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Issue 6: Living with Uncertainty
 "In
this world nothing is certain but death and taxes."
In 1789 Benjamin Franklin knew that living with uncertainty
was the norm. And it still is. As Agnes de Mille
put it: 'Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing
what next or how…We guess. We may be wrong, but
we take leap after leap in the dark.'
We are generally happy with this level of uncertainty. But
when a significant unknown factor arises – a medical
test, a shortfall in the pension fund, threat of job
loss – our happiness levels plummet and anxiety
levels rise. We shift from knowing that all will
be well to believing that everything that can go wrong
will go wrong. (See Issue
3 for more on the power of thought.)
Leaders not only live with uncertainty in their own
personal and professional lives, they may be responsible
for introducing uncertainty into the lives of their colleagues. Inspiring
leaders discharge this responsibility compassionately
through awareness of all the vita-brevis themes:
- Building
Trust
- Opening
minds and changing mindsets
- Learning
from different perspectives
- Innovation
and creativity
- Risk
taking
- Stretching Comfort
Zones (to be covered in newsletter issue 7)
- Living
with Uncertainty
 These themes are at
the heart of the vita-brevis Leadership
Development Path
Enjoy this issue of Time 2… and
do forward it to others who may be interested.
Anne Lonsdale
UNCERTAINTY AS OPPORTUNITY
Uncertainty triggers reactions and emotions in us which are generally inappropriate to our actual situation. Physical reactions such as fight or flight are seldom required. Our threats have to be met with thought, planning, meetings and consultations. We can learn to reduce the effects of the repetitive worry/fear reaction in our bodies caused by uncertainty and there are techniques such as yoga, meditation, music, hypnotherapy, breathing exercises or EFT to help.
5 TIPS FOR LIVING WITH UNCERTAINTY
- Examine and identify your fear
- Turn ‘what if’ thoughts into ‘what
is’ statements
- Be aware that you control your choices
- Be aware that you choose your feelings
- Take responsibility for yourself
HAPPINESS – THE ANTIDOTE TO UNCERTAINTY
 The
BBC2 series ‘The Happiness Formula’ is looking
at the psychology and economics of happiness as well
as its impact on health. There are fascinating
video clips to view online
Governments – who inflict
the certainty of taxes on us – are also now looking
at happiness. Not,
as you might think, with a view to depriving us of it,
but because studies show that it is a significant contributor
to public health and the nation’s wealth. Professor
Richard Layard of the London School of Economics is Consultant
to the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). He
refutes the view that changes in happiness equate with
changes in purchasing power and turns to the ‘science
of happiness’ for evidence which he presents in
his book ‘Happiness – lessons
from a new science’ – available now in
paperback.
UNCERTAINTY IS A LEADERSHIP ISSUE
More than half of the leaders currently working with
vita-brevis are undergoing ‘restructuring’ in
their workplace. They are living with uncertainty. Leaders
create situations which put people into states of uncertainty,
sometimes unaware of the full impact of their plans or
announcements. Ask yourself ‘What do I do
in my leadership role which creates uncertainty?’ Awareness
that people cope better with uncertainty if their happiness
levels are maintained is one step in the direction of
minimising the negative impact of, for example, restructuring. Feeling
valued, and valuing your own work, are principal contributors
to both happiness and productivity and we focus on these
in our 3 day workshop Putting
Appreciation at the Heart of Leadership. Contact
us to reserve
a place.
The greatest good you can do for another is not just
share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.
(Benjamin Disraeli)
BODY LANGUAGE OF UNCERTAINTY
Uncertainty may show in a. involuntary
sideward eye movements called CLEMS; b. self-touching gestures; c. frowns; d. hand-behind-head cues; e. side-to-side head-shakes; f. sideward
head-tillts, g. lip-pout, lip-purse,
and tense-mouth expressions; h. palm-up gestures;
and i. Darwin's shoulder-shrug. (More
at: members.aol.com/nonverbal2/uncert.htm)
CLIMATE OF UNCERTAINTY
Being goal-focused may be a strength – but to
what lengths should gold prospectors (or any of us) go
to achieve their ends? It is not only the Chilean
farmers’ futures which are rendered uncertain by
these plans:
 ‘The
Pascua Lama project contemplates moving three glaciers
in order to access vast reserves (17.6 million ounces)
of gold and silver deposits. But environmentalists and
some community leaders say the project risks contaminating
the water supply and livelihoods of the farming communities
in the Huasco Valley, directly beneath the proposed mine
site.’
More at www.minesandcommunities.org/Action/press878.htm
HEIGHT OF UNCERTAINTY
“When you get above 20,000 feet people start to
lose the desire to help others, as their own survival
is at stake.” These were the words of Alfie Ingram,
chairman of the Mountain Rescue Council of Scotland,
commenting on the death on Everest on 15 May of David
Sharp. David was on his way down from the summit when
he collapsed with altitude sickness. More than 40 climbers
are thought to have seen him as he lay dying, and almost
all continued to the summit without offering assistance.
The Independent tells the
story of this tragedy.
Your career path may be taking you to heights where
achievement and survival are so closely bound together
that your business choices present moral dilemmas.
THE PRESENT – A GIFT FOR YOU
The future is an infinite succession of presents, and
to live now as we think human beings should live, in
defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous
victory.
Howard Zinn (from The
Optimism of Uncertainty)
There is no uncertainty in the present moment. Right
now you are certain that you are here, choosing to read
Time 2… Worry, anxiety, fear, loss of happiness
come either from the past (regret, guilt) or from the
future (fear of the unknown).
 In ‘The Power of Now’ and his other works
Eckhart Tolle’s consistent message is that
it is possible to stop struggling and find joy and fulfillment
in this moment.
The
Power of Now ~ Eckhart Tolle -- (Hardcover
- October 10, 2005)
You can hear Eckhart Tolle in this
free
short
sound clip from a lecture, The
Power of Now (7
minutes).
This meditation excerpted from The
Realization of Being.
HAPPY
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