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Meanderings from Jean's Desk....
Blog Archive
Feb 1, 2012: Transforming Our Thinking
Jan 2, 2012: Looking At Life From The Third Person This Year
Dec 15, 2011: There Is No Standing Still
Dec 1, 2011: Scarcity or Abundance?
Nov 15, 2011: Am I a Human Doing or a Human Being?
Oct 17, 2011: Seek Fresh Eyes To Ask Better Questions
Oct 1, 2011: Solving For A Greater Purpose
Sept 15, 2011: If Not Now Then When
August 22, 2011: Consider That Heaven Has A Better View
August 1, 2011: Though I May Not Be Gracious I Want Attention Too!
June 1, 2011: Albert Einstein And Problem Solving
Video
2009 Kenosha Business of the Year:
LMI Packaging Solutions, Inc.
Empty Your Cup
There is a powerful Zen story of a student who came to see the Master. He came seeking knowledge but instead of listening, he kept telling the Master all the ideas he already had. The Master poured the student tea and when the cup was full he kept pouring. Finally at wits end the student could not restrain himself a moment longer and said, "Don't you see it is full?" The Master responded "Just so, like this cup you are filled with your own ideas. How can you expect me to give you Zen unless you offer me an empty cup?"
It was 2001, and a very stressful time for me. The business was going through a very rough spot, as was my personal life. I felt everyone around me was doubting my ability to lead, and truthfully, so was I. I hired consultants, which is always my way when I can't see things clearly. Not so much to tell me what to do but to help me see what I can't see so I can then make better decisions about where to go next.
Our first meeting was extremely stressful for me. These were all seasoned businessmen who had accomplished amazing things in their careers, running companies significantly larger than my own and well respected by those who knew them. I fully expected they would tell me that what I needed to do was step down and get someone else, capable to run the business. Not an exciting meeting to go to.
We sat and talked for a few hours. I went through the financials with them and explained all that was going on. It was pretty dire. They said very little and absorbed everything I was saying. As was my way at the time, I tried with all my might to stay stoic and energized through even the worst stories and I thought I had done a pretty good job. It was a skill set of mine back then to never show emotion no matter how tough it was.
When I was done talking one of the gentlemen named Art, looked at me and said, "When was the last time you had some time to yourself. Not a business trip, not grocery shopping or paying bills, just time to be with yourself with nothing to get done" My eyes welled up and I was humiliated to be showing emotion in front of these three men. "Go get your calendar, they said," and bring it back in here."
As it turned out the first line of action that they wanted me to take as my new advisory board was to clear my calendar for two weeks and go away to empty my cup!
They suggested a Vision Quest during my time away, being totally alone in nature for 24 hours with nothing to read and nothing to write. My next story.
As you can imagine I had a million reasons why this was not a good time to be away from the business. They reminded me why I had hired them and asked if I was willing to hear some things that were very different from what I had been doing which would also give me different results. Put that way, it was impossible not to listen.
Scared out of my mind I left for Door County, Wisconsin, for two weeks. I emptied my cup. I just listened to the waves, the birds, and the wind. My mind was running rampant for most of it but I let it do its thing and went back to listening to the waves, the birds and the wind. I was committed to following their advice. I kept going back to doing nothing. It was the beginning of the most wonderful journey of my life. During those two weeks I created a space to allow new ideas for living my life to begin percolating.
I would never be where I am today if I had not emptied the cup. Thank you Art, Richard and Vince! I know now what it means to BE where I am.
Questions, comments for Jean?
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