stronger than you seem
and smarter than you think.”
~ Christopher Robin
A precious friend told me about 45 years ago that I should be a political pundit. According to Wikipedia, a pundit is a person who offers to mass media their opinion or commentary on a particular subject area (most typically political analysis, the social sciences, technology or sport) on which they are knowledgeable (or can at least appear to be knowledgeable), or considered a scholar in said area.
Having watched the 2020 Presidential debates, I began the day today by asking for a revelation of truth about all of this.
From my journal:
V:
How would you articulate what you already see?D:
1. Whomever is elected, we will still have some navigating to do.
2. Whomever is elected, we can choose peace.
3. Whomever is elected, we can continue mean-spiritedness.
4. Whomever is elected, the need to tap into the well of wisdom remains.V:
There is nothing more you need to see.
My soul longs to hear leaders courageous enough to speak the truth to a collective courageous enough to recognize truth when they hear it: “I know uncertainty can be unpleasant. While we want definitive answers to what we will do and what we will encounter, the truth is, we don’t yet know. I can promise you I will remind myself over and over that we access more wisdom and creativity in unity than in divisiveness. I assure you I aspire to have the humility to ask those who see things differently to help me see what brought them to their conclusion so we can gain wisdom together. It is without a doubt that I would be lying to make campaign promises to you beyond these truths….”
Perhaps we would do well to make Stephen Covey’s 1989 book,7 Habits of Highly Effective People, compulsory in all education forums. You might appreciate a summary of the 7 Habits.
Habit 1: Be Proactive® …
Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind® …
Habit 3: Put First Things First® …
Habit 4: Think Win-Win® …
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood® …
Habit 6: Synergize® …
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw®
For the theme of today’s blog, lets focus on Habit # 6:
Innovate and problem solve with those who have a different point of view. To put it simply, synergy means “two heads are better than one.” Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. It is teamwork, open-mindedness, and the adventure of finding new solutions to old problems. But it doesn’t just happen on its own.
doesn’t appear to be listening,
be patient.
It may simply be that
he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
~ Winnie the Pooh
In 2004, Covey published The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness. It seems most fitting for us now:
The crucial challenge of our world today is this: to find our voice and inspire others to find theirs. It is what Covey calls the 8th Habit. The 8th Habit is the answer to the soul’s yearning for greatness, the organization’s imperative for significance and superior results, and humanity’s search for its “voice.”
a little thought for others,
makes all the difference.”
—Eeyore
* Special thanks to Winnie the Pooh and friends for the powerful pundit points!
