Replying to LO24611 --
>Philip Pogson writes:
>.>....Kevin Cashman defines leadership as-
>>"authentic self expression that creates value."
>
>>I think leadership is more than this, but to me his definition
>>does encapsulate a key part of leadership and learning. When
>>we are operating from our authentic selves, we are creating
>>"value" by this definition.
Cashman's thought reminds me of Senge's question... "If ....then wasn't
Picasso a leader?"
And you "Operating from our authentic selves...¦" reminds me of Leon
Edel's remark about Henry Thoreau, " He struggled to keep the parcel of
himself from becoming unwrapped and scattered "
The 'creative tension' of Senge that exists or not between a 'vision' and
a well perceived 'current reality' is nicely turned on its head somewhat
metaphorically reading this remark by the great impressionist painter
Monet after viewing the 'real' world through glasses given him to improve
his considerable 'vision impairment', "If this is reality I will never
paint again."
I think what this implied for me is that creative people acting
authentically create 'new' even pristine senses of reality's
possibilities, so driving forward the visionary space for others to exist
in and partake freely coming and going as needs must (share), even if only
as moved spectators and not at some future point inspired creators
themselves.
Let me a little 'space driving' do in the here and now.
Philip I know you care. That is your authenticity with me today.
Tell me gathering up your heart, mind and soul if they were not all the
same things with you today, What is your best understanding of this
'more'?
What I have felt, intuited or 'tacitly understood' in this the many
thousanded stream of thoughts and proclamations of the LO dialogue here is
expressed as a question in relation to my most recent contributions to
this list in the subject of 'grey'...¦
-If each LO personality's contribution already wrote, written as I write
now or will write here in the future is like a unique and tremendously
subtle colour value then is it at all possible that the Senge's and
Cashman's of this world seek nothing less than the convinced illusion of
'gold' making/taking (as from) the 'whole' of the colours; which is in
reality a complex miasma of 'grey' and be able to extract unique
accessible colour by means of each threaded thought they deem to utter?
Like the old alchemists I see them offer the prospect of gold or lapis
from the lead or chaos of ground and creating 'essences' from 'bases' when
in fact the 'bases' are, in my 'vision' the 'essences'. But maybe like
Monet I may have a differing (skewed) vision of reality, persons wants and
needs and the true meaning of life.
I think if Peter Senge and I had an afternoon one to one I think by five
o'clock he would be off to the fields with paints and brushes in hand
seeking leadership a la Picasso and I find it hard to want to be a Harvard
Professor. Let us make here a public list of 'leaders' and let us admit
the canvas has two sides and on one side let us write the names of adult
leaders (without patronising someone who opens a door for an old lady) and
who earn more than 13,000 dollars a year and those we know who earn less
than that and then let is think upon that and let us consider what it
might mean if the 'ratio' is, like vision and current reality, somewhat
skewed by where we sit and wonder in our daily rounds.
Deep in the countryside of France lives Francis and his wife Georgette.
When two autumns ago I politely pointed to the empty wood store and asked>
if he might provide (for the correct sum of Francs) > me/us > with some
(dry) wood> for (cut\) logs> for the (cosy making) fire. He looked at me
with a " ;-) " and said in his impeccable English, "Monsieur, THERE
(italicised) is the wood!" - Pointing me over the lake to the copse
beyond!
You would all love Francis. I once asked him how he spent his childhood
days in this idyllic backwater of Europe. "Andrew, I spent many happy days
throwing stones at the Nazis." Seven miles down the road is an entire
community (small town) in which every inhabitant was murdered, some burned
alive in the church. Everything remains to this day as testament.
Let me tell you that less is more. Less is a fitting more in the skies I
see advancing. Somehow 'some' have to get right down to 'near nothing' and
in that crucible the 'prisca sapientia' sits like an interminable blue of
the lapis lazuli.
Let me speculate what perhaps you have already speculated; that the
background of Senge is like the ground of At de Lange and these are like the
'prima materia' of alchemy. The Tao even refers to such a simple concept, -
" There is a thing confusedly formed,
Born before heaven and earth.
Silent and void.
It stands alone and does not change,
Goes round and does not weary.
It is capable of being the mother of the world."
"Fitting" words for an afternoon of meditation?
That sounds very much like the leadership principle I have heard people
here write of recently, but for you?
Of 'baseness' listen...¦;-) "In every piece (of music) there is a number
- maybe several numbers, but if so there is also a base number, and that
is the true one. That is the something that affects us all, and links us
all together." Arvo Part : - )(composer)
Who hear/here spent five solid years just wondering? Who here spent a whole
life for the greater part wondering?
Who gave himself/herself that part before speaking/listening here?
I have been around a little, Philip;-) and I think we have to take very
much care with Dr Peter Senge and the other so called 'thought leaders'
even our Presidents and Prime Ministers. And I will tell you why publicly,
and I will invite contradiction from the very authorities themselves - not
for any other reason that those they seek to serve would have me ask it of
them one day -They know and fear this piece of wisdom from Albert
Einstein, "God is subtle but he is not malicious." No. It is we who are
malicious. That I sense we share as knowledge with God.
And I will leave that meaning not unfinished for my tiny part.
Best,
Andrew Campbell
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