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Dear Reader,
Some time ago, I found myself in the blooming rose garden of Hillwood, the former estate-turned-museum of Majorie Merriweather Post, the only child of C.W. Post who founded the Post cereal empire. I sat on a bench with my sketchbook, resting from a morning of personal vision work when suddenly I began to appreciate the design of the rose garden itself, the way that its paths, benches and even the placement of the rose bushes showcased the beauty and contrasting colors of the roses. Sitting there, I began to think about the importance of design, vowing to bring attention to design in my work as a leadership coach and consultant. Appreciating the rose garden, I understood how design shapes experience and supports the intention of the creator and the featured ideas. Without strong design, the special elements of an experience can be lost in the clutter of competing themes. Design helps us to have an optimal experience. Design helps us to discover what is important.
In January, we've featured leaders who are using the circle design to convene important conversations and catalyze action that can change the world. As the On last week's show, Aryae Coopersmith spoke of how his role convening HR executives in Silicon Valley using the circle approach informed the design and vision for One World Lights. OnVisionary Leader, Extraordinary Lifeon Monday, February 4, I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to speak with Merle Lefkoff, a visionary leader who sees new possibilities for peace through her work at the Center for Emergent Diplomacy. And of course, the design she uses for this important dialogue is - the circle. What can the circle design offer you? Is there a circle you'd love to convene this year?
Please join me for this special conversation with a woman whose passion has led her to transcend conventional thinking about conflict - and peace.
Warmest wishes,
Kate Ebner
CEO
Nebo Company
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Monday, February 4, 2013 11 AM Eastern Time On VoiceAmerica Business
Transforming the Conflict Resolution Process with Merle Lefkoff of the Center for Emergent Diplomacy
 Show Description
After a globe-hopping career including stints in academia, serving in the White House under her fellow Georgian Jimmy Carter and over 30 years of experience as an international mediator, Dr. Merle Lefkoff became frustrated with the traditional conflict resolution model and decided that an entirely new diplomatic paradigm was urgently necessary to maintain any hope of peace in the 21st century. With this mission in mind, Dr. Lefkoff sprung into action, turning to the relatively new field of Complexity Science for inspiration. After a period of study, Merle founded the Center for Emergent Diplomacy, a social profit organization dedicated to bringing new approaches to diplomatic and leadership challenges. Through projects as diverse as working on a National Happiness project with the Prime Minister of Bhutan, storytelling with young activists in the Middle East and peace-making with women in the Balkans, Merle Lefkoff is creating a powerful global network of grassroots leaders for peace.
Guest Biography
Dr. Merle Lefkoff, spent decades on the front lines as an international mediator in the Middle East, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and Central and Eastern Europe. Dr. Lefkoff received a research grant to investigate the new field of Complexity Science and its application to global peace building at the Center for Non-Linear Studies at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where she worked with computer scientists, physicists and mathematicians exploring in computer simulation the natural laws that govern collective human behavior.
After this study, Dr. Lefkoff founded the Center for Emergent Diplomacy in Santa Fe, NM. Casting aside the worn-out conflict resolution and mediation models that have proved inadequate to address the complexities of the 21st century, the Center now applies her research to building and facilitating a network of change agents around the world who use Complexity Science to address dysfunctional global paradigms. Dr. Lefkoff holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She was one of 100 women leaders invited in 2011 by the women Nobel Peace Prize winners to a conference on ending sexual violence against women in war.
Be inspired.
Become inspiring.
Missed the Live Show?
Past Episodes are available on demand and podcast-ready via iTunes or RSS feed.
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From Haight-Ashbury to Sharing Wisdom in Circles and Online: Ari Coopersmith's Peace-Building Journey
by Rachel Wold
 When Ari Coopersmith was in his 20's, he and his friends dreamed that their grandchildren would find such concepts as "war" and "violence" inconceivable. Ari was a part of a spiritual movement centered around the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco during the 1960's. During that period, spiritual teachers from all over the world met in San Francisco and inspired thousands of young followers. The person who made the biggest impact on young Ari was Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, who emphasized the oneness between all people. One of the Rabbi's sayings continues to inspire Ari's work today: "We're all on the same path, we're just wearing different shoes." This idea inspired Ari to help organize an event called "The Meeting of the Ways" in which over 3,000 people from different national and faith backgrounds wore traditional dress to emphasize that despite their differences, they were all the same in their hope for peace among humanity. Today, the world Ari dreamt of does not yet exist. However, he remains hopeful and determined to be part of the creation of this peaceful world through his work at One World Lights, a new organization committed to creating circles of diverse global citizens all over the world connected in community and their goal for peace. Through an international network of local wisdom circles, Ari aims to build a community of millions who care for their fellow man. To hear how Ari aims to empower the members of One World Light using the principles of circle leadership, listen to the full interview.
Ari's vision for the future remains one of peace: "I see a world where people view their main identity, not as a member of a particular religion or nation, but as a member of the global community. I would like my great-grandchildren to find it inconceivable that we used to kill each other over differences in religion." |
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Registration Now Open for
She Leads: What Every Woman Needs to Know to Inspire and Succeed, beginning March 21!
 The Nebo Company is pleased to announce that our website now offers an online store! Our first offering through the store is our upcoming web course for professional women,
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Create Your Vision!
We have designed a quick and easy visioning exercise just for you! You will receive your own personal vision statement immediately upon hitting "submit." To create your vision statement, CLICK HERE.
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On Oneness
"If we are all one, then I share responsibility for you and for everyone around me. I feel I must take action to demonstrate that responsibility."
--Aryae Coopersmith on one of the guiding principles that led him to found One World Lights
Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life, 1/28/13
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Missed the last show?
Learn more about how Aryae envisions a global citizenry connected by spirit by listening to the January 28 episode of Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life.
Be inspired.
Become inspiring.
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Recommended Resources
by: Aryae Coopersmith
by: Charles Garfield, Cindy Spring and Sedonia Cahill
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