3 books that I felt compelled to read...
I'm not sure is the honest truth. However the first book was given as a Christmas Present last year by Nikki Pepper and as I was clearing out the flat the book presented itself...
The second book holds a similar story an unopened Amazon package which turned up in a box full of papers to be shredded and there it was, a book first written and then presented to me by Timothy Watkins, subsequently re-ordered for me by Debi King.
The third book was handed to me by Samina Ali as it was all about conversations that we had been having on Attachment.
All three books turned up at approximately the same time... and as it turns out all extremely pertinent to where I am right now and hugely relevant to things that are happening in my life. The universe it seems has not exhausted its reserves of surprises yet... I do love serendipity!
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| 1st Book via Nikki Pepper |
Book 1 - Starfish and the Spider
A book about the resilience and 'rise and rise' of Leaderless Organisations... such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Wikipedia. Organisations that have not in themselves been set up to make money. They serve an underlying purpose in society which is based on a code or practice and have principles at their heart.
The thing about a Starfish is cut of a leg and it'll grow back again... more than likely the 1 leg will also turn into a completely separate Starfish too... so you'll end up with 2 not 1. Starfish organisations have the same attributes... there is no Leader at the helm. Like the Starfish... chop of a part of it and it will resurface... it doesn't die, probably it will come back with renewed vigour... 2 not 1...
Why is this relevant to me though? Well on May 1st 2017 Link4Growth became an Association... in effect a Leaderless organisation. Each District of Link4Growth is part of the whole (Starfish species), we all have similar characteristics, abide and uphold the same 7 principles, values and behaviours, but we are autonomous... rather working together because it expedites growth, and we don't want to re-invent the wheel... but encouraged to find what works for us in our locality, and take responsibility.
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| 2nd Book via Tim Watkins (author) |
Book 2 - The Consciousness of Sheep (Tim Watkins)
If you have read the Link4Growth book... early on chapters 1 and 2 (very short I promise you) outline the background as to why Link4Growth exists... Things are deteriorating in our society... systems are breaking down, Energy, Politics, Finance, Education, Economies, Farming... all under stress and with a growing global population and such inequality something will give at some point...
Link4Growth was created in recognition of this gradual decline of the 'systems' around us and it's purpose is to co-create a safety web of people who choose to be kind and compassionate to others and give without expecting return to those that are in need (not financial or things, but more about connection and through humility). We are going to also need innovation, co-creation and collaboration ... that requires conversations and places to have them; that's in essence what Link4Growth does as well as spread the word about all the good work going on in our communities.
Why is The Consciousness of Sheep relevant to me? ... is a 375 page book which explains in details with facts, figures, science and a dose of psychology why we are were we are. It's the book that underpins the necessity for us all to look at what we do, and take responsibility...
If you really want to know why we are going to need Link4Growth and organisations like it... then please pick up a copy of this book... it isn't doom and gloom it is a thoughtfully created reality check... and an explanation as to why we need to bring new ideas and new thinking to the table... the existing systems are irreparable... and we can't carry on as we are either!
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| 3rd Book via Samina Ali |
Book 3 - Attached
We often wander through our lives in "Cruise Control" mode, rarely stopping to check in on ourselves or reflect to gain greater understanding. Sometimes we're doing things and don't really understand why we are doing them.
A great example is back in 1985 I went on an NLP workshop. It was early days for NLP in the UK back then and actually quite a few of the things they taught (3 days) I found I had already been doing subconsciously because it had made sense to do so. But I didn't understand why, and what choices I had made... I'd just stumbled into it... now I was much better prepared.
With greater clarity I could see why it worked and how that reprogramming of the brain at a thinking level was powerful to deliver different outcomes... I liked it and have over time integrated the bits I really liked into my subconscious habits of today.
Right now through technologically we are the most connected our species has ever been, simultaneously we are also the most disconnected. At the heart of Link4Growth the primary focus is on People and Relationships. Although we all do relationships, how many of us understand "How" we do relationships?
Attached is a fabulous book that gives us powerful tools to recognise people's attachment styles. Once we know and understand these it gives us a great insight into, firstly, ourselves; then others we are connected to / have relationships with. Through this understanding we can begin to build, grow and enhance our relationships.
Like NLP, Attached is based on science and helps us to create powerful relationships.
Final Words
The presentation of these books to me could not have been timed better. All three have significantly contributed to all projects I am involved with right now, and of course Link4Growth is a large part of that.
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