www.1001TopWords.com |
Be the Samurai Sword
Relationships are constantly facing crisis. Everywhere we look people are in dispute with one another. Companies are in dispute with one another. Countries are even in dispute with one another. Arguments, litigation, divorce, even war are the products of relationships in crisis. What is the purpose of fuelling animosity? Life is so short. It's too short to waste precious time with such unproductive pursuits. Do we really need to keep conflict going? What can possibly be achieved by constantly fanning the flame of conflict? But people do it. When one party has the strength to step back, conflict, or the escalation of it, can often be avoided. Strength? Yes I did say strength. It takes strength and courage to take the first bold step of reconciliation and peace. Some might consider such a move as being soft or weak. Allow me to give you an example of strength borne through softness. The samurai sword, or katana, as it is more correctly known, is made of the strongest steel. Made hundreds of years ago in feudal Japan, many examples of these swords are still in pristine condition. They will stand up to the very best modern steel making technology of today. The katana gets its strength from the many separate and symbiotic processes that the sword smiths of the era employed. (Re "The Craft of the Japanese Sword" - Kapp and Yoshihara - ISBN 0-87011-798-X - for more information) One of the most important qualities is the katana's soft malleable inner core. This embedded soft steel inner core allows the weapon to absorb outer hits on its striking surface without serious damage. There is little doubt that the katana was a fearsome weapon in its time. It still is. Yet at its heart lies the softest metal giving the weapon its greatest strength. You can learn to be like the samurai sword. You can develop strength through softness. Be the samurai sword. [If you like this article and would like to use it on your own website or ezine you may do so ONLY if the article is not changed in any way and the final paragraph: "About the author", with all links intact, is included.] About the author: Gary Simpson is the author of eight books covering a diverse range of subjects such as self esteem, affirmations, self defense, finance and much more. His articles appear all over the web. Gary's email address is budo@iinet.net.au. Click here to go to his Motivation & Self Esteem for Success website where you can receive his "Zenspirational Thoughts" plus an immediate FREE copy of his highly acclaimed, life-changing e-book "The Power of Choice."
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Give Your Valentine A Very Special Gift - Empowerment Delegating is a commonly misunderstood concept. Delegating is not about dumping problems or chores you dislike doing onto the shoulders of others, it is an invaluable tool for "motivating and training your team to realize their full potential." (Blair) The Compassion Paradox Effective leaders are comfortable with paradox. They can call on skills and work in ways that seem to be contradictory. The Tao of Leadership There can be no doubt that the ancient author of the Tao Te Ching, Lao-Tzu, was a man of unique wisdom whose writings continue to influence people of different backgrounds and faiths. 5 Power Keys For Leadership Success! Did you know that you can successfully handle mostleadership challenges with just 5 simple strategies? Byfocusing your attention on these critical areas you canempower your the opportunities hiding within your vision,new venture or project plans. The Incandescence Of The Human Spirit There lives within every individual a power, an energy, an incandescence of spirit that is being constantly held in check, like a dimmer switch turned way down. Leadership Is Action?Not Position! People respond to good leadership! Period! It is in all aspects of our lives, not just business. A mother is a leader in her home; a son may be leader of a team sport or a daughter the leader of the debate team. A group relies on the person in charge to actually lead them to success. A true leader is highly ethical, honest and respected. Ten Characteristics of Leadership Many people are interested in the characteristics of a great leader. There are many lists of these traits. These are quotes taken from an article by Bill George former chairman and CEO of Medtronic. According to him the most important trait is to be yourself! UNCLOS III Process model The United Nations Conference on Law of the Sea was ground breaking in the way negotiations were conducted. Several strategies were employed that allowed for efficient negotiation and a reasonable outcome as viewed by all participating parties. The Code of the Conference Leader Are your meetings generally a waste of time? Do you have trouble getting commitment on the decisions made? The following information is based on "Conference Leadership", an atypical Marine Corps publication that is no longer available to the public (as it has been incorporated into a sensitive and restricted document.)The publication details a method of achieving results from groups and meetings that was far ahead of its time, originally published in 1947. Veins of "stewardship," "dialogue" and "servant leadership" can be seen throughout, though not by those names. 10 Ways to Develop Your Latent Leader latent (adj.) ? Not visible or apparent, but capable of developing or being expressed; dormant. A Call to Men to Live a Strenuous Life! Any man would be justly proud to claim even a portion of what Teddy Roosevelt accomplished in just one of his fields, whether politics, hunting, writing, military, or family. He was an extraordinarily accomplished man with an enormous appetite for life. But he is more than that. For us today, he remains a hero, a patriot, an authentic, masculine role model of success, self-improvement, perseverance and courage. 7 Excellent Ways To Improve Your Leadership Skills! Did you know that there are 7 really effective yetpowerful ways to improve your leadership learningopportunities? Act on Some of the Facts Making any decision without having all of the information and facts beforehand can be very tough. I spoke with a young man recently and he told me that some of his professors had changed the rules on him in the administration of his classes. The syllabuses of a couple of his classes had been altered, which switched exam dates. He was also notified of these changes after the semester's grace period. The grace period in which he could get his tuition money back after dropping a course had passed. Because of the changes, he would have two to three exams on one day. Charismatic Leadership What motivates people to work and to achieve? What circumstances create an environment in which some people achieve and others do not? Does motivation come from within or does it come from others - from leaders or managers? Can you motivate the un-motivated? Does it have to involve money? Why is it that some work teams achieve and others do not? Is it that the better work unit has better people? If this is so, then does that mean that the better work unit would succeed whether they were led or not? Is leadership the same as management or is leadership a part of management? Are managers and leaders the same? Get Angry And Then Get Results Leadership is not about winning a popularity contest, it's about getting great results. To do so, leaders must challenge people not to do what they want to do but what they don't want to do. The Defining Moment: The Straw That Stirs The Drink Of Motivational Leadership (Part Two) In Part One, I described the importance of establishing deep, human connections with people you lead. I said there were three ways to do that, by communicating information, by making sense, and by having your experience become their experiences. By far, the most important and most effective way, is the latter. Abe Lincoln: An Extraordinary Leader Perhaps noted as one of the greatest United States presidents of all time, Abraham Lincoln's early life may not have reflected his potential greatness. He failed in business. He lost election to the state legislature, Speaker of the House, nomination for Congress, appointment of land officer, U.S. Senate twice and nomination for Vice President. After those eight major failures, Lincoln was elected President of the United States. How many of us would have kept going like Lincoln did? Dissolving Conflict Through Reframing Reframing is looking at the situation with a new set of eyes. Its asking your self if you have a clear picture of the situation and of what is happening around you. Leaders Click It? Into Gear! "Click It" Into Gear! Building Self Confidence As a hypnotherapist I specialise in helping people to develop confidence and self esteem. |
© Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |