FRESH VIEWS HOPE UNLIMITED's FREE MINI EZINE

There is a well-known cartoon in which four blind men are arguing about the essential nature of an elephant. The man in front says the elephant is "like a huge, rough hose." The man on the side describes the elephant as "like a tree trunk." The man in the back says the elephant is "rope-like". And the man two feet behind says the elephant is "soft, mushy and close to the ground." Each man is, of course, absolutely right. There are many ways to view any subject.

With each issue of Fresh Views I ask you to view a subject from a new perspective. In the process, I hope to disturb and inspire you to think, to stretch, to smile, to change.

The issues are purposely short so that you will read and re-read them.

Each e-zine topic relates to one of the five disciplines of the learning organization: mental models, personal mastery, shared vision, team learning, or systems thinking. I am committed to fostering learning relationships, learning families, learning organizations and learning communities.

To further develop each topic, I invite you to join me on a teleconference bridge for a 45-minute conversation following the broadcast of each issue. Date, time and phone number will be included at the bottom of each issue.

Fresh Views - Archive of Previous Issues
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Publisher, Sharon Eakes
HOPE UNLIMITED, LLC

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Fresh Views - Sample Issue
Publisher, Sharon Eakes
HOPE UNLIMITED, LLC

Personal Mastery Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. TIP: DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT – Change one, small thing If you are stuck in any area: A personal or work relationship A seemingly unsolvable problem A lifestyle that doesn't work for you DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT – Change one, small thing Examples If you usually solve problems alone, ask a group to help. If you usually keep your feelings inside, talk about them. If you usually watch TV at night, take a walk instead. If you usually put your right shoe on first, start with your left. If your piles distract you from your work, move the piles out of sight. I recently asked a client how he accounted for the upbeat energy I heard in his voice. He told me that the night before he had told his wife in great detail about how hard his work is right now. His usual way is to keep all his feelings inside, and, as his wife puts it, "crawl in a black hole." He made a conscious decision to do something different. The result was his wife felt closer, he felt lighter, and, to his amazement, even the kids seemed relieved the next day. Why This Works: Making one small change can help you get unstuck for two reasons. Change begets change. The snowball effect. Most of us find comfortable ways to operate in the world and stick with them even when they stop working. Changing one small, easy thing registers in your brain that change is possible. New neural circuits are laid. Interestingly, the change doesn't even have to be in the area of the identified stuckness. Systems. We operate in many systems. Our bodies are systems, our families are systems, and there are work systems, educational systems, community systems. A change in one part of the system affects the whole system. Have you ever noticed when you have a toothache, your whole body feels out of sorts? The good news is that the system effect works the same way with a positive change. It's been called a "benevolent spiral." So if you're stuck, do something different. Make one, small change. You will be amazed at what results.

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