What’s your ‘why’?
Wow, wow, wow! I am so grateful to Dr Richard Bolstad for creating this life changing course called Transforming Communication (TC). Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Last week we finished another nine-week TC journey with a group of enthusiastic and dedicated participants and once again the feedback was humbling and inspiring. I am always in awe of what individuals manage to achieve in such a short space of time. Each time I read the closing story of the course I find my emotions rising as the transformation in this journey, and the story, gets me in my heart, every time. “I am a fragment of a mirror whose whole design and shape I do not know. Nevertheless, with what I have I can reflect light into the dark places of this world-into the black places in the hearts of men and women, and change some things in some people… – Robert Fulghum.
When did you last look at your ‘why’? It’s not often that we remind ourselves of why we do what we do, and when we do, it can be when we’re sick and tired of something in our lives and need a change. Before share my why, let’s go back to where this phase of my life started. It was 2010 when this little four-day course rocked my world. A friend and I travelled to Wellington to complete the TC course. I needed to complete it to be be eligible to attend an NLP Instructors’ Training with Dr Richard Bolstad. Once it was done, I attended and completed the Instructor training later that year. I had no idea that we’d have the opportunity to learn how to deliver this incredible life-changing course and I walked out of that training with a licence to train TC and my NLP Instructor certificate. What a bonus that was!
Right away I got started with a small group as part of the process to become a ‘licenced’ instructor. Feedback sent away and tick, done. I started by delivering several in-house trainings and in 2015 commenced the public course offerings and Ito steal a phrase from McDonalds, I’m LOVING it!
When I did the training as a participant the first time around, I thought I was a pretty good communicator I’ve been trained, I’m experienced at interviewing and recruiting, and my communication skills were pretty well honed, I thought. This course showed me I had more to learn and even though it was mainly stuff that I already knew, I knew wasn’t walking my talk consistently. My integrity said I needed to be able to ‘model’ this information if I was to deliver it to groups. And yes – I admit that I’m still practicing and learning, and no – I’m not perfect. I make mistakes even after all this time and there are always new situations to learn from.
The TC course supports individuals in so many different ways … confidence building, listening to friends, family and colleagues to really hear what’s going on, especially with children; understanding how things may have occurred in the past and knowing what to do differently to move forward; recognising that conflict is two people who have different views, yet feel passionate about the same thing and understanding how to talk about it in a mana-enhancing way. New supervisors have left feeling empowered with tools; experienced managers have left understanding that they don’t have to ‘fix’ everyone’s problems; Mums have left having a better connection with their children; husbands have left realising they don’t have to solve their wife’s problems; wives have left with a refreshed perspective on their relationship with their hubby; Dad’s have left realising they have the skills to connect with their kids … the list is endless and I’m always humbled and so excited for each person. I’m also deeply grateful to Richard for creating this body of work and allowing me the privilege to share it and ‘pass it on’.
My why is all about what I’ve mentioned – seeing eyes light up when an individual realises they’ve got what it takes to resolve or change what they want to. The ripple effects are powerful and filter out through all of our families, friends and organisations, into our communities and we all so desperately need this information more than ever, right now. This is my why “Igniting minds and creating a ripple effect that transforms whanau, communities and the world.” In other words, lighting up minds to transform the world.