Day 5 of Fasting
I have been reading material about acquiring emotional intelligence. The term encompasses so many facets of my behaviour and is work in which I have been seeking to reach a higher level. For me it is being able to digest and eliminate the negative emotions that I take in and those that I generate from within. To be able to do this with minimal effect to others and myself is the goal. It is easy for me to label others who, I believe, would benefit from deeper reflection of their own thoughts and actions. I realise that in my work these are matters that are inhibiting the proper functioning of teams. It is my view that with a little more attention on the things that are within the realm of our own control and less preoccupation with what others are doing and saying, may improve the interaction between people. In my tool box I have the virtues project to bring to bear on these types of situations. It is helpful to do a card pick and then get an individual to reflect on what that card brings up for them. Very much the same way as I do here, but as I am accompanying them through the experience I may ask questions to get them to look a little deeper or to really see if that thought is true and not just a figment of the ego. It came to me on reading this card that I ought to offer some coaching to those I am working with as I listen to many of the obstacles that, in my opinion, may be easily overcome. There was some initial hesitation in my thought process; what if they do not like my method of introspection and do not wish to participate? This is a common thought process for me and it surprised me how quickly it passed, giving way to thoughts of how to use the time that I have with this organisation to maximum effect. It was realising that I am not here to solve all their internal issues and provide a perfect fix by project end, but to mirror forth their challenges and give them a potential tool to use to navigate through them. When I put my own limited beliefs aside I could easily discern a way forward and offer something to everyone concerned. Using justice as my guiding principle, to shed light on to all the areas that require attention. Similarly, a community project that I am involved with I may adopt this rationale. Who knows what the outcome may be but if my approach is one that treats everyone evenhandedly, ensuring that all feel welcome, are able to express their views with openness and feel as though they are respected and heard then we are able to forge a path toward unity.
I think the biggest challenge is to simply do what is right without thinking about what the "other" may think of it. It is so hard to do because we rely so much on the approval of and connection with them. We worry about our reputations and acceptance. It's a hard gig to give up.