Originally posted 2011-05-11 13:15:05.
In a Landmark Education Course I took back in 1987, I learned that it is possible to live life from a new context: “Life is a conversation”
It is quite simple if you can wrap your mind around it, incredibly difficult if you are attached to the way you see the world.
Humans, you, live as if we knew reality. As if we could know reality. But the truth is: reality, if it exists, is unknowable, it is beyond anyone’s knowledge.
So the way we are trying to gather knowledge so we can more accurately describe how it is, is just being a better peon, a better slave, never the master, never the creator we were meant to be.
We look for the meaning in things, or we already know what things mean, but what if that is really the way life can’t change for us, and all we can do is all we can do?
“Life is a conversation” means that nothing inherently means anything, that the meaning of things isn’t fixed. It also means that for life to change, you need to change the conversation you have about it.
After the weekend course I set out to test it out.
I worked as an architect for hire in Lower Manhattan, so I had to walk about 30 minutes from the train to get to the office. On my way I decided that “ownership” is a conversation, just a piece of paper, but it is also a conversation. I am the owner of that firm… I decided to come from this new conversation.
As owner I noticed litter on the carpet, noticed when people were chatting on the phone, pretending to work. In addition to get my own work done much faster and better, I also reminded people to work…
At the end of the day the owners, two young women, called me into their office. I was scared.
Turns out they called me in to thank me and praise me. This was pretty much the first praise from a boss I got in my 17 years of being employed as an architect, by the way.
Weeks after this conversation, the stock market crashed, and the firm lost most of their clients. But regardless, whenever they had any work for a freelance architect, they called me… all because of living life as if it were a conversation.
Every organization is composed of people with different ranks and positions. The leader is set to lead and direct while the members are the followers. Whatever your position is, you should take part and do your best for the organization to be able to achieve its internal goals and render a satisfying service to its clients. Excellent performance is not only required from leaders: all the members of the team should actively cooperate if the goal is to succeed.
It requires courage and other team values to be able to do your part with both the heart and mind set out for it. However, because this is a must so that you can influence others and lead them all to follow the quality of teamwork, you should learn how to be an active part in the organization you belong.
Know that there are points that set the leader distinct from the members. Basically, you have to have a clear knowledge and understanding of your own obligations as well as of others within the team. Always consider the boundaries of each ranks. Overlapping of tasks causes an insult to the other party who is supposed to take care of the things that you do.
The Role of the Leader
The leader’s role within the organization is very crucial. Being the leader, he is the one in the forefront. He should see far ahead to be able to stay away from the harmful elements that can cause the organization to fall down. He should also check out every part of the organization and see to it that they are working well together. He has duties as well as the rights to do what he deemed as right and appropriate for the whole organization. He gives commands, initiates plans, formulates goals and solves problems. A good leader should interact with the members of the team in a proper way. If he has to be an effective leader, he should relate with his followers and win their trust and obedience.
The Role of the Member
The members are the followers of the leader. What the leader initiates, they will follow. While every member of the team, including the leader, works hard, the performance of the members is always checked in order to ensure that productivity is high and the team is working as is expected of it. The people comprising the team are of different skills, and each one is placed in a position he or she is needed the most. Each member should have a sense of respect, trust and commitment.
Every rank is coupled with responsibility. Tasks may not be the same but the important thing is that each one will do his best.
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