Personal mastery requires deep awareness -- of what our internal gaps are how they impact our ability to function effectively. We discuss various levels of functionality and how they are related to our capacity to think, feel, act and be in the world. In another article, we discuss a unique concept called "Core Incompetence" and how that is connected with our signature strength. Finally, we bring wisdom from Indian spirituality -- Vedanta perspective on change and personal mastery.

While the major gift giving season is behind us in the United States, we are always giving and receiving gifts on various occasions. How much attention do we pay to wrap and unwrap our gifts? What could we add to communicate our care and love in putting together and receiving gifts? I learned from an old friend Harrison Owen that it is not the gifts that make the most difference but the engagement with the person who gives or receives. We put together a slide show on exploring the spirit of gift exchange and would love to hear your response to it.

URLs mentioned in this post:

Interview with Peter Senge

Levels of Functionality

Core Incompetence

Continuous Change, Discontinuous Life

Wrapping & Unwrapping Gifts

I found four questions to be extremely important in working with CEOs and senior executives in assisting them and their organizations identify their unique DNA. (While the term “DNA” could refer to both personal DNA or organizational DNA, for this article, I will focus just on personal DNA). How we use this approach to understand and map organizational DNA will be subject of another article. By tapping into our DNA, we can find ways distinguish ourselves, unleash our authentic leadership, evoke passion, harvest our creativity (potentially resulting in new intellectual property, innovative products and services) and build a brand. In this short article I pose four questions, propose an integrated framework and offer some suggestions on how to inquire into these questions to tap into personal DNA and ignite natural genius. Ones natural genius is the source of ones unique competencies and capacities that makes one effective, creative and energetic.

During the 20th century Industrial Age, people and machines worked side by side with little difference between them in terms of the expected output. Efficiency management (of a machine or a person) was the primary focus then. In the 21st century Knowledge Age, the survival and growth of a company depends not merely on efficiency but effectiveness, not on repetitiveness but on innovation, not on one-time success but continuous growth that is sustainable. Effectiveness, Innovation and Sustainability are not objective, external factors and cannot be achieved by efficiency-management by others; they are subjective, human factors that require a great deal of self-management by individuals. The aim of this article is to explore and reflect on the role music could play in helping people self manage their work and bring healing, balance and meaning in their life.