We have been challenging your thinking and your relationship with reality in our recent posts, especially with Reality 2.0: The New Rules. So, in the face of the challenge, how do you begin to address The New Rules and function effectively? To us, the most important capacity that will be required of you is courage. We are not, however, talking about a stereotypical picture of courage that might be portrayed in any number of old cowboy or war movies. We are asking you to consider a very different perspective that looks much more like presence, vulnerability, patience, and active listening.

The phenomenal management consultant, poet, and naturalist, David Whyte, describes this capacity as developing a friendship or fierce relationship with the unknown. He speaks eloquently, and at some length, on the subject in his 2 CD set: Midlife and the Great Unknown: Finding Courage and Clarity Through Poetry, which we urge you to purchase at: http://davidwhyte.stores.yahoo.net/audio.html.

We don't know any better material to support you in developing the kind of courage required to continue to investigate Reality 2.0 or to deal with the ultimate paradox - that there isn't one - reality that is... Of course, there never really was just one reality, even though many of us say “but in the real world” fairly frequently.

One of the Operating Principles that we use in all of our engagements, group work, and in our lives for that matter, says it as: "Explore truths - mine, theirs, and ours." Foundational to this Operating Principle is that "truth" is relative and often widely different for different people. Courageously bringing Exploration Listening to your relationships will give you new openings for action in leading your business and your life.