagues who LOVED to do those things, and traded with them.
One area where I see leaders in our course get stuck is they believe that if they have a “no” to doing something, everyone else on the team must find this distasteful, too, so they should “take one for the team.” Never underestimate the extent to which someone else on your team may enjoy something you don’t. Know your no!
Thanks again for this great reminder!
Becky Margiotta
Hi there,
I lived through something similar and am now offering mindful leadership programs and consultancy for minorities and especially for women. Being human again and leading the way by showing people the path to reconnect with themselves and their core is truly a humbling and rewarding experience. We are all the architects of our own lives and we need to start living fully, now.
Jenny
COMMENTS
BY Richard Brownsdon
ON January 7, 2015 07:17 AM
I’m with you. I work at Impact Hub Westminster in London, designing the support programmes for other social entrepreneurs, but on the side run my own startup called Inspiring Adventures.
In fact I’m about to spend February with a group called Tribe Wanted, in Bali, working on our startups in a relaxed, decelerated way.
Hopefully in the future I can be part of designing more decelerators for my self, the impact hub network, and the wider social community.
All the best,
Richard Brownsdon
BY Joe Bute
ON January 7, 2015 11:48 AM
If living an exemplary life of sustainability habits and practices was the key to the movement for a sustainable world then our leaders would be Trappist monks, Quakers and Amish farmers. Alas, the world is too much with us and disengagement or following the Ghandi plea that there is no way to peace but rather peace is the way don’t seem to move the needle while imperfect initiatives led by imperfect people on such issues as renewable energy, community-based agriculture and industrial products recycling do seem to create some progress - small that it may be. I think it is a paradox of our time.
BY Daniel F. Bassill
ON January 7, 2015 02:05 PM
I fully understand what you’re talking about, as a result of my own 40 year effort to build volunteer-based systems of support for urban youth. I started hosting networking events of peers in 1976 when I was first leading a tutor/mentor program in Chicago, while holding a full time advertising job. I did this out of self-interest. I learned from peers and was constantly renewed by the energy and support my peers offered me. In 1993 I created the Tutor/Mentor Connection and in May 1994 I started hosting networking conferences in Chicago to enable others do connect and share ideas with me and each other, while also increasing visibility for the sector, with a goal of drawing more of the needed resources we each need, to all of us.
I’m hosting the 43rd conference in May 2015. The web site is http://www.tutormentorconference.org I hope others who are burning out on their own journey will look on this as a place for renewal and new ideas.
While many have offered thanks for what I do, too few have provided the money needed, and I’ve put a lot of my own money, too much really, into this effort. I hope others step forward to share this burden, and to carry it forward in future years since the problems I was focusing on 40 years ago still persist today.
BY Nelson T. Enojo
ON January 8, 2015 08:02 PM
Dear Michael:
Thanks for the above advice. Honestly, finding a tribe is hard to come by. I am just so thankful with the internet that I can express myself without being rediculed. Locally known as “psychogreen” more pleasant term of crazy, I’m in this state of mind.
I’ve learned to appreciate that long ago and today, people especially relatives slowly appreciate it too.
Your advice to go slow to move fast is timely. I’ve changed job and, totally a new career. Literally all new and have to double time coping the challenge.
I am just thankful not to be infected by parasites or accidents to force us to slow down. Anyway, with all sincerity, thanks for the advice.
BY Michael Bischoff
ON January 9, 2015 06:16 AM
When I saw the excerpt from your article on Facebook, “It’s ironic that the people who seek to create a more sustainable world often live the most unsustainable lives of all,” I was guessing the article was about the way people working environmental sustainability fly around the world and contribute more to carbon emissions than almost any other individuals. So I was a little surprised to see that one of your main slowing down examples was flying to Bali.
Another paradox of mindful innovation for me is finding my truest tribe and most inspiring places, no matter where they are in the world—while also loving and committing to the place I am and the people I’m with right now as the shortest path to deep, generative slowness.
BY Heather Carmona
ON January 9, 2015 07:57 AM
Nicely stated. I actually decelerated enough to take the time to read!
BY Becky Margiotta
ON February 4, 2015 11:27 AM
Michael & Roshan,
Great summary of skills for sustainable leadership: focus on the core, build a practice of renewal, and find your tribe.
On “building a practice of renewal,” one thing I’d humbly suggest including - in addition to doing things that energize you - is not doing things that don’t energize you. I call that “knowing your NO!” (and honoring it). Sometimes leaders think they can’t say no, but I think it’s absolutely essential not only to set clear boundaries, but also to create a culture where that is welcome by everyone on the team.
I first started this practice when I was the Director of the 100,000 Homes Campaign. I kept a “no notebook” where I scribbled down everything that I didn’t really want to do. I faced into how often I was doing things I didn’t actually want to do, clustered those activities, and identified colleagues who LOVED to do those things, and traded with them.
One area where I see leaders in our course get stuck is they believe that if they have a “no” to doing something, everyone else on the team must find this distasteful, too, so they should “take one for the team.” Never underestimate the extent to which someone else on your team may enjoy something you don’t. Know your no!
Thanks again for this great reminder!
Becky Margiotta
BY Jenny
ON February 5, 2015 12:12 PM
Hi there,
I lived through something similar and am now offering mindful leadership programs and consultancy for minorities and especially for women. Being human again and leading the way by showing people the path to reconnect with themselves and their core is truly a humbling and rewarding experience. We are all the architects of our own lives and we need to start living fully, now.
Jenny