A note from me

This weekend, I enjoyed a trip to the cinema to watch the film “Poor Things” (parental guidance: strict 16 for sexual content). This has been nominated for several Oscars and has already received a number of awards from various other societies. I don’t want to give away any “spoilers”, but I certainly found it worth my time. I score it 8 out of 10 on the “Jeremy Scale”. It was engaging intellectually, visually and narratively. I would have scored it higher if I’d found myself engaged emotionally or viscerally more often during the film.  It is worth noting, however, that my wife scored it higher on the “Mary Scale”. This initiated an interesting conversation about the extent that this difference might be a male/female reaction given that the main protagonist in the film is a woman (an absolutely outstanding performance from Emma Stone).  

Through a cinematic comedy/drama lens, the film explores troubling female experience in a world dominated by different kinds of men. In recent years, I’ve become acutely aware of the deeply-rooted micro- and macro-oppressions of women across most societies, and the moral and practical value to everyone of addressing these injustices. I’ve published a couple of brief essays on this and also on the sensitive nature of relationships in the workplace. Here are links if you are interested.

Link to article: Want-a-healthy-planet-unleash-women

Link to article: Sex-and-power-in-the-workplace

The central character in the film, Bella Baxter, demonstrates many of the “C” characteristics of strategic character that we have been exploring in recent Newsletters, like curiosity, creativity and collaboration. She certainly demonstrates considerable courage in her choices and a strong commitment to learning more about her world and eventually improving it. “Courage” and “Commitment” are, indeed, the focus areas for this particular Newsletter and I hope you find some nuggets of value in reading it.  

My Bi-Weekly Guide

Fostering Courage and Commitment:

In the earlier Newsletter giving an initial overview of the “C” characteristics, we noted that introducing new ideas into a situation can often be met with the analogous reaction of introducing a foreign protein into the body – rejection! Courage is required to face that possibility of rejection, denigration and ridicule and still push ahead.  Commitment is required for the hours of dedicated practice, preparation, and experience involved in developing the ability to endure initial challenges and take sceptical people on a journey towards greater enlightenment.  

The following five considerations should be helpful as you strengthen your courage and commitment “muscles”:

1. Acknowledge Fears:
   The possibility of rejection or failure is always with us, and honest awareness of this helps us to be prepared for this happening and, if necessary, recovering from a negative experience. What is the worst that could happen, how bad is this anyway, and what can we do to mitigate the impact? Courage does not mean being unafraid or ignoring fears, it means acting despite feeling afraid. Reflecting on previous occasions and other circumstances where we have shown some courage can also encourage us and build our confidence for addressing new situations.
   

2. Seek Supportive People:
   You are not alone. Others have been through difficult experiences and can encourage and guide you. Seek out people who will be willing and positive sounding boards for you as you work out your anxieties. Particularly seek out mentors or coaches who you respect and have faced similar challenges, both successfully and unsuccessfully. What have they learned, and what can you learn from them?
   

3. Cultivate a Learner’s Mindset:
   Too frequently, we constrain ourselves through fear of an imperfect outcome. Rather than insisting on an impossible assurance of immediate perfection before acting, we should acknowledge that we are on a journey ourselves as well as trying to take others along on their journeys. If your aim is to learn to play the violin well, you don’t burden yourself with an expectation that you must be able to play Mahler’s 2^nd Symphony at the end of your first lesson. Similarly, you should bring that “learner’s mindset” into the challenging situations you hope to address, stepping forwards to build your capabilities through real experience, including inevitable setbacks. Courage builds over time through experience and repetition.
   

4. Minimise your Maximum (potential) Regrets:
   Courage is not the same as foolhardiness. Some wisdom is required in assessing situations and determining whether, when and how to act.  What is the risk involved, and your potential regret if things don’t work out as hoped? What is the cost of inaction, and your potential regret in missing an opportunity? Which is the larger regret for you – the potential loss or the missed opportunity? Minimising your maximum regret (MMR) is a wise and balanced approach to decision-making.
   

5. Recognise the opportunity for deep Fulfilment:
   Acting with courage is an opportunity for personal growth. The fact that we sense a need for courage means that we are stepping beyond our current comfort zone of understanding and control. But these are the very circumstances where we can learn new lessons and grow our comfort zone. Courage motivates us towards fulfilment through growth and learning. We should regularly balance our fears against the potential satisfaction arising from personal growth and achievement.

Question of The Fortnight

Every fortnight I’ll be asking a thought-provoking question in hopes of sparking interesting and enlightening discussion.

I’d love to hear your response! You can do so by simply responding to this email.

Today’s question is:

How do we motivate proactive impact in areas where we are trying to make a difference?

Join The Dodo Club

I’m building a community and, of course, it’s called The Dodo Club.

Why? Because we all want to avoid the fate of that unfortunate bird. And by sharing some of the insights I’ve picked up over my four decade long career - including as Head of the Shell Scenarios team - I’m going to help you do exactly that.

I am building a space where we can have interesting and enlightening discussions on relevant topics that can have genuine impact.

I plan to host live, interactive seminars, run forums on relevant topics, and create a bank of materials that can be drawn from in times of uncertainty.

We’re still in the early stages of building, but if this sounds like something that might interest you, I’d be honoured if you would sign up below: