IN
THIS ISSUE
Hope you are having a wonderful
Christmas and a great holiday! This time of the year
every one is busy meeting with friends, family and with
lots of gift exchanging. Please check out our article on Wrapping and Unwrapping Gifts.
I have been traveling
a lot this year and was doing my own reflection, inquiry
and learning. As part of my travel
I had the privilege to work with Charity Focus is an organization that focuses beyond the checkbook charity that comes to the forefront during the holiday season. Help Others.org is a sister organization (along with DailyGood.org, KarmaTube.org etc.) that focuses on gift economy. Have you heard of smile cards? If not, go to Help Others.org and order some and find out the power of giving...
Similarly, I am deeply touched by the work that is being done by Aravind Eye hospitals and their commitment to eradicate needless blindness in the world. Finally, I spent three days with Dr. Kalpana Shankar and her HAND IN HAND organization that is doing yeomen service to women, children and environment in Tamil Nadu. I do plan to continue working with them in the coming years and wanted to bring your attention to them as well
 This
newsletter focuses on Reflection and Inquiry -- Reflection
on the 2007 and inquiry into what you like to have happen
in 2008.
In
the first article, we describe an exercise that you
could use to gain clarity and direction in the roles
that you play. Many people think of job change during
this time of the year and the article uses that as an
example to provide a tool for reflection and decision making.
Questions
for Inquiry article follows that thread and helps you
to inquire into your next steps for the coming year.
Together, these articles can guide you to make sustainable
new year resolutions.
The
third article is actually a presentation on wrapping
and unwrapping gifts that was sent in January newsletter.
We chose to republish it as it is apt.
 In
early 2008, you will hear more about the center for
leadership, innovation and change that is being started
in the Indian School of Business to inquire and research
more deeply into the three circles and their interconnectedness.
The unique value proposition of the center is to integrate
traditional management research with lessons from wisdom
traditions and modern scientific inquiry. I am
really excited about its potential.
Let
us know news on your front. Please add your comments
and suggestions. Thank you and wish you a wonderful
2008.
TOOLS
FOR REFLECTION
 It's the end of yet another year and holiday season is great
time for reflection. The time we spend reflecting on
what brought us joy and what contribution made a
difference can be very meaningful in making New Year’s
resolutions. When we make resolutions from our autopilot
state, the commitment fades quickly and we go back to
our unaware state with a scar tissue.
How do we go beyond
our autopilot mode to make resolutions? How do we
develop awareness of what is working and what needs to
change?
Please get a paper and pen to jot down your thoughts as you
engage with the exercise.
FOUR
PARTS THAT MAKE A WHOLE
 Think of various roles that you play in your life. Pick a
role that you want to reflect on and gain more clarity
and direction. That role might be the role of a spouse,
parent, friend, coworker, engineer, entrepreneur etc.
For that role, pick a context in which you want to
reflect on what is working and what is missing in that
role right now.
Let’s say that you are wondering whether to stay in your
current job or make a change in 2008. In my experience,
I have seen people pick one reason to stay or leave --
salary, job designation, people they work with or how
they feel about their role in the organization without
thinking systemically and gaining insight on what really
is making them stay or pushing them to leave. You can
make a more meaningful decision if you reflect on your
options from different perspectives. Once you make a
decision about the current job, you can also evaluate
what the future job has for you.
 Please rate yourself based on your answers to the questions
in each area: Joy/happiness, skills/competencies,
service/contribution, and need. This is a tool -- not a
test; so be honest with yourself and notice why you are
giving yourself a particular score instead of
manipulating your number to meet expectations (of your
own or that of others). Pay special attention to your
personal GPS (feelings
of Guilt, Pride and Shame) and don’t let it guide your
ratings. GPS is what gets you into your normal autopilot
state instead of fundamental and creative flow. (To read
more about your personal GPS system click here http://www.kaipagroup.com/newsletter/June2006_newsletter.html)
The objective of this exercise is to gain perspective. Each
area is weighted at 25% no one area is more important
than the other.
|
The
role you are evaluating:
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|
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Area:
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Joy/Happiness
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Who is affected?
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How joyful/happy am I playing this role day after day?
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How joyful/happy others are with me playing this role?
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Rating
(0
-10):
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|
|
|
|
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Area:
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Skills/Competencies
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How do I feel?
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How
well do I use my skills/ competencies in this
role?
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In
this role, how well do I get to learn new skills/
competencies that I value?
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Rating
(0 -10):
|
|
|
|
|
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Area:
|
Service/Contribution
|
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Experience
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How
well do I feel served or contributed to in this
role?
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How
do I rate my service or contribution to others?
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Rating
(0 -10):
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|
|
|
|
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Area:
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Need
|
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Who is affected:
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How
well are my needs met by playing this role?
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How
well do I satisfy others’ needs by me playing
this role?
|
|
Rating
(0 -10):
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|
|
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TOTALS
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Your
total
/40
|
Your
total
/40
|
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When your decisions are made based on overall score, you
should experience a lot more satisfaction over time and
help avoid a single area score influencing you to make a
decision you regret later.
I found
the following questions to be very useful in taking
significant next steps and setting clear intentions and
direction for the year. You can try them out and see
whether they work for you…
