I love this picture, a rare moment and privileged encounter with a mountain goat, and then still an opportunity for a photo. My inspiration to take 5 and think about the laws of nature and synergy, and how this relates to our own effectiveness, and leadership. Once we discover real synergy with nature, we are never quite the same.
Growing up on a farm I was conditioned from a young age that we could not cram our way through life, that we had to plant in spring to harvest in autumn. Compare this to cramming your way through school and university, and maybe getting good grades, but never getting an education and true competence in an area of your life.
Is this the origin of the quote “you reap what you sow”? I find this saying to have a broad relevance across much of life, in nature there is no manipulation, nothing artificial, no short-term interactions, no pretending. This was my conditioning, and probably why I dislike anything fake.
In farming we had no control over the weather and its significant impacts on crops, probably where I get my high tolerance for ambiguity. I have no need for certainty and predictability.
2 key areas of my character that were likely created out of my synergy with nature, courage, and authenticity. I was hard wired as a child to be genuine. With reflection, these attributes contributed significantly to my ability to connect with others.
Communication is crucial in our effectiveness. I was poor at languages, I scraped my university entrance because of poor grades in English. I still only recognise 3 tenses, past tense, present and future tenses. I do not have the vocabulary to articulate my level of thought processes in a manner that I would like. YET …
My communication in person is extremely effective. I only must talk in half sentences and people get me. There is significant truth in the saying, “character communicates most elegantly, better than what we say or do”. Would I like to have a high-level vocabulary? Of course, but only on top of and not in substitute of deep integrity and fundamental character strength.
Stephen Covey describes the value and principles of natural laws, fairness, integrity and honesty, human dignity, service, potential, patience, nurturance, and encouragement. They have universal application. Much of these were ingrained in me growing up in nature.
Think Bigg-r 