"Good artists borrow; great artists steal." - Picasso
More from The Art of Possibility from Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander.
Benjamin's father had gone to Glasgow from London for a meeting. Young Benjamin asked why he hadn't phoned him. His father answered, "Certain things in life are better done in person."
Zander's lesson is about 'enrollment'. "Enrollment is the art and practice of generating a spark of possibility for others to share."
As a medical student, I heard a captivating lecture about drug abuse from a Professor from San Francisco, Faith Fitzgerald. She talked about the drug culture, tattoos associated with IV drug addiction, and more. As Chief Resident at Bethesda Naval Hospital, I contacted Dr. Fitzgerald, asking her whether she might be available sometime to lecture at Bethesda. She kindly agreed to do so. I will never forget that.
As coaches, sometimes it's best to go to a player's home for a family conference about their play, expectations and limitations. Hard conversations are better done in person.
"A monumental question for leaders in any organization to consider is, 'how much greatness are we willing to grant people?'" He adds, "Who am I being that they are not shining?"
Don't hide in the shadows of arrogance, stroking our ego and lamenting the 'mediocrity' of players in our orchestra. Ask how can we reach them and excite them, giving more and getting more. If we choose to lead, it is our obligation to teach, to encourage, and to inspire. It does not always work.
"All around us is vibrancy and energy. The universe is sparking with generative power. But how do we tap into the source- where can we find an electric socket for vitality?"
Can we lead and energize those around us without energizing ourselves? Coaches aren't allowed low energy days. My grandmother gave me a birthday card with this William Blake poem when I was thirteen:
"To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heav'n in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour."
Blake shared the majesty of possibility and presence in his poem. This captures both the 'big picture' of infinity and the granularity and immediacy of the touchable in one sentence. Magnificent.
Find inspiration for ourselves to inspire others.
Lagniappe. Suggestion versus decision
Lagniappe 2. Separate.
This is one of the hardest moves to guard.@isaiahthomas has proven this over and over! pic.twitter.com/VBPshTvhhM
— Reid Ouse (@reidouse) July 25, 2024