People struggle most with seeing new ways of doing things and often need help in breaking through their tradition-bound mindsets. Stewart D. Friedman More Quotes by Stewart D. Friedman More Quotes From Stewart D. Friedman Change is surely the order of the day. Stewart D. Friedman order Continual improvisation on a theme is a more useful way to think of how to bring the various parts of life together. Stewart D. Friedman together way thinking Instead of the metaphor of scales in balance, I prefer the idea of a jazz quartet: you're trying to make music that feels and sounds good, and sometimes you only hear the trumpet or just the bass and piano. Sometimes all four are playing at the same time, but perhaps at different volume. Stewart D. Friedman piano trying ideas No one can have it all, at the same time. I've never seen that. Stewart D. Friedman There are many structural changes, both in organizational practice and social policy, that must also change to enable men and women to have the freedom and support to pursue the lives they want to lead. Fortunately, many more people are today engaged in these efforts than when started working on this issue decades ago. Stewart D. Friedman issues practice men Of course that's the best way to continue to learn anything: Try to teach it! Stewart D. Friedman teach trying way Right now we're in the midst of a grand experiment on how best to harness the incredible power of the Internet while we struggle to maintain useful boundaries among the different parts of our lives. Stewart D. Friedman internet different struggle Managing the boundaries between work and the rest of our lives - family, community, and the private self - is now a much more daunting task. The good news is that there are ways to realize the promise of greater focus and presence on the moment for better performance and results, but it does take discipline and practice to get there. Stewart D. Friedman discipline focus community My view is that leadership is not about position - you can lead very well with no one reporting to you in a hierarchy and you can lead quite poorly with many people below you in the traditional chain of command. Leadership is about mobilizing people toward valued goals, and anyone can do this, in any aspect of life. Stewart D. Friedman goal people The thing to keep in mind is that the answer to the question I often get - Are leaders born or made? - is an emphatic yes! All leaders are born, and all are made, through devoted practice of reflecting on experience to learn what's worked and what hasn't, good coaching and accountability pressure to grow, good luck, and, of course, some talent. Stewart D. Friedman accountability good-luck leader Executives are afraid of losing control if subordinates try to roam too far. Conversely, hierarchy squelches talent by forcing rote standardization through the punishment of failure, a necessary accompaniment to experimentation. Stewart D. Friedman talent losing trying Business schools must make the issues of leadership, teamwork, and culture a clearly visible priority if we are to maintain legitimacy and credibility as a source of knowledge for successful practice in today's global economy. Stewart D. Friedman successful teamwork school If you shift your mindset to asking "How can I initiate change that's good for my family, and my community, and my career, and my private self (mind, body and spirit)? then you are more likely to produce harmony in your life, over the course of your life. Stewart D. Friedman community careers self If you're searching for "work/life balance" you'll always be disappointed because "balance" connotes a zero-sum equation. Stewart D. Friedman equations balance zero I've been writing for decades that balance is an inapt metaphor as it necessarily entails tradeoffs. Stewart D. Friedman metaphor balance writing Women make up half our workforce and this has an impact at home on spouses and children. This means the workplace must change because women - who have historically been the primary caregivers at home - are now fully in the workforce and here to stay. Stewart D. Friedman home mean children Technology has changed everything. Stewart D. Friedman changed technology In my talks in organizations around the world I ask, "What kind of leadership do we need now?" The most common responses are "adaptable," "flexible," and "innovative." This isn't surprising, in light of how fast and overwhelming is the pace of change in our world. Stewart D. Friedman our-world light organization In my teaching and consulting practice, I encourage people to learn to experiment with confidence and to see themselves as scientists in the laboratory of their lives, continually trying new ways to pursue what matters most to them and to the people who depend on them. Smart, small wins are crucial to this approach, as is devoting time and attention to reflecting on what works and what doesn't. Stewart D. Friedman smart teaching winning The only failure is the failure to learn from conscious and deliberate efforts to make things better, even if those attempts fall short of the mark. Stewart D. Friedman effort conscious fall
