Author Archives: Jeff Flesch

Jeff Flesch 8:46 pm on November 22, 2020
Tags: , , fallpictures, , leadershipseries, mingyurrinpochequote, onbeingthankful,   

A Blogger’s Diary 11/22/20: On Writing, A New Series, and Being Thankful

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Well, as it has been the past couple of weeks, poetry remained a large part of my creative writing experience this week. And? Well, as I’ve written about before, I do love it so much. Fun.

Let’s take a look at what happened this week, and what I’m working on for next week.

Writing

There we go. See. Lot’s of poetry. Fun. And, this week.

New Leadership Series

Well, I am currently working on the first installment in a new series on leadership, and I am pretty excited about it.

I think the information contained in the communication article I wrote this week, and the forthcoming leadership series will keep me busy for some time. Yep. Why leadership? A good question.

I do believe that leadership is a fundamental concept that is applicable to all of life. Yet, leadership is mostly talked about in regard to the workplace.

In this new series, then, we will take a different vantage point, and look at leadership as something that happens every day, in every context. And guess what?

Yep. It all starts with us. That is where leadership begins, and will be one of the main focuses of the first post. Lovely.

Poetry? Oh, yes, that will come too, and will be much fun as always.

Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash

Being Thankful

As the pandemic cases continue to rise locally and in many other places across the globe, I am reminded of taking the time necessary to appreciate all aspects of life. And, to be grateful and thankful for everyone and everything. Important.

The Monday message I wrote for the team I work on this week, was about being thankful.

An important takeaway in times of great distress? Yes, I believe so.

I believe we can hold and practice gratitude and thankfulness even, and I would say it is even more important, when things are hard. Very hard of late. How?

By being present to all that is around us. A flower, a tree, the wind, the rain, each other, life in general. A precious gift.

I’ve actually reinstituted my daily walks, which, for a time, I had let go of. Why? Because it is a good way to practice being present. Present to all that is around us.

Here are a couple of beautiful pictures from my walks this past week. One from the campus where I work, and one from close to where I live.

Albany, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon

I absolutely love the colors in both of these pictures. Just gorgeous.

Alright, before I end this entry, I would like to do two more things.

First, I would like to let you know how grateful and thankful I am for each of you. I’ve met some of the most amazing people, all of you, this past year. And, I want you to know that I appreciate each of you.

Second, a quote I adore.

“Use every distraction
as an object of meditation
and they cease to be distractions.” -Mingyur Rinpoche

Quote Mirror

Have a lovely week, everyone.

#bloggers-diary, #diary, #fallpictures, #leadership, #leadershipseries, #mingyurrinpochequote, #onbeingthankful, #onwriting

Jeff Flesch 10:18 am on November 21, 2020
Tags: , , , ourhighestcalling, ,   

A Creation Poem

Photo by Robert Koorenny on Unsplash

It’s in our hands,
Yours and mine,
A sublime undertaking
With so much potential for the making

In each moment exists
That true and powerful bliss
Let us not be remiss
About that which coexists

Like a tangle of weaves
Threadbare, and
A shouldered burden everywhere

A light that shines north
In its possibilities do come forth

A beautiful spectacle
With need of many respectful glances, and
Second chances made fair, with

All that is there for the taking,
Or rather, for the making

Creativity is our highest calling
People say, and yet we spend more time
Forestalling that which we know is our true nature
Which is also quite grand and sprawling

Believing instead in
Disconnection and separateness as truthful
When they are in fact quite deceitful

Listen my friends
To that which you know, and
Be bold, for it is not to dear to hold
Close to heart and use to make that grand start

For creation is there in every moment
Breathless and sweet as the afternoon breeze
A prize for our enjoyment

Use with care, and
Never be wary, nor tarry too long
Rather be daring, adventurous, and strong

And, in this moment?

Begin to create the life of your longing

#creation, #creativity, #loveandlife, #ourhighestcalling, #poem, #poems

Jeff Flesch 7:08 am on November 21, 2020
Tags: , , expressinghowwefeel, expressinghowwethink, feelingandthinking, healthycommunication, , nonverbalcues, self-expression, , thoughtsandfeelings   

The Reflection Series Part 5: What Does it Mean to Live and Love a Communicative Life

A 3-minute Reflection on How Communication Shapes Our Daily Experience

Photo by Chris Murray on Unsplash

Well, I just finished, The Reflection Series Part 4: What Do Coaching, Communication, and Insight Have in Common?, and I’ve continued to think both about relationships and communication. Why?

Because they both shape so much of our daily experience. In this 3-minute reflection, we will take a look at communication first, and then? Maybe relationships next time.

Right, so let’s define communication real quick.

communication

noun /kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃn/ /kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃn/

​[uncountable] the activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information

​[uncountable](also communications [plural])methods of sending information, especially phones, radio, computers, etc. or roads and railways

Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries

There we go. Now, let’s unpack this a little.

Photo by Gursimrat Ganda on Unsplash

Expressing Ideas and Feelings

Self-expression is one of the most empowering experiences. Being able to feel and say what is needed. Important. Often, people hold back, as I once did, for the sake of “not rocking the boat,” or fear of reprisal. The issue?

When we hold back how we feel and what we think, we are actually still continuing to communicate those feelings and thoughts. Though, because we’ve been holding back, they will come out in a less than productive communicative way.

Today I find it better to express the truth about how I feel and what I think, even when, and, maybe, most importantly when, it means how I feel and what I think may spur a difficult conversation. It is really okay, and is needed.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Sending Information

We communicate more about how we feel and how we think nonverbally than we do verbally. That is the truth. Which is why it is so important to be transparent with ourselves, first, about how we feel, and what we think, and then to communicate that to those we care about.

Again, if we choose to not communicate how we feel and what we think, we will still communicate these feelings and thoughts through nonverbal communication.

Whether that is an skance glance or gesture, or some other form of nonverbal cue. And? People close to us will pick up on it, even if they are unconcious of it, and, yep, will react to it. The issue?

When we lead communicative experiences that are healthy and transparent, we have the opportunity to create a context that is free of the fear of reprisal, or the inauthentic experience of “not rocking the boat.”

By the way, when we actively try to “not rock the boat,” know that the boat is probably already rocking. And?

It can be settled a bit by being open and communicative about how we feel and what we think.

Photo by Naassom Azevedo on Unsplash

Shaping Our Experience

Communication really does shape our experience. As my awareness has grown over the past three years, I am able to notice when my nonverbal cues are picked up on by other people, and, likewise, when I pick up on theirs.

It is an interesting experience, and is one that is ultimately empowering. We have the potential to create contexts that are communicatively healthy once we are aware. Aware of just how important healthy communication is, both verbal and nonverbal.

We all get frustrated, and, yes, even angry sometimes. That happens to us all. It is part of being human.

However, it is important to practice communicating with others when we feel this way; and, to take the time necessary to understand why we are frustrated or angry in the first place.

For, as we know, when we are frustrated or angry, we are not frustrated or angry because of what other people are doing. We are frustrated or angry with how we are thinking and feeling about what other people are doing, or what we are doing, or not doing. It’s always that way.

All communication starts with us. How we communicate with ourselves is the beginning for how we ultimately communicate with others. And?

When we take the time to communicate with ourselves, which includes listening, we understand ourselves that much better; and, we also understand the people we love and care about that much better too.

And, for me? That’s what it means to live and love a communicative life. It’s about taking the time to practice communication. Practice communicating with ourselves, yes, and then with everyone else. It is quite lovely.

#communication, #emotionalintelligence, #expressinghowwefeel, #expressinghowwethink, #feelingandthinking, #healthycommunication, #mindfulness, #nonverbalcues, #self-expression, #selfdevelopment, #thoughtsandfeelings

Jeff Flesch 5:36 pm on November 20, 2020
Tags: fears, , , , , silentmystery,   

A Silent Mystery Poem

Photo by JJ Ying on Unsplash

Fears abound
As we progress, and
Distress over everything little thing

That transpires upon the wire
A balancing act, where we sway
With even the gentlest breeze,

Losing our balance
While gripping to our fear
Of what is seen through the valance

An illusion

Proven time and again, yet
We continue to buy-in,
To that which is seen and heard,

Like?

That very beautiful bird, a mystery
Deluge of the cloistered senses
Ever pleasant and on fire
For more presents,

Gifts from the unknown realms
Where safety reigns supreme,

Like?

That elm tree,
Solid and anchored deep
Even though the roots are hardly seen

Safe and strong,
Know that you always belong,
To that which is unseen, and is

Such a silent mystery, and
Also a part of our collective history, so

Remember, you are safe
As you look out through that valance
Don’t be deceived, rather be retrieved,
For it’s in your heart’s heart that you truly do believe

Have a lovely weekend, everyone.

#fears, #illusion, #poem, #poems, #safety, #silentmystery, #writing

Jeff Flesch 8:00 am on November 20, 2020
Tags: , , , interactions, , relationshsipsystem,   

The Reflection Series Part 4: What Do Coaching, Communication, and Insight Have in Common?

A 3-minute Reflection on Leadership and Systems Thinking

Photo by Cam Bradford on Unsplash

What do you think that coaching, communication, and insight have in common? Hm. Not sure?

Or, maybe, you’re thinking it’s that they’re interactive, and that’s what they have in common, and, yep, that is true. Yet there is one more. Yep.

They are all part of a single system. Each one, coaching, communication, and insight, all of them, is a piece of a larger whole. Let’s take a look at these pieces so we can see the whole. Ready? Here we go.

Creating Coaching

Alright, I’ve written about coaching before, and, even wrote about a developed model that works pretty well. Yet, guess what? Yep. That model has iterated. Today? Here’s what it looks like now.

  1. Creating Safety
  2. Current Reality
  3. Future Reality
  4. Define the Gap
  5. Create Next Actions
  6. Create Safety

Yep, it is a complete system. And, yes, it is a system within a system. Meaning, that coaching is, yes, one piece in an overall system, and, yep, you begin with safety and end with it. Every time. Why?

Because creating safety for people is one of the most important aspects of developing high-functioning teams. Seriously. Watch.

What does it take to have a high-functioning team? Any ideas? Yep. Here we go.

  1. Trust
  2. Reciprocity
  3. Vulnerability
  4. Innovation
  5. Execution

There’s five. And, to have those five? Yep. Safety. Always.

Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash

Creating Communication

In order to have high-quality coaching conversations, good communication must also be present. And, what, pray, are the components of good communication. Here are a few.

  1. Listen
  2. Be present
  3. Tell your truth
  4. Reciprocity

Sounds simple, yes? Well, it is, and yet, is a paradox, like most things in life. Why? Because it takes practice, and a commitment to persevere. You will make mistakes. And?

That’s okay. It’s part of it.

If we think that good communication feels good all the time, or looks one way or another, we set ourselves up for disappointment. Most of my favorite conversations today are loaded with work, for both people.

Here are a few more important concepts to develop good communication.

  1. Patience
  2. Grace
  3. Compassion
  4. Understanding

It takes work and time. Yet, when you practice listening and being present, all kinds of wondrous things happen. Really.

Photo by Rohan Makhecha on Unsplash

Creating Insight

Ah, yes, one of my favorite topics. Insight. Beautiful.

Well, what’s the deal with insight anyway? When we typically think about insight, we think about that moment of clarity where we learn something we’d not considered before. Right? Yep.

However, insight can come in many forms. Seriously. Here are a few.

  1. Self
  2. One-on-One
  3. Team
  4. Organization
  5. Community

Yep. Insights are created through collaboration, whether that is through collaboration with yourself, yes, that’s true, or with another individual or team member, or with the entire team, organization, or community.

Insights are a product of high-quality communicative contexts that are safe. Period.

Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash

A Single System

Alright, so what does creating coaching, good communication, and insight have to do with each other? Yep, you got it.

They are all a part of the relationship system. First, the relationships we have with ourselves, then, the team, organization, and community. True.

And, the relationship system is applicable in all social contexts. Meaning, you can substitute family with the team in the aforementioned example, and you have a whole and complete system for the family. Same.

There we go. That’s my 3-minute reflection on the relationships system, and why considering these pieces as connected and a part of a larger whole is very important for leaders, and, well, for everyone. Really.

In fact, one could argue, as I would, that your very relationships depend on it. Truth. Phew. That was fun.

#coaching, #communication, #insight, #interactions, #leadership, #relationshsipsystem, #selfdevelopment

Jeff Flesch 6:00 pm on November 19, 2020
Tags: listening, , , ,   

A Poem on Listening

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Whether it is quiet,
Or a part of a noisy riot,
There are times to pause, and
Reflect, upon that which is there

A single stare focused and present
Paying attention, and freed up to
Release our tension, built up over time

Which may not be a rhyme, yet is
For surely sublime, and
Part of the space-time

Continuum

Part and parcel, then
To all that was before, a metaphor,
Yes, and
A signal of what’s in store

Which is often missed when distracted
And often retracted
From Self

Focus split over dimensions, so
Why not mention, divided attention
Is disconnection with the best of intentions

And not a problem, yet
Beware of the resistance
You may feel as the breeze blows,
Which is common prose for those that know

That resistance, and
Not persistence feeds the many
Lingering thoughts, which intrude
Without common interlude, and

Breech the listening device, so
Remember to be concise, focused,
And present in all that is pleasant,

As well as with all that is unpleasant

Both are important,
for growth depends on being engaged
With all aspects of our humanity,
Shared together not in vanity,
But, rather, for the sake of our collective sanity

#listening, #loveandlife, #poem, #poems, #writingpoetry

Jeff Flesch 6:48 pm on November 17, 2020
Tags: growingpoem, knowingpoem, , lifepoems, , , stormpoem, ,   

The Storm Poem

Photo by David Moum on Unsplash

When it comes,
In the light of day,
At the dawn, or at night
When the light has given way
To the setting sun

Remember,

The stillness, that thrills us
And fills us with a wonder, and
A grace that is never asunder

Though, yes, we may blunder, and grope
For and find thunder,
That stillness is always within you,
Waiting,
Like a light that burns bright
On very cold and stormy nights

When you are filled with chaos
And are in need of a returning
To that steadfast place,
Which is also a yearning

Rebirth and renewal
Are always there for your learning

Like a jewel
That shines forth, and
Reflects back all that is best

Especially when you are pressed
Yet never regressed,
And for surely blessed, and yes

Maybe even stressed,
For you see,
We are like the storm
As we enact and perform
Our duty on this planet of great beauty

Yet know that storming and performing
Are only a part of the knowing
One piece, just like
That stillness deep inside, especially
When we abide by all that is kind

Be blessed upon the tests
That come, and
Sit still in the knowing
That all is One, and that
You are growing and glowing
Through the storm we may call knowing

#growingpoem, #knowingpoem, #lifeandlove, #lifepoems, #poem, #poems, #stormpoem, #writing, #writingpoems

Jeff Flesch 8:31 pm on November 15, 2020
Tags: aninsightpoem, , , , , , writing poetry   

An Insight Poem

Photo by Guzmán Barquín on Unsplash

Insight is such a delight,
A fancy quite bright, which lives
Beyond the pale moonlight

Of your hearts desire,
A mystery
Hidden deep inside
Of a lifetime broadly acquired, and
Lived to its fullest as time transpires

Without notice, so please
Pay attention, and
Remember to mention
The insight you are delivered, which

Promises to be quivered
Possibilities
Unsheathed, and ready to take flight

Upon this night of joyful, and
Ready delight, a birthright
For each of us, even when

We feel disconnected, and
Not protected, knowing
Is always there, so don’t despair
Because life is fair,

A beauty in no need of repair,
Connected
A tranquil pair,
In love with all that’s there, so

Sit quietly and take measure
Of your hearts deepest pleasure

The insight will hum,
A breath whispered, of times yet to come

Have a wonderful week, everyone.

#aninsightpoem, #insight, #lifeandlove, #poem, #poems, #writing, #writing-poetry

Jeff Flesch 4:51 pm on November 15, 2020
Tags: , anxiouspeople, , , , fredrikbackman, ramanamaharshi, , remotebookclub, ,   

A Blogger’s Diary 11/15/20: On Writing, Reading, A 2-Week Freeze, and an Update on the Remote Book Club

Photo by Deric Yu on Unsplash

Wow, what a busy, busy week. I know, I know, I always start out that way. Yet, it really was. So much so, in fact, that my time was allocated to other things, and writing in some ways, not all ways for sure, took a little bit of a back seat this week.

Writing

Simply meaning that I didn’t get to work on larger pieces this week. Yet, you know what I did get to work on? Yep. Poetry. I am absolutely falling in love with writing poetry. Love. And, here’s what that looked like.

  1. A Poem of Gratitude
  2. A Reflection Poem
  3. A Courage Poem
  4. A Resilience Poem
  5. The Liebster Award
  6. The Social Construction Series Part 8: The Social Construction of Interaction
  7. A Poem of Inspiration

Phew, there we go. See. Lots of poems. Fun!

And, next week? Yep, here is what I’m currently working on.

  1. An Insight Poem
  2. The Reflection Series Part 4: What Does it Mean to Live a Life Full of Insight?
  3. The Reflection Series Part 5: What Does it Mean to Live and Love a Communicative Life?

I am finding that it is necessary to shorten my articles a little. That certainly doesn’t mean I’ll stop writing longer pieces. Yet, at least for the time being, I am working on some shorter posts. We will see.

Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

Reading

Okay, so I am still reading the book on Ramana Maharshi, yet am also now reading another book for the book club, which I’ll write more about in a moment. Ramana?

I am about 1/3 of the way through the book, maybe more, and here is what I love the most about the book thus far.

The book is set up as a Q&A session with Ramana and the narrator. And? Time and again, the narrator basically asks Ramana the same question in different ways. And, each time? Yep.

Ramana gives a very different answer that points the narrator, and the reader, back to the same place. Fun. The place?

Inside of you, of course. No matter the question, the seeking, the apparent frustration, the answer? Yep, already lives inside of you. Stay quiet and listen. Lovely.

Photo by Willian Justen de Vasconcellos on Unsplash

A 2-week Freeze

Well, here in Oregon, we are now on a 2-week freeze, which the Governor did say would be extended if the cases continued to stay steady or rise. Impact?

Hardest hit are the local small businesses, especially those in the food industry. Phew. Difficult.

We will be working with small business owners in the coming days and weeks to ensure they have what they need to pivot their businesses once again.

I’m not sure a more resilient group exist right now, with the exception of those in healthcare. Amazing people all around.

Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash

Remote Book Club Update

Quick updated. I was able to get the remote book club together for our first meeting a week ago Saturday. Fun!

We’ve chosen to read, Anxious People, by Fredrik Backman. It’s actually pretty good thus far.

Sort of an inquiry, as the title relates, into the human condition in regard to emotionality, and the spectrum of how that plays out in stressful situations. Interesting.

Closing

Well, that’s about it for this week. Time to go see what you are all up to, and to see if I can finish the insight poem on this night. Ha! Even more fun.

The first stanza? Sure. Here we go.

Insight is such a delight,
A fancy quite bright, which lives
Beyond the pale moonlight

Fun, fun, fun.

Alright, everyone, please stay healthy and well, and have a wonderful week ahead.

Remember, you are an inspiration to me, and to everyone around you.

#poetry, #anxiouspeople, #bloggersdiary, #blogging, #diary, #fredrikbackman, #ramanamaharshi, #reading, #remotebookclub, #writing, #writingpoems

Jeff Flesch 1:38 am on November 15, 2020
Tags: , loveandlive, , ,   

A Poem of Inspiration

Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash

All around you, look
And see, what’s hidden
Beneath the sea of tranquility,

Bathed in a light so bright
And responsive to
A plight, that’s right,
Which lives beyond the night
Of everlasting daylight,

Shining on

You and me, and all that see
What’s already there, just stare
Off into the distance,
A common affair, so don’t beware

Rather take care
Of yourself in this instance,
For the perspiration of your inspiration
Takes root there

It’s lives inside you, and me,
And the common tree,
Asunder not, One
Full of thunder, and
A distant and harmonic wonder

Believe in that which you see,
A mirror of Mind,
You and me, and yes,
The uncommon tree, both, One
And the same, playing the same game,
Amidst the same flame, so

Breathe deep, and take in
All there is to keep close to heart
A majestical start, and a
Rightful and delightful creation
Is this thing we call inspiration

#inspiration, #loveandlive, #poem, #poems, #writingpoems