Creating Our Future with Organizations by Design

  I had the amazing opportunity to join with the Ramapough Lenape Nation in a sacred ritual in a sweat lodge this weekend. The structure is the lodge, and the ceremony performed within the structure may be called by some cultures a purification ceremony or simply a sweat. The sweat is a spiritual ceremony – it is for prayer and healing, and it is only to be led by Indigenous Elders who know the language, songs, traditions, and safety protocols of their culture's inherited tradition. Without going in the reason I was in the sweat lodge, I do want to share some thoughts that came to me as a result of the experience - some answers to questions percolating around in my mind, specifically about change. I've long known that the fear of change is a complex and multifaceted human emotion that can affect people from various backgrounds and privilege levels. What became so clear to me, however, is that it's true that change can be perceived differently by those who are privileged a...

  In general, a decision that stems from any emotion is usually not as sound as one that is based on fact and reason, and perhaps most importantly, your values. Have you had that feeling? The pressure is on. Friends and family are waiting. The bills are mounting. Your self-judgement grows. You finally chose - the car, the apartment, the job. But instead of relief, you feel queasy, uneasy. Thinking it is "only nerves", you move ahead ... but the feeling doesn't go away, instead it intensifies and begins to affect other parts of your life. Can you name that feeling? Fear . When fear begins to control your decision-making abilities, you may notice that not only is your work off-kilter, but your personal life is as well. This occurs when your fear of the future you've chosen becomes so debilitating that you're not able to focus on anything else, even when you try. This is true when you make career decisions out of fear. Sure, the pressures may be mounting to make a c...

  Learning to face our fears is a powerful and essential element of resilience. The more practice we get at overcoming our fears, the better prepared we are for facing whatever happens in our life. As our resilience grows stronger, we are better prepared for the inevitable adversities that face us as we grow and change. Barbara Organizations by Design