The 'fine art of surrender' seems strange to our Western minds, trained as we've been in 'efforting' -- planning, doing, rolling that boulder up the hill, and swimming against the currents. And that can be pretty exhausting, and not a little frustrating, can't it? It can feel like you're traveling incognito -- pretending to be someone other than the unique and radiant being that you are.

In our move to a more sustainable way of living and of doing business, we know that we need to change how we act and also how we think. Our actions, after all, stem from our thoughts and, unless we change our approach to how we think, we will not manage to downshift or to sustain the changes that we make.

To restore society's confidence with those in power, leaders have to be able to inspire. I'm not talking about inspiring someone to buy into the corporate vision statement, to meet quarterly sales goals, or to work more efficiently. These aren't bad things, but right now, people are looking for a leader attuned to their personal needs. They want leaders who will encourage them, believe in their potential, and help them grow.

Each of us are confronted with a myriad of tasks each day that require our attention. Most of us allow far too many things to get onto our calendar or day planner. There are very few things that are truly important or critical enough to require your immediate and personal attention; therefore, we go through our day confronting routine items while asking ourselves:

“What do I have to do?”
“What is expected of me?” or
“What is the least I can do in this situation?”

If we did fewer things but did them better, we would find ourselves achieving and moving ahead faster.

Lateral thinking is a phrase coined by Edward de Bono as a counterpoint to conventional or vertical thinking. In conventional thinking we go forward in a predictable, direct fashion. Lateral thinking involves coming at the problem from new directions – literally from the side. De Bono defines the four main aspects of lateral thinking as follows:

1. The recognition of dominant polarizing ideas.
2. The search for different ways of looking at things.
3. A relaxation of the rigid control of vertical thinking.
4. The use of chance.

Professor Stuart B. Hill retells the parable of the "sandbox syndrome" and how real progress will be made when we "find commonality with others, form alliances and develop new measures of success." By keeping ourselves separate and competitive we limit what we are trying to do.

Even though it can be scary and counter intuitive, acceptance is the first step in transformation. It’s very difficult and quite stressful (as I know from a lifetime of experience) to try to change things from a place of non-acceptance. Acceptance is not resignation or agreement; it is simply telling the truth and allowing things to be as they are.

"It's nothing personal; it's just business," is a commonly heard phrase in the workplace. However, I tend to disagree with anyone who tries to impersonalize business. At its heart, commerce is a human enterprise, founded upon relationships between people.

As we grow in consciousness and become more self aware, we will start being more responsible for our world. We will make decisions that are based on what’s best for all instead of pre-programmed reactions mostly based on personal survival strategies adopted in childhood. It is a process - for some of us a lifetime one. And, like many processes, it has plenty of surprises, twists and turns, none predictable, all exciting!

Can you dissolve or shapeshift the obstacles that are before you? Yes, though it may be in different ways from what we expect (or not), and it requires practices that take place despite current worries, fears, and old ways of seeing things. It's 'mastery practice', right in the belly of the crucible!

When college professor Randy Pausch was told he had six months to live, he delivered his last lecture. It was filled with wisdom from a man who had lived a good life and wanted to leave a legacy; for his students, friends and family. If I were told that I had six months to live, and could share one last lecture with my friends and loved ones, what would I say? If I could share some of what drives me, then maybe a small part of what I'm saying might make a difference to someone.

Having run several small businesses over the last 20 years, my experience has taught me a lot about myself and what kind of person I want to be in serving a particular customer base and also what it’s like to be a client of fast moving consumer goods type companies versus smaller, sustainable companies with a more humane and environmentally responsible outlook.