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SEPTEMBER 2011
FEATURING: Beginning the Self-Awareness Journey A Hands On Invitation Building the Leadership Lab Bearing New Fruit
Playground Perspectives
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IN THE NEWS
Floricane is in the news a couple of times this fall. The Greater Richmond Chamber recognized John Sarvay as their volunteer of the month. The Richmond Times-Dispatch is spotlighting us in their Saturday business section later this this fall, as well. Keep an eye peeled. |
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Dear ,
In preparation for a five-month leadership program we're designing and facilitating for a diverse group of 35 leaders, managers and influencers at the Library of Virginia, I've been re-reading a slim, yellow book -- "The Art of Possibility".
Written by husband-wife team Benjamin and Rosamund Zander, it is an affirming read that inevitably triggers debates between the optimists and pessimists in any given room. Ben Zander is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, and his perspectives are deeply rooted in the world of music. They resonate with me. They're also deeply optimistic.
Among his lessons: Leading from any chair. Being a contribution. Giving yourself an A.
The notion of giving yourself an A is what has triggered the most debate among previous groups I've facilitated. The idea is simple -- as you begin an effort, step into the future and imagine "giving yourself an A" at the end of the project or activity. Then map out what you did (will do) to earn it; write yourself a letter from the future describing it. Take it a step further and give an A to people around you -- assume the best, set aside your judgments, ask deeper questions about what might really be going on, provide encouragement and direction.
One of the hardest things to do over the past three years of running my own business has been to give myself an A. There have been big moments in my Floricane life where an A just seemed too hard to achieve. Moments when my confidence flagged, when I wasn't hitting on all cylinders, when money was not just tight but the meter was running in reverse, fast.
Fortunately, I'm surrounded by a lot of people who are willing to give me an A -- my wife, the Floricane team, friends, clients, and a plethora of smart mentors. In moments of self-doubt, nothing beats having a handful of good graders surrounding you. Finding ways to give yourself an A, and looking for opportunities to give others a solid grade, can have a huge impact.
It's powerful stuff, and its surprisingly simple. Aren't most things that make a difference?
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On September 29, we're offering another of our popular Insights DiscoveryŽ Discovering Self-Awareness workshops.
Floricane is the only consulting firm in Virginia (and one of only a handful in the United States) offering public self-awareness workshops using the Insights DiscoveryŽ tool.
Insights DiscoveryŽ is a Scotland-based organization whose self-awareness, team effectiveness and leadership development tools are used by a broad range of global companies -- like AstraZeneca, Xerox and MeadWestVaco. Locally, we've facilitated Insights DiscoveryŽ training with the Greater Richmond Chamber, Library of Virginia, Richmond Association of Realtors, Virginia Credit Union and the Virginia Society of CPAs.
Our Insights DiscoveryŽ workshops are designed for individuals and small teams interested in developing increased self-awareness to improve workplace effectiveness, team dynamics and individual performance. They're also great ways to see Floricane in action and get a firsthand sense of what we value and how we drive change.
In 2012, we'll begin offering two new Insights DiscoveryŽ workshops, Discovering Team Effectiveness and Discovering Leadership Effectiveness, in addition to our Discovering Self-Awareness introductory workshop. The Discovering Self-Awareness workshop will be a pre-requisite for the new team and leadership effectiveness sessions.
Find out more about Insights Discovery and register for our September 29 Discovering Self-Awareness workshop. We're looking forward to starting the journey with you...
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This is a call to action -- from the Floricane team to our friends, partners and clients.
One of the best annual events in #RVA is focused on giving back to the community -- and building new relationships. Hands On Day, a production of Hands On Richmond, is a roll-up-your-sleeves affair that connects more than 1,000 volunteers to local nonprofit and civic organizations that could benefit from a little coordinated elbow grease.
On October 29, we're fielding a Floricane team as part of Hands On Day -- and we want you to join us. It's a half-day commitment, and we promise that you'll be doing social good with some of the most amazing volunteers in #RVA.
Spend a Saturday morning changing Richmond with us. To register as part of the Floricane team, just click here and join our team as a volunteer!
photo: Hands On RVA via Facebook
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 Floricane has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to co-create a new leadership program for the Greater Richmond Chamber; building a new program elbow-to-elbow with the Chamber's Richard Wintsch and Luck Companies' Tom Epperson has only sweetened the deal.
The new Leadership Lab rounds out a full suite of professional development opportunities for Chamber members with a focus on the role of self-awareness and a clear personal vision in organizational leadership. The five-month program is open to mid-career leaders working in Chamber member companies, and will be co-facilitated by Wintsch, Epperson and Floricane's John Sarvay. Participants will receive ongoing leadership coaching from certified coaches from Luck Companies (formerly Luck Stone Corporation).
For more information about participating in this innovative leadership program, contact Richard Wintsch at the Greater Richmond Chamber. If your organization is interested in exploring its own leadership development opportunities, give us a call at Floricane. |
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We have had a blast partnering with our friends -- brand architect Peter Fraser and designer Ansel Olson -- in the delivery of six workshops focused on creativity and innovation. A spin-off from the new #RVA i.e.* initiative, our SHOP CLASS series ultimately brought more than 200 people together under the roof of the Marvin Lang Building on West Broad Street.
For two hours each week, participants explored food, art, music, words, design and yoga in collaborative spaces orchestrated by Chef Ellie Basch, artist Noah Scalin, musician Samson Trinh, wordsmiths Meghan Codd and Deanna Lorianni, designer Lauren Boynton and yogi Kelly Trask. We had so much fun that we're working on three different extensions of our the original SHOP CLASS series coming soon. Stay tuned for more details.
In the meantime, check out these SHOP CLASS photos by Ansel Olson on Flickr.
photo: Ansel Olson
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It's been a busy summer, and fall is beginning to thicken with even more fun, meaningful work.
A few new projects and clients on our schedules include:
- Strategic planning for Rx Partnership, the Virginia Dental Association Foundation and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
- Insights DiscoveryŽ self-awareness and team engagement training for the Richmond Association of Realtors and Virginia Credit Union
- Facilitation for the Greater Richmond Chamber
- A team engagement event for Bon Secours Richmond Health Systems
If your organization is ready to plan for a more robust and visionary future, strengthen team engagement or leadership, or have more intentional, and effective, conversations, let us know. We'd love to help you bear new fruit.
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During our summer weekends at her great-grandfather's riverfront home in Deltaville, Thea found a home in a hammock.
It was where she and Nikole went to watch the sun rise over the Chesapeake Bay each morning, and where she and I joyously swung in the late afternoons as the sun set across the Rappahannock River.
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spelling in the sand
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"Swing me faster," she would cry out as I stood in the grass pushing the thickly woven tangle of rope. And suddenly -- "Not so fast, Daddy!" as the hammock tilts toward the horizon.
I found myself alone on the hammock one recent evening, reflecting on the memories we are beginning to create with Thea.
A consultant I know is fond of saying, "When we're on our death bed, no one says, 'Bring me my stuff, I want to touch it all one more time.'" Rather, we want to be surrounded by our memories, our stories, those of our friends and families able to gather near.
All of us leave memories, stories and lives in our wake every day. In our best moments, we are as enriched as the people we touch. At our worst, we fray the edges -- we spill out.
Helping to create new stories for Thea is a deeply rewarding product of the way Nikole and I have decided to parent her.
While we're very intentional about wanting our daughter to experience a life full of relationships and activity, most of what we create with her is driven by her enthusiastic discoveries and the basic business of day-to-day life.
We have a child that loves to do things -- collect bugs and acorns, make puzzles, explore the city's nooks and crannies. She loves her simple, weekend visits with her Omie to play with an oversized, meticulously crafted dollhouse, and weekly excursions with her MeMaw to art class or to get ice cream.
Lately, she's craving stories -- of my first dog, of my dad, of my first day at school. She's reassured that her mother and I have pasts not too dissimilar from her life, and takes simple joy from hearing about our childhoods.
We come full circle.
I watch my daughter live her own, unique reflections of my childhood -- a little richer, a little happier. I watch my shadows grow smaller as her life becomes more fully her own.
"Faster!" and then, "Not so fast!" as summer draws to a close. |
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