Reflecting Reading of the Day:

Entering

Barrows, Anita; Macy, Joanna (2009-10-29). A Year with Rilke: Daily Readings from the Best of Rainer Maria Rilke (p. 3). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

Flip: You Think Experts are Interested in Listening

Entering

For the last year, I regularly stepped out of my known. Frustrated with the “mentor whiplash” of working with early stage entrepreneurs, I felt there had to be a better way to provide wisdom and guidance to the job creating catalyst for our economy. The journey takes me in a thousand directions as I search for the illusive obvious.

From the least obvious tradition I can imagine – the live arts – I find the wisdom, guidance and energy that we’ve so lacked in mentoring. As I listen to the old wise ones and the young energetic ones perform and make meaning of the oldest of traditions, I hear the deep guidance I’ve needed to capture and communicate the essence of business.

These tired eyes which had almost fallen into only preserving the known, now wander with glee into acting classes, salon readings, and personal coaching. What does it mean to authentically connect and communicate with another human being? How long I’ve hidden behind my Powerpoints and regurgitated the known.

What joy to see the energy unleashed in a room when audience and teller connect with their stories.

My special joy is entering into a “WUKID loop” discussion with a new colleague where I know that I will be transformed as much or more than my dialog partner.

Reflecting With Rilke

These daily reflections are taken from A Year with Rilke. As I embark on publishing Emails to a Young Entrepreneur which was inspired by Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet, I look forward to a daily meditation on other selections from Rilke’s poetry and writings.