CorporateCoach eNewsletter

Issue No. 63, 14^th June 2004

CONTENTS

1. Editorial: Lance Secretan
2. Book review : Inspire - What great leaders do

1.     Editorial: Lance Secretan

This issue of CorporateCoach is dedicated to Lance Secretan.

Lance was the closing keynote speaker at the CoachVille Conference last week. Lance is promoting the concept of Higher Ground Leadership, in which leaders aim not to motivate but to inspire. Supported by wonderful slide presentations like those on his web site, www.secretan.com, he took us on a compelling journey to discover what great, inspiring leaders have known: their destiny (why I am here on Earth), their cause (how I will be while I am here and what I will stand for), and their calling (what I will do and how I will use my talents and gifts to serve). He calls this their Why-Be-Do. Leaders who have a clear sense of their Why-Be-Do is inspiring. Their very presence and energy inspires; their Why-Be-Do shines, radiates and lifts the hearts of others.

In effect, he takes the traditional vision, mission and values to a new level.

Lance was the CEO of Manpower Limited who, between the ages of 27 and 40, built it into one of the largest employers in the world. Since then he has created the Secretan Center, is a professor of entrepreneurship at two universities and has written 13 books. In addition to his activities as a consultant and speaker, he runs a series of Higher Ground Leadership Retreats for chief executives of major companies.

Higher ground leadership suggests we can engage people by appealing to their hearts and souls. By engaging people on a new level - by honouring, exciting and nourishing their souls - we can give them more than a reason to work: we can give them a passion for work.

Lance has had a major impact on companies in the health care industry. On the night that he spoke to us the Canadian ice hockey team, the Calgary Flames, were on television in a national final. Six months ago, before he was brought in as a coach, they were at the bottom of the league. Lance knows nothing about ice hockey - only about leadership.

Here is an exercise to develop your own Why-Be-Do: -

Destiny (Why I am here on Earth)

What, do you believe, are the most serious physical, spiritual, or emotional threats to humanity and our planet (he uses the term "Terrathreats") that, unless reversed, endanger our future?

Cause (How I will Be while I am here - what I will stand for)

What do you believe in? What are your values? How will you lose these to change the world?

Calling (What I will do and how I will use my talents and gifts to serve)

What are your greatest talents? What do you love so much that it fills your heart with joy? Where do your greatest talents and passions intersect?

Here is Lance Secretan's personal Why-Be-Do: -

Destiny: To help create a more sustainable and loving planet.

Personal cause: To inspire others to honor the sacredness in all relationships.

Corporate cause: To change the world by reawakening spirit and values in the workplace.

Calling: To lead and serve through my writing, teaching, and speaking.

The process is discussed in detail in his book, Inspire - What great leaders do, reviewed below.

USEFUL LINKS:

• The Secretan Center Inc

WORKSHOP 2: How to build a successful business consultancy practice (last chance to book a place)

Lessons from CoachVille (£175 + VAT)

21 June 2004, Central Birmingham

This year's CoachVille conference, "The Coaching Business: Create Your Own Magic", was dedicated to helping coaches expand their business and achieve financial success.

If you did not get to Orlando and you are in the UK, then Brefi Group can help. Lessons from CoachVille will be a follow-up, free standing event reporting all the best practice building tips collected by Brefi Group over the four days of the workshops and conference in Orlando. Be sure to attend and get these hot tips only two weeks after the international conference.

Contents will include: -

• Corporate coaching
• Building a practice
• Web sites
• Marketing

Book now

The price, £175 + VAT, includes workshop materials, teas, coffees, a buffet lunch and a copy of our recommended book, The Gorillas Want Bananas, for all delegates.

Payment is handled by WorldPay, using a secure server link. Or, if you would prefer to pay by cheque or talk to one of our consultants, then call 0845 0678 222 (International: +44 (0) 121 704 2006).

2.    Book review: Inspire, Lance Secretan

This is Lance Secretan's latest book and is based around his concept of Higher Ground Leadership for transforming people and organisations.

The first two chapters are about moving away from what Lance calls 'the old story'.

The rest of the book describes seven steps to discovering and introducing your destiny, cause and calling. He talks about the notion of a servant leader and then how to create an environment that inspires others to inspire us.

I believe that Lance's message, and this book are important to organisations now - and the results quoted of where Higher Ground Leadership has been applied certainly support this. This is an easy read in so far as the English is well written. But it is not an easy read if you want to benefit from it. As ever, I have used my multi-coloured highlighters liberally through the book. But I have also stopped frequently and made notes as I have struggled to develop my own destiny, cause and calling. This is a book to take seriously - as such it is a slow read.

The book is well illustrated with examples of application of inspired leadership and of individuals' own destiny, cause and calling. It is also liberally scattered with side boxes with a wonderful set of quotations from Ghandi, Einstein and many others.

Meditation is something I have been interested in recently and he devotes a chapter on how to do this, as well as including the text of a 'calling meditation'.

"New Story Leaders see organisations as one of the greatest instruments of positive social change known to humanity and have thus reframed their role as leaders accordingly. Our future success will not be measured by market share, profit and increased shareholder value alone, but by our effectiveness as custodians of the human spiriat. We know that people want to be inspired, which can only be achieved one person at a time. We know too, that when a group of inspired people commit to reawakening spirit and values at work, they become inspired communities, and many inspired communities will lead to a more inspired world."

"Leaders are coaches. Great coaches inspire. A coach develops an ongoing partnership that inspires others toward improved performance and greater quality and fulfilment in their personal and professional lives. Great coaches and great leaders identify fears, erase them with love, and therefore inspire."

That is what this book is about. Buy it now and commit time to using it.

USEFUL LINKS:

• Inspire, Lance Secretan

DIARY DATES :

Here are some dates when I shall be travelling to meet subscribers and potential business partners. If you would like to meet me, please contact me.

• 22-28 July, Dubai, UAE
• 29-31 July, Mumbai, India
• 2-4 August, Singapore
• 6-10 August, Melbourne, Australia
• 19-22 Sydney, Australia

We aim to make the Brefi Group web site the premier developmental site for teams and individuals in organisations, so do please send us your suggestions and requests for further development. And let us know what you think of this newsletter, and comment on the content.

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Brefi Group is a change management organisation that provides corporate coaching, consultancy, facilitation and training. Be sure to visit the Brefi Group web site at http://www.brefigroup.co.uk

We hope you enjoyed this issue of CorporateCoach. If you would like to learn more about how we can work together, then please contact me, Richard Winfield:

Telephone: 08450 678 222, or +44 (0) 121 704 2006 (international)
E-mail: editor@brefigroup.co.uk