mappingmotivation

Philosophy and coaching

Went on a LinkedIn discussion group today and contributed to a discussion about whether philosophical thinking helps improve coaching approaches and outcomes. The answer has to be 'yes', I think, because how can analytic thinking not help any approach, process or outcome? Once upon a time the catchphrase – word – of IBM was 'Think'.Continue reading “Philosophy and coaching”

Professor Roger Steare’s Ethicability

I have just been reading the PWC report on Trust: the behavioural challenge; this emerges from PWC’s ongoing collaboration with Professor Roger Steare, a contributor to these blog pages. It’s certainly wide-ranging, challenging, and relevant to the market we find ourselves in today. What is it saying then? First, I would like to goContinue reading “Professor Roger Steare’s Ethicability”

Playing darts with Dr Dave

Last weekend I went on an expedition with Dr Dave Richards, the great business strategist (http://uk.linkedin.com/in/drdaverichards). In fact we decided to have a brief weekend away to re-charge. Our destination was the tiny fishing village of Polperro in Cornwall. Tiny is a good word for it; as is remote – you certainly need to beContinue reading “Playing darts with Dr Dave”

Seeing the invisible

In my last blog I mentioned the difference between commodity-driven and value-driven organisations. One corollary of this distinction is the difference between what is visible – a commodity/the money – and what is invisible – a value/the truth. We can see or handle money; but a value – for example, truth – we cannot seeContinue reading “Seeing the invisible”

Two kinds of people

Somebody once said that there are two kinds of people: the kind of people who divide the world into two kinds of people, and the kind of people who don’t. Beautiful paradox. But I guess dividing the world into two is hard-wired into us : as the Tao Che Ching says. From the One cameContinue reading “Two kinds of people”

Making meaning

I am a Quaker and I recently attended a spiritual weekend retreat at Ammerdown. The topic was re-looking at the Bible to see whether it had any relevance for today, and specifically for Quakers today. There has been in recent times an increasingly secularist approach to religion whereby religion – in many areas – hasContinue reading “Making meaning”

Motivation and the Bruges Group

I was invited to give a talk on motivation and the European Union at the Bruge Group’s annual conference this year at the Great Hall in King’s College, London. It was for me an unexpectedly lively debate – and I met some great people and learnt a lot of new stuff. I say ‘new’, butContinue reading “Motivation and the Bruges Group”

What we want

There is in all of us basic needs and drives that work at all times but which we are mostly completely unaware of. We are so conditioned to thinking that our conscious mind represents what we are ‘thinking’ that we fail to see how what we are doing can often bear little relationship to ourContinue reading “What we want”

The mine of darkness

Dante’s Divine Comedy starts: Along the journey of our life half way/ I found myself again in a dark wood … And this leads him on to the entrance to a place where the motto above the gate is, Abandon All Hope You Who Enter Here. [Peter Dale’s – my favourite translation].That place, of course,Continue reading “The mine of darkness”

Bad things happen and turn out nice again!

I met a great guy at a networking event recently – let’s call him Q to retain anonymity. We started talking and I said, “Your accent – I can’t quite place it.” “Rhodesian,” he said. “Right,” I replied. “That’s not a word I’ve heard in a long time. How long have you been here?” “AboutContinue reading “Bad things happen and turn out nice again!”