“A good host is the one who believes that his guest is carrying a promise he wants to reveal to anyone who shows genuine interest.
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We will never believe that we have anything to give unless there is someone who is able to receive. Indeed, we discover our gifts in the eyes of the receiver. ” - Reaching Out, Henri J.M. Nouwen
This weekend I was asking myself how can I cultivate gratefulness and true selflessness in the collaborations I coordinate and participate in. Then you know immediately what came to my mind? Leaders set the example. You know that whole saying "if you want to change the world you must start with yourself"?
“There is a pattern that exists in organizations that achieve the greatest success, the ones that outmaneuver and outinnovate their competitors, the ones that command the greatest respect from inside and outside their organizations, the ones with the highest loyalty and lowest churn and ability to weather nearly every storm or challenge. These exceptional organizations all have cultures in which the leaders provide cover from above and the people on the ground look out for each other. This is the reason they are willing to push hard and take the kinds of risks they do. And the way any organization can achieve this is with empathy.” - Simone Sinek, Leaders Eat Last
"In 1909, the psychologist Edward Titchener translated the German Einfühlung (‘feeling into’) into English as ‘empathy’. Empathy can be defined as a person’s ability to recognize and share the emotions of another person, fictional character, or sentient being. It involves, first, seeing someone else’s situation from his perspective, and, second, sharing his emotions, including, if any, his distress.” - Neel Burton M.D.
In the gig/project based economy when we are not working in an organization or an institution we as individuals are defining our guiding principles. How will we relate to fellow creatives, entrepreneurs, dream chasers? Yes, there is a measure of calculating the return on our investment. But I am curious to see what happens when instead of putting profit first, we prioritize the well-being of people?
guiding principles: any principles or precepts that guide an organization throughout its life in all circumstances, irrespective of changes in its goals, strategies, type of work, or the top management.
Let’s practice this week being not only those who hustle but those who have empathy and see the promise that is buried within each individual we come into contact with. Because you and I are trying to accomplish some BIG things here. What happens when we begin to sprinkle every interaction with love and support?
Dream Defender,
Esther
Check out our blog to read more about: Tools, Feeding Your Curiosity and Thought Leaders.