"THE RESOLUTIONARY," FOR PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE "With less focus on the purely psychological ********************************************************************** As the final hours of 2002 pass I feel a sense of freshness and possibility. I think it's because I have decided to be much more an activist in 2003. The gauntlet has been set before all of us, and the question is weather we will arise to the challenges we all face. I have this image of "THE BIG GOD" gathering all the "Gods" - Buddha, Christ, Mohammed, et al and confronting them with the challenge of having a world that works.
Thank you for the presence and feedack you provide. I wish you what you want for yourself in 2003. Love, Stewart ********************************************************************** 1. RESOLUTIONS FOR RESULTS The reason most New Year's resolutions never happen is because they are not part of a systematic plan. Making an agreement with yourself using the 10 Essential Elements of Agreements for Results provides you with the plan that moves your wishes from dreams into reality. Try using an "Agreement with Yourself" as the form for your New Year's Resolutions. Write them down and tell someone if you want to improve your chances of success. People are usually amazed at the ease with which they can accomplish things when they have a plan, not just a wish!
2. ROLES & NECESSARY PARTIES --The duties, responsibilities, and commitment of everyone must be clearly defined. Everyone necessary to achieve the desired results must be part of the agreement. 3. PROMISES / COMMITMENTS TO ACTION--The agreement contains clear promises so everyone knows who will do what. When commitments to take action are specific, you can determine if the actions are sufficient to obtain the desired results and what actions are missing. a.. TIME--All promises must have specific time deadlines for task completion. These are "by whens"--by when will you do this, and by when will you do that. In addition, the time period the agreement will be in force must be specified. b.) VALUE OF EXCHANGE--This specifies who gets what for what. Is the exchange satisfactory? Is it fair? Does it provide adequate incentive? This must be clearly understood, and everyone must be satisfied or someone will sabotage the transaction. 4.. MEASUREMENTS OF SATISFACTION--The evidence that everyone has achieved his or her objectives must be clear, direct, and measurable so there can be no disagreement. This element is critical because it eliminates conflict about the ultimate question--Did you accomplish what you set out to do? 5. CONCERNS AND FEARS--Bringing unspoken difficulties to the surface provides the opportunity to anticipate and minimize the disagreements you know will happen during the collaboration. The discussion will deepen the partnership being created or let you know this is not a partnership you want to be part of. 6. RENEGOTIATION & DISSOLUTION --No matter how optimistic and clear you are it will become necessary to renegotiate promises and conditions of satisfaction. Circumstances change, and you must put in place a mechanism to address the new conditions. Being realistic about this at the beginning enables the relationship to evolve and prosper. It is imperative to provide everyone with a way out--an exit strategy everyone can follow with dignity. Anyone who feels imprisoned in a transaction, partnership, or relationship will not make his or her maximum contribution to the enterprise. 7. CONSEQUENCES--Although you may not want to police the agreement, it is important to agree on consequences for anyone who breaks a promise, and to understand the consequence of not realizing your vision to both yourself and others. 8. DISPUTE RESOLUTION--Acknowledge that conflicts and disagreements arise as a matter of course as people work together. If you know that and establish the attitude of resolution and a process that leads to a new agreement, resolving conflicts will be easier. 9. MANAGEMENT- Someone must take responsibility for stewarding the project and ensuring the agreement is honored and the intended results are obtained. While this is everyone's responsibility, it is important enough to have a point person. 10. AGREEMENT ?--Everyone is satisfied and ready to take action. Work on the agreement until you are satisfied that you have an agreement or do not have one. Unless and until you are satisfied, do not move into action. You will not have a shared vision to work toward. Also ask yourself whether ********************************************************************** The following story touched me. The clarity of Maurice Clarett's observations is beyond anything I might say. Plain and simple - our priorities and the way we use resources can be greatly improved. THIS IS A STORY WORTH READING. PLEASE TAKE IT TO HEART! PHOENIX -- Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett, upset over missing the funeral of a lifelong friend, said Monday that colleges care more about football than they do about life. Speaking prior to the No. 2-ranked Buckeyes' showdown for the national title against Miami in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on Friday, Clarett said Ohio State "gave him the runaround" when he asked to fly home for the service Monday. "They didn't really give me an answer to the question," he said of university officials. "I guess football's more important than a person's life to them. That's why I'm ready to get this game over and go back home." Clarett set Ohio State freshman records this season with 1,190 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Ohio State sports information director Steve Snapp said he was unaware of Clarett's request to fly home to Youngstown, Ohio. Snapp said he was aware only that Clarett's friend was killed. Ohio State athletics director Andy Geiger was not immediately available to comment. Clarett declined to give the name of his friend, who he said was shot last week. He said he was affected not only by the death but by Ohio State's response. "I'm kind of messed up now because they jerked me kind of," Clarett said. "I really wanted to go back. I'm not really supposed to be here. But it's cool. Things happen in life, there's bumps in the road like everything else. But I'll be all right." Earlier in the season, Clarett had talked about other friends who had not been able to escape the streets in the Rust Belt city. He said he had lost several friends and relatives and that he thought of them every day when he considered how fortunate he was to have a scholarship and the opportunity to better himself. Clarett said it was difficult to keep a football game in perspective in light of what is going on back home. "Life's a whole lot more important than football, you know what I mean? We hold the national championship but they won't talk about the homeless and the poor," he said. "We're sitting here in this old grand hotel, things like that, but we can't feed the homeless or poor. ... It's a game." Clarett was a toddler when his father left home. His mother, Michelle, is the chief deputy clerk for the municipal court in Youngstown. As he was growing up, he saw people killed in the streets. Once he was playing football in the street when a boy sitting nearby was killed in a drive-by shooting. Another time, Clarett was sitting on the front porch of the house he shared with his mother, grandmother, two brothers and 11 cousins. They saw a neighbor's friend get shot in the chest, crawl into Clarett's front yard and bleed to death. Clarett said his goal was to funnel money back to people who need it the most. "You go through downtown Columbus, you've got people sleeping on sidewalks. You know what I mean? And they're giving us scholarships and they're selling 100,000 tickets every game," he said. "It's the richest part of Columbus, downtown, but you're walking past bums and homeless people. This is wintertime, it's like 19 degrees down there. They're sleeping in boxes and little covers. It don't make any sense to me."
3. OCEAN I wrote the following poem near the ocean in October. I resolve to spend more time in that headspace in 2003. That certainly seems a better strategy than the great deal of suffering that 2002 held. OCEAN Soft undulation, then a soft roar The peaceful serenity of this floating womb With reverent gratitude, for the sacred bliss There's no place to go to, nothing to hide Dance, celebrate, laugh, contemplate ********************************************************************** UPCOMING EVENTS: January 16 New Story - Teleclass January 21 "The Book of Agreement," Center for Visionary Leadership, Washington, DC January 30, 31 Washigton DC Center for Workforce Development February 1,2 "Managing By Agreement," Washington, DC February 26 Federal Government Interagency ADR Group, Washington, DC Febrary 28 Glasser Legal Works, CIO Forum, San Francisco, CA March 23-30 Lawyers CLE Cruise to Mexico March 30 - April 4 Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA For information contact Stewart@ResolutionWorks.org 301-657-6240 ********************************************************************* STEWART LEVINE, Esq., RESOLUTIONARY
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