Archive for November 18th, 2007

Podcast 24: Leading Beyond Excellence with Dr. Lisa Williams

Dr. Lisa Williams is a wonderful, bright, articulate and loving soul. She has blessed our planet with her great energy and zest for life. I was invited to attend one of Lisa’s talks, but was not able to make it. My intuition told me that I needed to meet her, so I telephoned her to discuss her book and consulting practice, Williams Research. I was so impressed with Lisa just from our telephone conversation that I asked her to lunch so we could engage in a more deep and meaningful dialogue. I soon realized that her knowledge was vast and she had a deep passion for helping people transform their lives. During our first meeting I asked her to sit on an advisory board for my company, eLuminate, Inc ., which created, Digital Seed software, an interactive learning platform. She gracefully accepted, and the rest is history, for we have been friends ever since.

Lisa’s book, “Leading Beyond Excellence: Learn 7 Practical and Spiritual Steps to Spiral Yourself to the Top“, is a wonderful easy-to-read book packed full of wisdom about becoming a better leader. It focuses on helping leaders look within to become better leaders and human beings. Lisa states that, “Leading beyond excellence is the process of moving from fear-based self-denial to love-based self-appreciation.”

She uses a wonderful tool called the “Spiral of Influence” to describe the various levels that leaders find themselves. Those levels are survival, security, social, self-esteem, search, surrender, significance. She explains the characteristics that leaders possess at each of these levels and provides concrete actions and steps that can be taken to continue our movement up the spiral to become better leaders. Lisa has short 10 minute exercises throughout her book that ask the reader to reflect on insights to particular questions, what action steps we can take, and personal observations to identify areas we would like to improve. Lisa quotes Oprah Winfrey as saying ” As you become more clear about who you really are, you’ll be better able to decide what is best for you–the first time around.” I love this quote for Lisa is helping leaders everywhere in deciding what is best for them, the first time around.

Lisa WilliamsI know you will appreciate applying Lisa’s wisdom and knowledge without any heavy lifting. Leading Beyond Excellence: Learn 7 Practical and Spiritual Steps to Spiral Yourself to the Top is a quick read and packed full of ideas and practical knowledge on personal and professional transformation and mastery. You can learn more about Dr. Lisa Williams and her workshops, books, CD’s by clicking here.

Want more resources and information on personal growth? Try the resources page.

Podcast 23: Loving What Is with Byron Katie

It was a pure pleasure interviewing Byron Katie for this podcast. She is engaging, authentic and wise beyond her years. Her book, “Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life“, is the focus of this podcast, and I think you will find our interview together to flow in complete harmony.

Katie’s personal story on how she came about doing what she refers to as, “The Work,” is quite fascinating. I ask her during our interview to give a little history on how she came upon “The Work” and her personal revolutions. The dialogue that I engaged in with Katie was open, loving and downright beautiful. When I finished our interview, I knew that I had been touched by a very special soul.

We discuss the four questions that can change your life. And those questions are, Is it true? Can you absolutely know that it is true? How do you react when you think that thought? Who would you be without the thought? If there are any issues in your life that are unresolved and are challenging you, Katie asks you to ask yourself the preceding questions. Her book is filled with wonderful stories of individuals who were stuck and as a result of going through “The Work” were able to transform and re-frame their current stories and see their issues and circumstances from a new light.

To do “The Work” is quite a spiritual process. If you visit Katie’s web site you can watch video’s of her interacting with various individuals that volunteer to have her work with them. As Katie starts asking them these very important questions you can actually watch them transform right before your eyes. “The Work” is powerful and transforming, and does not have to be done with Katie. As a matter of fact she points out that anyone anywhere can ask these questions and it will shift their perspective about the issues or problems they might be faced with.

Once you are willing to re-frame your issues and see them from a different perspective your whole world becomes free and filled with light. You feel like a 50 lb weight has been lifted from your chest and you can breathe again. Everything in your world looks new, exciting and life is fun again.

Byron KatieI encourage everyone to read “Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life” for it will have a profound impact on how you view your current life challenges. The stories of the individuals and reading how Katie guides them through “The Work” are wonderfully revealing, and will provide you with a prospective on just how powerful this work is. If you would like to learn more about “The Work” then go to Katie’s web site by clicking here. You will find information on upcoming workshops, her books, and talks.

Want more resources and information on personal growth? Try the resources page.