According to Lao Tzu, the father of Taoism, a leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it all ourselves. I resonate with this idea of collaborative leadership that empowers others. But I don’t expect old Lao Tzu would have imagined that his wisdom might also apply to women, who I believe are particularly skilled at … [Read more...] about Would you don the invisible cloak of leadership?
Pearl Within blog archive
Hope is kindled by letting your light shine
Sometimes metaphors jump out at me. Often they come in the form of dreams, or in a turn of phrase; sometimes one can emerge from a comment overheard on a train. But my current favourite metaphor is appearing in the real world - first of all in the form of the Olympic Torch and its nightly ceremonies; then during the Diamond Jubilee - the lighting of the beacons. I wrote about this in a previous … [Read more...] about Hope is kindled by letting your light shine
Are you a woman clothed with the sun?
As the sun rises at about 4.45am tomorrow morning, you may - if you have the correct eyewear and the sky is clear - witness a truly rare astronomical event. Only seven of these events have been recorded since the invention of the telescope, and they occur when Venus passes in front of the Sun, creating a dark spot that travels across the Sun’s surface. These Venus transits come in pairs … [Read more...] about Are you a woman clothed with the sun?
If you could make history, who would you be?
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’ll never get a chance to see anything like this again. This is history in the making. I’ve been hearing and reading comments like this quite a lot recently - about seeing the Olympic Torch, the London Olympics themselves, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. We truly are living in remarkable times, and the opportunity for us all is not just to witness … [Read more...] about If you could make history, who would you be?
My six-word reason for doing what I do
When I qualified as a human potential coach last year, I spent some time trying to focus on exactly what it was that I was offering to potential clients. I came up with various blurbs and explanations until I settled on one idea, which was actually based on a quote from Oprah Winfrey: turning wounds into wisdom. To me this seemed to encapsulate what The Pearl Within is all about: delving deep … [Read more...] about My six-word reason for doing what I do
Mum’s gift to me? A love of learning
Looking back, I realise that life is a big learning curve. I could have been the author of these words but no, they were written by my mother who, at 85, is a senior citizen in the true sense of senior - i.e. wise. She was writing in answer to the question: “What have you learnt during your life that you would like to pass on to a younger person?” which I posed to her a few weeks ago. I … [Read more...] about Mum’s gift to me? A love of learning