Joseph Jaworski | Betty S. Flowers
1 An engaging personal saga of leadership and the inner life
Synchronicity is one of the most inspiring books I know on leadership. The book is a fascinating and holistic blend of the personal and the professional. Jaworski is a name you may already be familiar with. He is the son of Watergate prosecutor, Leon Jaworski. His career is facinating. He began his professional life as a high-powered attorney in Houston. He chased after and won all of the trappings of external success. Then, suddently, his wife announced she was leaving him, and he was forced to confront himself, his values, and the meaning and purpose of his life. The rest seems to flow out of this pivotal experience. Jaworski left the practice of law and went on to become founder, chairman, and CEO of the American Leadership Forum. This organization continues to serve established local leaders and promotes collaborative problem-solving in communities and regions for the public good. In the early 90's, he joined Royal Dutch Shell in London as head of Global Scenario Planning. The initiative he led there is credited as instrumental in the peaceful transfer of power in South Africa which put an end to the government of apartheid. At the time the book was published, Jaworski was with MIT's Center for Organizational Learning which later closed in 1997. His role there was to work with leading corporations on building learning organizations, a topic which still receives considerable focus in leadership circles. It's a concept that appeals to many, and yet few have succeeded in implementing one. The old models die hard. Still, change is in the air.
The book speaks to topics that resonate with us at a deep level: integrity, commitment, responsibility, values, meaning, vulnerability, trust, collaboration, to name a few.
The book begins with a familiar story. A man seeking what we've been led to believe is success. Prestige as a high-powered attorney, a big income and a big home. Then his world falls apart when his wife leaves him, and his identity proceeds to fall apart. He rebuilds a life that is based on authenticity. He speaks of finding the flow in his life when he honors an inner call. He has a vision of what is possible. He sees his life and his choices as intimately connected with the world. He sees himself and his actions in relationship, not isolated and separate. He notes the the busyness of his earlier life as symptomatic of a larger of dis-ease in our culture. We spend too much of our time on activity and too little time on being present to what's really happening around us. We've forgotten the power we have as a witness. We fear having too much time to reflect, instinctively knowing that we're going to have to face ourselves and our lives at a deeper level than we're comfortable with. We're hooked on the notion that commitment and activity are inseparable. So we create a continual stream of activity, making sure that everybody sees us doing lots of things so they'll believe we're actually committed. If we stay busy enough, maybe we'll even convince ourselves that our lives had some meaning even though, deep down, we know they couldn't possibly have any meaning, because everything is hopeless and we're hopeless, and we couldn't possibly affect anything anyhow. Often, it takes a crisis to cause us to question the value of our lives and our activity.
He speaks of proper timing -- that situations unfold at an organic pace that is impossible to rush. All of our pushing and forcing serves mainly to exhaust us. There is a natural flow to our individual lives and to the times in which we live. Nothing of real substance can be pushed or forced to fruition. The purpose of life and our individual lives is revealed at a mysterious pace that the rational mind cannot grasp. There are things that want to happen. We can either fight or embrace the natural flow of our life, thus being an integral part of that larger flow of life. We won't find more riches anywhere else than in our own experience. Jaworski also speaks to an intriguing notion he calls economy of means. Change one small thing and the repercussions can be enormous. How is is possible to see which thread of a situation or a challenge needs to be pulled in order for everything to fall into place without the space for reflection? Economy of means. It's the notion that with perspective and awareness, we can see opportunities we couldn't see before. And seeing these opportunities, we can sense when the moment is right to act, and we will know exactly what needs to be done.
We begin to see that with very small movements, at just the right time and place, all sorts of consequent actions are brought into being. We
develop what artists refer to as an "economy of means," where, rather than getting things done through effort and brute force, we start to
operate very subtly. A flow of meaning begins to operate around us, as if we were part of a larger conversation. This is the ancient meaning
of dialogue: (dia .logos) "flow of meaning." We start to notice that things suddenly are just attracted to us in ways that are very puzzling. A
structure of underlying causes, a set of forces, begins to operate, as if we were surrounded by a magnetic field with magnets being aligned
spontaneously in this field. But this alignment is not spontaneous at all -- it's just that the magnets are responding to a more subtle level of
causality.
He writes at some length about his experience at Shell with scenario planning. It's a tool for strategic planning at a level most of us are not yet used to working at. Its objective is to create the future with greater awareness of the consequences of our choices through collaboration and dialogue. The approach was designed to uncover and directly impact the mental models used individually and collectively to make choices large and small. Our mental model is the totality of the opinions, judgements, and beliefs that act as a filter, preventing us from seeing a situation clearly as it is without bias. The work led by Royal Dutch Shell included a diverse team of international experts. The team developed two scenarios known as "New Frontiers" and "Barricades" and two sets of wide-ranging implications on the international community, the environment, energy, economics, politics, business, and people.
Writing "Barricades" was a sobering experience for the entire team. We had been as realistic and conservative as we could in the
development of this scenario, yet we had drawn a chilling picture of an increasingly divided world with anarchy enveloping society within
our children's lifetime.
New Frontiers is a world where the center of gravity of the world economy shifts from the rich to the poor.... It's a story of new demands,
new opportunity, turbulence, and vast change, resulting in governments and businesses being challenged beyond what they thought
possible.
Jaworski calls dialogue the power of collective thinking. It's the idea that there is a collective consciousness at the level of the family, the community, the nation, and the world at large. There is a collective consciousness implicit in the times in which we live. These two scenarios were widely presented in 2- and 3-day workshops. Presentations were made to government officials, the business community, black community groups and leaders in exile. The initiative was successful in getting a critical mass of key individuals to focus their attention on choices and their consequences, about the unsustainability of the system and the consequences that each scenario might have on the international community, the environment, the opportuntity for other choices. And power was transferred peacefully in South Africa.
Jaworski describes three fundamental shifts of mind necessary for the creative leadership that will solve some of the world's tougher dilemmas:
1) A shift from resignation to a sense of possibility that comes from seeing the universe as a magical dance, full of living qualities rather than a linear, logical, and predictable view of what's really going on.
2) A shift from seeing ourselves as separate and isolated from everything else that we see "out there" to seeing the world holistically as a web of relationships. Change one small thing and everything else is subtly different.
3) A shift in the nature of our commitment from a highly disciplined proposition in which you "seize fate by the throat and do whatever it takes to suceed" to a deeper level of commitment that comes from an willing spirit. This sense of willingness opens us up to connect with our inner guidance systems and wisdom. To hear the call, to recognize an innate sense of purpose and to accept and honor that.
As these shifts occur, we will notice that synchronicity comes into our life, both the personal and the professional. Synchronity, is defined by Carl Jung as "a meaningful coincidence of two or more events, where something other than the probability of change is involved." When synchronicity comes into our life, it's an indication that we are on the path. There is a sense of ease and excitement, a sense of true belonging to ourself, to one another, to the times in which we live, and to life.
2 Reads like a good mystery novel
My colleagues and I have been designing and facilitating leadership development programs for about 20 years. I've also served as a VP of three Fortune 500 companies. I recommend this book to everyone who is a leader or who wants to be one. Not only does it contain THE secret to true leadership, Mr. Jaworski has written his account so that it reads like a good mystery novel. You wonder what will happen next. And he has written this book from his heart. I hope our paths cross one day soon.
3 Good Story about Personal Reinvention
I read the book on the recommendation of a coworker. For me, it opened up my eyes to finding my type of leadership-in my case servant-leadership. His journey of personal reinvention is a joy to read especially as he learns what is truly important in life.
4 Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership
Ideas of Grandiosity.
I would suggest that the individuals mentioned in this book be interviewed for their version of the experiences. Then determine if this book has taken some "fictional" license. But wouldn't we all like to paint a fantastic autobiographical picture of ourselves especially if our lineage had someone truly outstanding in it.
5 Misleading title...
This book should carry the title "Autobiography of Joe Jaworski".
I bought the book because I wanted to know more about Jung's Synchronicity, it is not... I give it 2 stars as a book on synchronicity (for good articles check out the Namaste newsletters by Deepak Chopra) and 4 as a autobiography, that's why the 3 stars on average (no rocket science here).
The conversations with David Bohm are the parts I liked in particular. The rest is the story of a remarkable and impressive career.
6 Business as Spirituality
I first read this book 4 years ago, the way it just appeared on my kitchen table one day was itself an experience of Synchronicity. I'll never forget my first thought about it, "What could some attorney from Houston have to teach me about leadership?"
But upon cracking its cover, I was transformed. It's impact was enough to inspire me to start my own business within six months with it as a guide. It occupies a prized section of my desk with few other books that have helped me to define myself and what contribution I can do my best with to serve humanity. It is quite simply the best buisness book I've ever read and as such I refer to it regularly.
May we be able to attain its goal of, as page 118 states, "finding the resources of character to meet our destiny, of finding the wisdom and power to serve others."
7 simply great
I really enjoyed the journey with Mr.Jaworski.Compared to many such management and philosophy books, this one has a personal touch and the contents are magnificient.
After reading this I tried to live each and every moment in my life to get and give maximum output.
It was really an experience and with this I feel the world will definitely become a better place to live.
8 disappointed...
This book was suggested to me by a dear friend. Though, the concept of servant leadership is definitely strong, I am sure I don't want to read this book again to understand it...
9 Becoming What You Want
Just the introduction of this book is enough to change your life. Senge talks of creating "predictable miracles". It's chilling. The notion of not pursuing, of becoming what it is we're looking for, and then letting events unfold is so profound. Jaworski talks of a world of passion without the need to control. He brings that little voice from the bicameral chamber of the mind to the forefront. Get passionate. Go do things. Then listen to the little voice and be available when opportunites or change come your way.
10 Some day more books will be written this way.
Talking of dreams, magical moments with animals, following hunches and coincidences, dealing with the pains of personal history, talking about life as if it were an adventure story of wonder and self-discovery; you could say this is no way to write a book about business leadership. But thank goodness Joseph Jaworski, with the help of friends and a visionary editor, had the courage to do just that. Because the result is as profound as it is compelling. Dialogue is at the heart of Joe’s leadership philosophy, and the style and integrity of his writing is such that it draws the reader’s mind into just that state. His words are no dry treatise, they leave the page and make a direct emotional connection. Some day, more books will be written this way, and the world will be wiser for it.
11 A Solid Read!
Joseph Jaworski was a practicing litigator when he learned about the concept of the "servant leader." Inspired, he left his legal practice and created the American Leadership Forum (ALF), which trains corporate leaders in using the servant-leader model. Synchronicty, which recounts Jaworski's journey, aspires to novelistic drama, and in fact, Jaworski describes the tale in terms of the traditional literary hero's quest. While not exactly the labors of Hercules, anecdotes in which Jaworski talks his way out of a mugging and meets his wife by passing her in an airport are entertaining, but less informative than the author might hope. The book contains a lot of New-Age jargon and collective-consciousness sermonizing. Nevertheless, for managers who want to be something more - leaders - we [...] recommend Synchronicity not as a useful how-to, but rather as a business leader's inspirational biography.
12 Read the books Jaworski refers to, not this one.
While I was intrigued by the concepts presented in this book, I was so turned off by the author that I could barely get through it. Here's a guy who seems to have hit his mid-life crisis, while trying all his life to win his dad's affection AND escape his dad's shadow. Here's a guy who has lived such an egotististcal, materialistic, shallow, self-absorbed lifestyle that seeing an ermine doing its usual thing in a natural setting blows him away. Or having a conversation with a woman when he's not working on getting the 'physcial angle' is actually rewarding and enjoyable (see what can happen when you stop looking at women as objects??). Who views his wife leaving him 'suddenly' as a crisis, when his entire lifestyle seems to have forgotten her and left her to sustain their marriage and family while he was out carousing with The Boys. Joe, how many names can you drop in one paragraph? How many 'large new homes' can you buy when you're experiencing synchronicity? Was there anything else besides how gorgeous your new wife was that attracted you to her in the airport while you were experiencing the conciousness of mankind?
This book seems to be a repetitive aggregation of everyone else's meaningful work on the topic --dialogue for the pure enjoyment of it. As Joe mentioned himself, it happens a lot when people get together, get to know and respect each other, and work towards a goal that is mutually meaningful. I could have gotten through the book it had been focused more on the leadership concepts rather than Joe.
I would have given this book a rating of ZERO stars if that was an option. If this is all it takes to write a book, well, I'm going to get writing. Read Bohm's or Greenleaf's works instead.
13 Uh-huh...
A feel good book. I really don't know what one might desire out of this. It is but another, in this case, large adventure in human self-indulgence. I'm happy the author found his "peace" in life. Yet, this is a very empty book. There's not much here - beyond the seemingly endless capacity a person has for fooling himself. This little book was about the worst piece of tomfoolery I've ever been party to...
14 To Serve is To Lead
This is a thoughtful book of Joseph Jaworski's heroic journey to find his professional destiny. Yes, he even offers a Joseph Campbell Model of the mythical journey. I enjoyed many of the resources and quotes offered. In addition Peter Senge offers a beautifully written comprehensive introduction that hits on the main points of the entire book.
Perhaps the point that most resonated for me was the concept service and the desire to serve as being a critical aspect of leadership. So much about leadership is about strength, clarity, sometimes power. It is important that this strength, clarity and power be tempred by a desire to serve others and concepts larger than oneself.
Enjoy.
15 synchronicity - the path to leadership
I am just trying to buy this book. Yet, there is not "add to shopping cart" on my screen anywhere. I may be dumb - and need some help to place an order
16 Living Life in the Here and Now
In part, this is one man's journey through the dark valleys of uncertainty, confusion, frustration, and a little chaos. The difference is, he didn't set up residence in the darkness but kept moving. He didn't succumb to a personal pity party about his own inner confusion and the direction of his life. Nor did he allow it to derail the process of moving forward. And, instead of existing in this life, he learned to live and participate in the living of life. It may come across as a simplistic and egotistical journey, however, the concepts he presents are ancient, which in and of themselves, take a lifetime to master. Read the book as Solomon's Ecclesiastes--it's Jaworski's journey and I'm glad he shared it.
17 The Power of Intuition Is the Irresistible Opportunity to Be
Many books about leadership view the subject as being akin to mechanical engineering. How do you get all those people (like cogs in a machine) to act in just the ways you want them to? Mostly written by leaders to describe their own experiences or by writers to explain what leaders told them, these books are unsatisfying in the extreme. Take a look at Flawed Advice and the Management Trap by Chris Argyris to get a further perspective on this problem. This book is totally different, and quite appealing.
Jaworski (son of Leon Jaworski, the famous special prosecutor of the Watergate scandal) tells of his personal journey from being a successful corporate lawyer to becoming someone who works on making leadership better for all of us. Like most personal journeys, this one has low points (his wife falling in love with another man and telling Jaworski to move out that day, his father not telling him that he loved him, and the deaths of a child of each of his two sisters) and some high points (breakthrough meetings with great thinkers and stimulating helpful change). You could read the book for this, and you would have the rewards of a nicely done biography of someone who is working towards living an exemplary life.
But there is more. Jaworski has accumulated some important insights into leadership that are well worth knowing. He makes an appealing case for servant leadership (the leader looks out for the group, rather than his self-interest). He also tells a fascinating tale of running the scenario development work at Royal Dutch Shell for 4 years. From this, he develops what seemed to me to be a profound insight: Scenarios can be used both to prepare for the future by helping us think through it in advance, and to create the future. That last thought provided me with a nice epiphany. Although I was very familiar with the Shell planning technique from the business literature and from talking to Arie de Geus about it, this implication had never dawned on me. I deeply appreciate learning this.
Beyond that, the book is a living testament to the importance of finding your true self and listening to the wee small voice of intuition that can steer you in the right direction. Jaworski to his credit has been quite willing to do both, and it has made all the difference.
Many books on leadership talk about the role as a state of being. That usually leaves me confused. Jaworski makes the same point, but through his personal history I was able to understand what he meant.
At another level, I found the book to be quite astonishing because it paralleled my own personal journal. I started out as a lawyer, heeded my inner voice to become a management consultant, and then heeded my inner voice again to become an author to spread important ideas about how people can become more effective in working with one another. He was fascinated by how to use scenarios to help the political transition in South Africa. I founded a company in the early 80s to find ethical ways for companies to leave South Africa while strenthening the position of nonwhite employees. I have read the works of everyone Jaworski cites in the book. At first, this seemed like a big coincidence. Then I realized that Arie de Geus is someone we both know, and he probably suggested more then a few of the authors to both of us. In fact, Arie de Geus played a pivotal role in the development of our new book, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise. Six degrees of separation is occuring all over again!
If you read this book, and read the works of those who Jaworski cites, you will have given yourself a valuable trip towards becoming the kind of signficant leader you have the potential to be. With the help of you wee, small inner voice, this should be an irresitible call to action!
18 Excellent in parts but sometimes too wordy
I liked this book so much that I resigned from work (it'strue!) There are many excellent thoughts and insightsto ponder - so worth buying - but I did skip a few pages or paragraphs at times (can become a bit bogged down in trivia)
19 Interesting and thought provoking
Mr. Jaworski's book is very good reading, you just have to realize not everyone has the same drama quotient in their daily lives. It is inspiriational with just a little unbeliveability.
20 Story Telling, renewing the ancient art of education
I found this book because I had just finished REWIRING THE CORPORATE BRAIN: Using the New Science to Rethink How We Structure and Lead Organizations. This book, is one of several excellent books by Berrett-Koehler Pubs. These books are all among a new genre of attempts to discuss "invisible forces" at work in people, groups and organizations. We have had many valiant attempts to make sense of this using Greek and Arthurian legends. Now, we can introduce images from the New Science.
Joseph Jaworski's SYNCHRONICITY can bring a sigh of relief to those who have found the old ways are not working any more in organizations. Globalization and continuous demands for flexibility perplex those who have had a "sure fire" approach in the past. What is special about Jaworski's book, is his story-telling approach to a difficult topic. How can something so seemingly simple as "dialogue" be so crucial and powerful in a manager's life? Jaworski's journey takes the reader along for the ride and if we are wise we may save ourselves many discomforts mentioned by the author. We can learn by his experience and if we in true dialogue style, suspend our judgement until the test of time clarifies things for us, we find a low-cost lesson for operating in the 21st Century. Another treat is the Introduction by Peter Senge, author of the renowned FIFTH DISCIPLINE.
In a previous review, someone felt the book was an excuse for Jaworski's early break-up of his marriage. Having read the book, I reflect sadly on that comment from a person who had clearly missed the point and who has yet to enter the work and world of personal transformation. The book doesn't carry anyone through their own personal transformation but it allows one to have a road-map for such an experience.
Finally, in a time when depression is past epidemic proportions for North America. When another author can chronicle a huge wave of cynicism and despair, born of what is termed "the betrayal of the modern man," Jaworski faces this cynicism for us. He offers a way out by helping us to see, if not reassuring us, that we can create the future!
21 I guess I'm not in sync.
In his book, Joe Jaworsky marvels at the string of circumstances that put him in touch with just the right people at just the right time. Isn't it amazing how they all take his calls, how they all agree with him and encourage him, some of them even give him seed money and put him in touch with other like-minded individuals? Joe, that isn't synchronicity, that's the Old Boy Network. You have never been excluded from it so you don't see it for what it is.
On the other hand, there are some interesting ideas here. I liked the last two chapters a lot. They describe two plausible scenarios for the first few decades of the 21st century. I like the idea of shaping your future by imagining it, as oppossed to simply reacting to the present. I also resonate with the concept of Synchronicity, just not most of the examples Joe cites.
This is a mixed bag but it was worth my time, though only marginally.
22 worth reading by leaders or not
I thought that I had read enough of the "journey to enlightenment" genre with the newly enlightened, predictably charged to bring the ragged rest of us into the light.Instead I found Jaworski's story poignant and provocative. He's on to something that he doesn't quite understand and, mysteriously, he finds the people that propell him on to profound insight. Here's a story of the son of a famous father coming to terms with the father's legacy(good or bad)who, while walking through his trail of tragedy and triumph, discovers not only himself but tantalizing glimpses of a richer reality constructed of language and relationship that both creates and allows for change. I found his very human struggle to make sense of his, "world come alive," enriched by his non guruesque touch . The book affected me on many levels. I will read it again.
23 Woeful waste of Time
This book was recommended to me by my mentee who is in business school. I had high hopes which remained just that... high hopes unfulfilled. There seems to be great potential in the beginning, but the author gets bogged down in retelling his own story (which he seems rather proud of despite accounts to the contrary in the introduction), and never truly gets his arms around 'the flow'. Just goes to show that some things you have to do, not read...
24 Misses the Mark
Joseph Jaworski's book reads like a made-for-TV movie...a typically trite made-for-TV movie. It's got all of the ingredients: Our hero, Mr. Jaworski, is an affluent, well- connected success -- but alas, there is emptiness inside. In an effort to seek meaning in his angst-ridden life, our star ditches his wife and kid and spends seven weeks in Paris contemplating his aloneness and reading. One book speaks to him: the Velveteen Rabbit -- no I'm mistaken, The Little Prince -- wait, I'm wrong again...it was Jonathan Livingston Seagull. A kernal of truth takes up residences in his empty shell. And after a series of other reflective retreats and a chance, love-at-first-sight meeting at O'Hare Airport where he trips over his son to chase down the woman who will become his next wife (hmmm, I see another Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan casting opportunity), our hero settles down to his discovered life role: to save the world by assembling the best minds available to create the definitive petri dish for breeding authentic leaders.
As you can tell, I was less than impressed with Mr. Jaworski's book. His primary readings which guided him on his own journey -- Carl Jung, Eric Fromm, Lao-Tzxu, Martin Buber, Abraham Maslow, Joseph Campbell and, yes, even Jonathan Livingston Seagull -- would be a better starting point for those interested in cultivating the leader within.
25 One of the most accompllished books on leadeship
Dear Sirs:
Would you please help me obtain the email of Mr. Jaworski? Thanks.
Regards,
Darith ____________ Darith Phat, PhD/MBA Email: phatdc@aol.com
26 Awesome and Inspirational
This book is not for those who aspire to be a leader. Rather, think of this book as the guidebook for a journey that connects you to life and culminates in the gift of leadership. From the forward from Peter Senge (which to me was best skimmed and reread midway through the book) to the last page, Truths were exposed and enjoyed. This book takes the premise that leading is serving and gives insight to the transformation we must make internally, not externally to become a leader.
For me though, this book was not about leadership or developing leadership. It is a book that helps you understand life in a new context. Synchronicity becomes the goal and the added benefits of leadership qualities become more of an after-thought.
Since reading the book and trying to consciously build in lessons from Joe in my life, I have seen remarkable changes in my life. It is still a journey not a destination, yet a more fulfilling journey.
27 Opening up to some important questions
I read this book under some big platan treas in Provence, France. I read one chapter at a time, then reflected for some time, read another chapter and so on. I found that this was a good way for me to read this book. It gave me the possibility to reflect on my own life and the many moments of synchronicity that, in many ways, are so similar to the experiences of Joseph Jaworski. Here are some of the questions that came to my mind: - what is the nature of those "fields" that create the possibility for synchronicity? - how can we learn from previous experiences in order to live in "the field of synchronicity" more often? - is shock and tough experiences necessary for people to learn how to live life "in the field of synchronicity"?
28 One of the Headiest Leadership books since 7 Habits
An experiential journey of transformation both personal and organizational. Peter Senge's forward alone is well worth the price of admission. Jaworski illuminates the magic of interpersonal interdependence. We have all experienced this rare phenomenon as a peak experience and long to replicate in our work groups. This is a great example of thought leadership transformed to real action. Bravo!Synchronicity should be required reading for private and public sector executives worldwide.
29 Excellent resource for spiritual leaders, too.
Although written for those in public or private institutions, the inner meaning of this book by Jaworski speaks to those who are spiritual leaders. Though Jaworski quotes frequently from Martin Buber and Joseph Campbell, many of his conclusions are very much in tune both with Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. Should be read by anyone suffering from the pain of leading with old paradigms; this books speak to the dynamics of leadership and offers hope. Where there appears synchronicity, meaningful "coincidences," there, too, is grace.
30 handbook of real leaders
Synchronicity includes invaluable lessons on leadership and organizations. I recommend this groundbreaking book to everybody as a handbook of real leaders.
31 Live the dream to manifest in reality
This book describes how people are hindered in their perception and appreciation of their world by their limiting beliefs and paradigmas. Jaworski describes his own personal development process, how this empowered him to lived his dream and how it manifested for him in reality in a poignant way.
32 An inspirational needle in the haystack
Many books on leadership are written for managers or those
unique individuals who will save the world. This book,
"Synchronicity," sheds some light on that community. More
important to me, it shed a light into some of the far, dusty
corners of my personal life.
I'm newly 48 years old with
many different jobs in the past and new challenges staring
me in my face. Mr. Jaworski's scenarios and suggestions did
a good job with two areas: (1) it rattled me into reviewing
the path that I have been working on and (2) it bolstered me
up in realizing that following "gut feelings" is not just
magic, it's hard work. So? Well, it's my path, my life but
now I have a different way to look positively at the past.
At the same time Mr. Jaworski has given me new ways of
looking ahead, sharpened my survival senses.
Thanks to "Synchronicity," I may not change the world you
know but, I am changing the world immediately around me...
for the better.
----Geo.Brett (not the baseball player)
33 Leadership is all about being, not doing.
Joseph Jaworski has written "the" book on leadership for the 1990's.
Not unlike Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,
Jaworski's Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership serves up a tale
of personal discovery of such magnitude as to speak
to the very heart and soul of the reader.
Drawing heavily from Robert
Greenleaf's Servant Leadership, Jaworski describes in compelling form the
essential character of leadership founded on servant as leader. Reading
Jaworski is like reading a modern-day Paul: his message that we can
control our future by allowing life to unfold through us -- not despite us --
is comforting in this era when we all seem to be cascading toward a destiny
over which we have little or no control.
Read this book. Accept its
invitation to initiate your own journey of self-discovery and enlightenment.