25 Year Anniversaryof Idealism Realized
May 2008
25 Year Anniversary of Idealism Realized
One of John Lennon's best lines, "You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one" seems appropriate today. LionHeart celebrates a quarter century of activating the hearts of real leaders in a business environment that is often skeptical of such endeavors.
The very first LionHeart client was an employee at a utility company who paid for our coaching out of her own pocket. She had been given 90 days to improve her attitude or lose her job. When she declared that her intention was to prove her boss was wrong, the first heartfelt coaching session in our company history began in earnest. She soon saw there was no real win in that intention and discovered that her heart had a deeper longing: to lead a parade of positive change in her department. It worked like magic and her boss acknowledged her unexpected transformation long before the 90 days were over. It was a simple matter of helping a good person trade in their reactive ego for an inspired heart.
But the world of business is often unforgiving and harsh on the hearts of people who care about their values. Respectfully honest corporate cultures that are built on a foundation of blameless self-responsibility are hard to find. Fear of failure can bring out the nasty side of people's egos. We have certainly not been immune from the fear that is at the core of many business decisions. We found that mentioning the word "love" in a talk about leadership can be enough to have a "great" prospect cancel your sales appointment. However, LionHeart has prospered and impacted thousands of people who were not afraid of the idealism we offered and the unconventional methodologies we employed. Little by little we created practical tools to serve as a bridge between the heart and the bottom line. And little by little we found clients who had aspirations that matched our values.
We noticed our clients were often leaders in their industry and sometimes they were very large corporations. Little by little we recognized that our market was best defined by the kind of ears people had. They simply had to be able to hear the relationship between their ideals and our comprehensive definition of success. We then noticed that there were smaller companies that were outside of the power structure that also engaged our services. They were pioneers who were not just industry leaders. They were industry makers in fields like alternative medicine, research, and sustainability. Later we recognized that it was the heart and not the ears that welcomed a transformational business conversation. Little by little we learned to talk about these things in a way that made sense to more and more people. Twenty-five years later we are certain we were on to something when we realized we needed to change the game if we were to thrive in the world of business. Little by little we followed our own hearts. Thankfully, the world responded with thousands of people who chose to take the road less travelled with us. They now lead from their highest intentions and make their decisions from inner wisdom. And little by little they are changing the world by realizing the idealistic dreams they found in their own hearts. We celebrate all of you this month and promise to keep holding the door open for those who are still unaware of the power of the human spirit.
It is certainly a challenging time in our country and in the whole world. Real leadership is needed more than ever. It is easy to lose heart and give up on your ideals, but if you are willing to step through your obstacles with the courage to take the high road, we know you will not be disappointed. Little by little you will find the satisfaction that comes from living and working without compromise. Little by little the traditional world of business will wake up to the need for transformation. You will be a leader in that idealistic pursuit if you continue to put aside your ego and follow your heart. You will come to realize the deeper meaning of success and the joy of true happiness. And we will all celebrate the next line John Lennon offered, "Perhaps some day you'll join us and the world will live as one."
If you know someone who would like to consider an alternative approach to business success, please pass this newsletter along to them.
Building Unity by Paul Werder A personal and humble account of the author's discovery that real leadership is found within one's own heart. This book highlights how group dynamics can either empower or disempower both individual and organizational success. The spiritual principles and practice offered are universally relevant and the reader is encouraged to find their own way to inner wisdom. If you choose to take on a spiritual journey through this methodology, your whole life becomes a workshop in which every person and event becomes your teacher.
To read more about Building Unity or to order a copy click here.