From the Mouth of a Babe

Six-year-old Alyssa stole my heart the first day I met her. She has a slight speech impediment, which makes her sound like a New Yorker. Wise beyond her six years, Alyssa speaks with such authority one would think she has been here before.

On my first day at the Enrichment Center where I taught, little Alyssa complained that she did not understand #2 on her homework assignment. I asked her why was she having difficulty with this question. Alyssa looked up with her slanted little eyes and replied, "Because I haven't been raised yet; there's mur (NY accent) work to do." Hmm....speechless.

Alyssa's words spoke volumes. Although she is young, be mindful that our own dysfunctional way of thinking and being is also in need of raising up. We, too, must adjust our world-view by raising the bar. The values and beliefs of yesterday no longer serve us so we must change clothes for a better fit. After all, teenagers remind us that we cannot wear Nike sneakers with a FUBU outfit.

There is tremendous power in accepting the truth about ourselves. My latest read Leadership and Self Deception helped me to see this truth through a different set of eyes. Many organizations hire people that are unclear about their role of working with other PEOPLE much like themselves. We all have lives, families, businesses, and issues, which leads up to this point. If you focus only on what "you think you know" and how "you are living," how will you know what anyone else thinks, desires, or needs? Yes, what we think is important. Moreover, HOW we think about what we are thinking about is even more significant. We have to ask ourselves does what I think connect with or disconnect from others?

Author Neil Crofts said, "Reality is an intensely personal thing. All sorts of things--circumstance, mood, age, and gender, past experience, affect the way we interpret information. However, crucially, it is conditioned by belief." We may feel that each others beliefs do not make any sense. When the reality is, it just does not fit within our personal belief system. Here is an opportunity to communicate and learn about each other in a mature manner.

Be mindful that we are in this world together. No matter how "ADULT" we think we are, continuous development helps us raise the bar. It is affirmed Ms. Alyssa, there is a lot more work to do. Personal development is not a requirement, it is a choice. Thank you Ms. Alyssa for your wise leadership and council.

Kimyon,
The DIAMOND Coach
c 2008