Discipline makes Daring possible.

Musings from The Disappearing Boss on People, Process and Responsible Autonomy for small-business employers.

Month: June 2020

Empathetic Magic
June 2, 2020

Empathetic Magic

One way to make rain, is to pour water through a sieve.   The idea is that by imitating something like rain ourselves, real rain will fall.

We call this sympathetic magic, and the more people involved, the better.   If we all ‘make rain’ together, “The Rainmaker” is bound to respond.  This kind of group rainmaking is probably the origin of the myth of the Danaides.

There is a better kind of magic.  Where we all act as if we are the kind of people we’d love to live with.  Seeing our neighbours and fellows as human beings, very like us, yet not us, and all the more interesting for that, even when they are being ‘difficult’.

That’s empathetic magic.   It works.  And the more people involved, the better.

Imagine a country
June 1, 2020

Imagine a country

“Imagine a country. . .

Close your eyes, and put your fingers in your ears and shut out the angry chaos for a moment.     Now take a deep breath and imagine a country you want to live in, a country you wish existed, a country where you’d truly feel at home. . .”

This book is a collection of some of the imaginings.   In 500 to 800 words (or an illustrative alternative) within a month.

It’s well worth a read.  But an even better idea would be to do it.  To share this prompt with family, friends, colleagues, neighbours, networks.   Then to discuss those imaginings.   And decide how they can begin to be made real.

I don’t know about you, but several times over the last few years, I’ve wondered about moving.   To a different part of the country, or even to a different country.

This book reminds me that it’s better to improve than move.   And that I am responsible for the home I live in.