Catalyst Newsletter Archives: Written and edited by Deborah Huisken and friends. Copyright is owned by Deborah Huisken unless otherwise indicated; not for unattributed duplication without express written permission from Deborah Huisken. The original newsletters are in PDF format, which require Adobe Acrobat to read them. If you do not already have Acrobat on your system, you can download it for free from www.adobe.com.
Third Thursday chat recordings: Edited to make them as content-rich as possible. Participants’ voices and information were included only where it contributes to that content.
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| Volume & Issue Number |
Publication Date | In This Issue |
| Volume 21, Issue 3 | 7 May 2021 | Our final public Listening Circle brings this newsletter to a point of pause, for now, plus some resources. |
| Volume 21, Issue 2 | 4 February 2021 | Celebrating strong women of color; encouraging men to join us. Listening Circles, and more |
| Volume 21, Issue 1 | 13 January 2021 | On structural racism, the impact of denial on our ability to accept it, Listening Circles continuing, and more. |
| Volume 20, Issue 17 | 9 December 2020 | Healing racism; one small step addressing “the Look”, and other resources. |
| Volume 20, Issue 16 | 6 November 2020 | Is it resilience or is it trauma? Plug in and recharge, and other resources. |
| Volume 20, Issue 15 | 13 October 2020 | On the importance of our stories, final two Listening Circles for Healing Racism, resources |
| Volume 20, Issue 14 | 8 September 2020 | Community, legacy, entitlement, and Listening Circles for Healing Racism, plus resources. |
| Volume 20, Issue 13 | 11 August 2020 | Still talking about race, announcement of Listening Circle for Healing Racism through end 2020; resources. |
| Volume 20, Issue 12 | 14 July 2020 | Some thoughts on fear of violence in working on racism, our upcoming Listening Circle on Racism, and more resources. |
| Volume 20, Issue 11 | 24 June 2020 | Why I sat Shiva, what came out of it, and some powerfully moving resources. |
| Volume 20, Issue 10 | 27 May 2020 | This outlier’s pandemic: what summer looks like, neighbors, and the electric toothbrush orchestra (plus a funny picture…) |
| Volume 20, Issue 9 | 20 May 2020 | Who sez we can’t innovate virtually? And other resources. |
| Volume 20, Issue 8 | 13 May 2020 | What we need from each of us; some initial thoughts on virtual innovation, and resources |
| Volume 20, Issue 7 | 6 May 2020 | Thoughts on what’s coming; psychological safety in virtual teams, and some cool pictures (oh yes, and resources!) |
| Volume 20, Issue 6 | 29 April 2020 | Gifts from this pandemic, resources of the arts and culture variety, and inspiration |
| Volume 20, Issue 5 | 22 April 2020 | Resist through joy, and more positive thinking during this pandemic. |
| Volume 20, Issue 4 | 10 April 2020 | Good news of the pandemic, including views of the Himalayas not seen in 30 years… |
| Volume 20, Issue 3 | 3 April 2020 | Connection during this time of disruption, Italy, and Kids Stuff, plus lots of resources. |
| Volume 20, Issue 2 | 27 March 2020 | Team Performance Tools, Virtual Meetings, and More Tips for Handling Self Isolation, and resources. |
| Volume 20, Issue 1 | 20 March 2020 | What to do when the world around you changes; Virtual Meetings in this Time of Coronavirus, and Tips for Handling Self Isolation, and resources. |
| November 2018 | Does Agile Really Work? A discussion with Tom Kerwin, Julie Bowen, & Christine Al Khalil on using Agile in software, banking, and museum exhibition. | |
| June 2018 | Leading in Entrepreneurial Environments Stories from the field of working with innovators, intrapreneurs, or entrepreneurs, including how to navigate some of the pitfalls, with guest Bruce Lynskey. Recommended Reading: The Hidden Power of Social Networks, and Making the Invisible Visible. | |
| March 2018 | Multipotentialites Are you an informed generalist, a serial careerist? Do you find it hard to focus on just one thing, when there’s so much else to explore? We need broader disciplines to deal with the challenges facing us today; multipotentialites are part of the answer; might you be one? | |
| November 2017 | Burnout Whether you feel out of control, isolated, or just have way more work than one person can reasonably do (no matter how much you love it), it’s important to be able to spot burnout, before it takes you down. | |
| August 2017 | Passion at Work Is it good or bad, the province of youth or of more experienced people to have passion for your work? Have a listen and see what you think. | |
| July 2017 | Types of Uniqueness, and How To Manage It Being unique, or different from those around us can be both our “unassailable competitive advantage” and a challenge for ourselves and others. | |
| June 2017 | Being Talented in an Organization – Power & Glory or Lightning Rod? Being talented sometimes has super powerful connotations – unless you are a disrupter. Or unless the culture changes after you are hire. Or… | |
| May 2017 | On Being Different in an Organization – SWOT. A brief exploration about what “difference” means, and if you are different, how to resource yourself to successfully manage in situations where you stand apart, as well as how organizations might handle difference within their ranks. | |
| April 2017 | Managing Talent for Innovation. In which we discuss Builders, Bridgers, and Pioneers – how to recognize them, and where they fit in your organization’s drive for innovation. | |
| March 2017 | Kickoff! The first of our Third Thursday calls, in which we shared thoughts on creating a new adventure (or chapter) in business, and life. | |
| Volume12, Issue 11 | December 2016 | – Innovation, Mess, or Magic? A review of the book the book Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives
– Resource Corner Announcing the change of format from blog to call (recorded) for this newsletter. |
| Volume 12, Issue 10 | November 2016 | – Find Your Corporate Thought Leaders How can you, a senior-level corporate executive, find your corporate thought leaders and work with them, particularly if they don’t slip easily into the mainstream?
– Resource Corner Access a webinar on thought leaders; a link to 8 Signs you might have an Unrecognized Thought Leader on your Team. |
| Volume 12, Issue 9 | October 2016 | – Unshackle Your Corporate Thought Leaders. Please! Organizations have challenges at all levels. Part of the solution is to unshackle their unrecognized thought leaders.
– Resource Corner A links to 8 Signs you might have an Unrecognized Thought Leader on your Team; a blog link, and an upcoming webinar on thought leaders. |
| Volume 12, Issue 8 | September 2016 | – Are You a Thought Leader? We Need You – If you are a thought leader, chances are life has not been easy or comfortable; more likely awkward and frustrating. Nonetheless, we need you.
– Resource Corner – Dr Elaine Aron’s new documentary, Sensitive. |
| Volume 12, Issue 7 | August 2016 | – Crucible of Misfits – If you have felt like you were on the outside looking in, here’s the silver lining.
– Resource Corner – Notes on Brené Brown’s excellent recording, Power of Vulnerability |
| Volume 12, Issue 6 | July 2016 | – Smashing into Flow – The value of a good shake up. You need to be clear on your goals before you take risks …
– Resource Corner – The grand essentials to happiness |
| Volume 12, Issue 5 | June 2016 | – The Strength to get up and try again – Some days, life stinks. So how to find the strength to get up and try again…?
– Resource Corner – the WRAP Program (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) – Lindy Hopper Frankie Manning – Google celebrate by dedicating their Doodle to him. |
| Volume 12, Issue 4 | May 2016 | – Fall in (healthy) love with your customers – Love in business? Anathema, no? You can’t fall in love with your clients – much too messy, you say. Well think about this…
– Resource Corner – ICF Code of Ethics, CoDependents Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous and Supervision for coaches by ICF |
| Volume 12, Issue 3 | April 2016 | – The Paradox of People – The paradox of people is a fine line to walk. We need each other, yet some people can be a danger to us. Here are thoughts on how to find the best partners.
– Resource Corner – This month it’s all about horses – An Exciting Opportunity – Need to amp up your performance, authenticity, ability to lead & follow? A beta opportunity for my list only. |
| Volume 12, Issue 2 | March 2016 | – Finding Strength – How do you handle those toughest of times, when you need all the strength you can muster? What rock do you stand on? If you are in a challenging situation, here are thoughts to reflect on.
– Resource Corner – Learn to let go. – Additional Resources – Two videos you may find interesting. |
| Volume 12, Issue 1 | February 2016 | – How Alive Do You Feel? – This simple little tool, that you already carry around with you, can help you evaluate your options.
– Resource Corner – Shout out to Coaches – Looking for your niche? Join this small group teleclass to help you clarify what’s unique about you, and how to leverage that in your work. |
| Volume 11, Issue 10 | December 2015 | – Working with Values – Notes from the Field –
– Resource Corner – Your Uniqueness is Your Business – My Wish for You – To wrap up 2015 and think about 2016, I use this approach on New Years Day morning. Enjoy! |
| Volume 11, Issue 9 | November 2015 | – Leaders and Emotions at Work – If you want to change how people think, you have to change how they feel.
– Resource Corner – Peak Performance – Emotions in Business? Are you joking? – chat between Brené Brown and Chase Jarvis. |
| Volume 11, Issue 8 | October 2015 | – The Dance of Leadership – How powerful an experiential metaphor for leadership dance can be.
– Resource Corner – Where does your creativity and innovation come from? – Are You a Workaholic? The drug of choice for a workaholic is adrenaline… |
| Volume 11, Issue 7 | September 2015 | – Are You Leading a Facebook Life? Social media is a tool like any other. How effectively do you wield it?
– Creativity and Marketing About the good folks at Creative Social – About Water Support this important campaign. |
| Volume 11, Issue 6 | August 2015 | – When the Unusual Reaps (International) Rewards. Sometimes we are prompted to do unusual things that our logical mind tells us are dumb, even impracticable. Sometimes those things turn out to move us in directions we would not have allowed ourselves to go, that serve us in ways we could not have imagined. Here’s how one of those worked out for me.
– Try Module 1 for Free! Give it a try before you buy. |
| Volume 11, Issue 5 | July 2015 | – Design Your Business! Here’s Why… It is better for your health, it makes the best use of you, and you get to live a life you love. Why would you not?!
– Your Uniqueness Is Your Business now On-Line! I said it was coming; it’s now here. – An Update on High Sensitivity The validated trait of high sensitivity is starting to be noticed. |
| Volume 11, Issue 4 | May 2015 | – Innovators! Here’s Your Secret Weapon Find your highly sensitive people, who will see things others miss, and think differently.
– YUIYB News! Announcing the new online program – For HSPs Some additional resources. |
| Volume 11, Issue 3 | April 2015 | – Innovation. It’s About Your People If you are not free to be unique, you are not free to innovate.
– Innovation Resources from Bob Rosenfeld, and me! |
| Volume 11, Issue 2 | March 2015 | – How High Sensitivity Impacts You and Your Business High sensitivity is a trait shared by 20% of the population of over 100 species; so it’s impacting your company.
– HSP Resources, from Dr. Elaine Aron and others in the field. |
| Volume 9, Issue 1 | Fall 2007 | – Tapping Untapped Talent – Feeding Your Business Artists: Business artists represent significant untapped potential in your organization. Recognizing and working with them is key to tapping it. – Is there Untapped Business Artistry in Your Organization? Most great men and women are not perfectly rounded in their personalities. [They] are … people whose one driving enthusiasm is so great it makes their faults seem insignificant. – Charles Cerami – Deb’s Corner – Using the “Wikipedia” Approach to Defining a Business Artist: – Resources – Letters from Readers |
| Volume 8, Issue 3 | Fall 2006 | – How Stars Form: A Leadership Metaphor from the Sciences: One must embrace the chaos within to give birth to a dancing star. – What Are You Up To? You can try to be the best in the world, or be your best for the world. Make it a point to look for what’s right with the world and you’ll find it. – Dewitt Jones, National Geographic Photographer – Deb’s Corner – Defining A Business Artist: – Resources – Coaching in China |
| Volume 8, Issue 2 | May 2006 | – Maximizing the ROI of Leadership Coaching. Companies can realize ROIs of over 500% with effective coaching … and that’s just the beginning. – What Are You Up To? Our attachment to what we think we know is our greatest vulnerability, for it can blind us to what we have not yet seen. – Hannah S. Wilder – Deb’s Corner – Beyond the financial ROI – Resources – Announcing the Gifted Leadership Institute |
| Volume 8, Issue 1 | January 2006 | – Building a Coaching – e.g. Leadership – Culture. A culture of coaching is a culture of leadership. – What Are You Up To? You never change something by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete. – R. Buckminster Fuller – Deb’s Corner – Leadership from Within – Resources – What is a Leader? |
| Volume 7, Issue 4 | September 2005 | – Leadership As Partnership – A Metaphor. Followers are limited by how much their leaders already know, how quickly they learn, and how much they’ll risk to learn more. – What Are You Up To? Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. – Anonymous – Deb’s Corner – Experiences of the “no, not that” approach to leadership – Resources – Letter from the Editor |
| Volume 7, Issue 3 | July 2005 | – The Burden of Giftedness – A Leadership Issue The gifted live with major opportunity masquerading as major challenge… – What Are You Up To? Done is better than perfect. – Mark LeBlanc – Deb’s Corner – Letters from some who are gifted – Resources – Letters |
| Volume 7, Issue 2 | April 2005 | – Gifted Executive “Addicts” – What Are You Up To? In choosing not to address an issue, at best the result will be a standstill. The next generation will pay dearly for it. – Carl Gustav Jung – Deb’s Corner – Giftedness and Addiction – a businessperson’s story – Resources – Letters |
| Volume 7, Issue 1 | February 2005 | – The Role of Multiple Intelligences in Leaders – It’s not how smart you are, but how you are smart. – What Are You Up To? To talk to someone who does not listen is enough to tense the devil. – Pearl Bailey – Deb’s Corner – It’s not just about IQ – Resources & News – The Signs of Giftedness |
| Volume 6, Issue 5 | September 2004 | – Beyond Diversity: Instinctive Inclusivity. Trust must be the foundation of any culture change around difference – What Are You Up To? We are not yet free. We have merely achieved the freedom to be free. – Nelson Mandela – Deb’s Corner – Experiences in Diversity – Resources – Letters |
| Volume 6, Issue 4 | July 2004 | – Diversity and “Gifted” Adults: Abrasive executive on your staff? Could be the downside of being super smart. – What Are You Up To? The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the solution comes to you and you don’t know how or why. – Albert Einstein – Deb’s Corner – Talented People, Unaware – Resource Corner – Letters |
| Volume 6, Issue 3 | May 2004 | – Diversity and Highly Sensitive People – What Are You Up To? The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. – Albert Einstein – Deb’s Corner – A Piece of My Experience – Resource Corner – Letters |
| Volume 6, Issue 2 | March 2004 | – Diversity – Perspectives from the Field – Are You Up for It? The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. – Helen Keller – Deb’s Corner – More Perspectives from the Field – Quotes of Note – Coaching Resource Corner |
| Volume 6, Issue 1 | January 2004 | – The Bigger Game – Comfort Zones – Are You Up for It? The ultimate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind and still be able to function. – F. Scott Fitzgerald – Deb’s Corner – Of Public Speaking, and other Comfort Zones – Quotes of Note – The Big Picture |
| Volume 5, Issue 8 | December 2003 | – The Bigger Game – Sustainability – Are You Up for It? [Learning and growth] take time. Haste and impatience can only defeat our purposes. – anonymous – Deb’s Corner – About the Brahma Kumaris & an IBMer – Letters to the Editor, And a Quote – One Recipe for Sustainability |
| Volume 5, Issue 7 | October 2003 |
– The Bigger Game – It’s All About Allies |
| Volume 5, Issue 6 | August 2003 | – The Bigger Game – Bold Actions – Are You Up for It? Whatever you can do, or dream that you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now. – Goethe – Deb’s Corner – Sarah Victory, and Going Public – Letters to the Editor on Investments – Notable Quotes |
| Volume 5, Issue 5 | July 2003 | – The Bigger Game – Investments – Are You Up for It? Vision is not enough. It must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs. –Vaclav Havel – Deb’s Corner – Dog B.O.N.E.S. Healing energy for the aged, ill, and infirm – Investments at IBM – Letters to the Editor on Challenge Day |
| Volume 5, Issue 4 | June 2003 | – The Bigger Game – The Gulp! – Are You Up for It? Life’s challenges are not meant to paralyze you, they’re meant to help you discover who you are. – Bernice Johnson Reagon – Deb’s Corner – Challenge Day – Notable Quotes – The Power of Learning at J.P. Morgan Chase – Letter to the Editor – A Participant’s Gulp |
| Volume 5, Issue 3 | May 2003 | – The Bigger Game – Compelling Visions – Are You Up for It? What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail? – Robert Schuller – Deb’s Corner – A Plumber’s Story – From Good to Great – A mini book review – Letter to the Editor – the CO! Foundation |
| Volume 5, Issue 2 | March 2003 | – The Bigger Game – For What do you Hunger? – Are You Up for It? Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress. – Thomas Edison – Deb’s Corner – musings, personal and public, on hunger – Quote of Note from Martha Graham to Agnes DeMille – Letter to the Editor from the UK on the war. |
| Volume 5, Issue 1 | February 2003 | – Playing your Bigger Game, Part 1 – The size and quality of the game you play designs who you are becoming – Are You Up for It? – Deb’s Corner: Thoughts on the Bigger Game, part 1 – A Strong Person vs A Person of Strength – The Help Exchange |
| Volume 4, Issue 3 | December 2002 | – An Elephant in the Room: What’s unspoken, in your company and in your life, can hurt you. – Cape Town Adventure – Deb’s Corner: Of Following and Challenging during Controversy – And I Quote… – A Message from Coaching in Prisons – Open Your Eyes! – Are You Up for It? If you are, here’s how to sign up. |
| Volume 4, Issue 2 | Summer 2002 | – Are You Playing Your Biggest Game? Overview of the Bigger Game leadership and change model. – Workshop Roundup: Going Beyond Your Stop in Toronto. – Deb’s Corner – Direct Communication – 15 Minutes of Fame/Next Issue/Notable Quote – On Being Fully Human In which we challenge, “Are You Up for It?” |
| Volume 4, Issue 1 | Winter 2002 | – On Working Outside Large Organizations from The Elephant and the Flea by Charles Handy. – Workshop Roundup Feedback on Dimensions of Leading in the UK and MA. – Deb’s Corner – Thoughts on leadership, health, and impact on the world Notable Quotes – What is Catalysts for Change? Upcoming workshops, how to sign up. |
| Volume 3, Issue 2 | Fall 2001 | – Supporting Your Vision. – Workshop Roundup – Dimensions of Leading in NYC, Poland, and the UK. – Deb’s Corner: On innies, outies, and assumptions of superiority. – Principles of Leadership from The Founding Fathers on Leadership. – What is Catalysts for Change? Upcoming workshops, how to sign up. |
| Volume 3, Issue 1 | May 2001 | – Coaching – A Perspective – Workshop Roundup: Power at Work in the UK; Dimensions of Leading in MA. – Deb’s Corner: How I work, taking the risk to talk, Power at Work participants, news of Rick. |
| Volume 2, Issue 1 | July 1999 | – Working Retreat Helps Business People Refocus – Workshop Roundup Catalysts for Change Feedback, 4 months On – Spirituality in the Workplace – Deb’s Corner: The US move, finding profound lessons in unexpected places, welcome Karen, goodbye Rick. |
| Volume 1, Issue 1 | May 1998 | – Results & Feedback on the pilot of Catalysts for Change – Letter from the Editor: Review of Open Book Management |