Stories & Cases

The Case of the 47-Point Turn

Some years ago, a fellow who had become a regular at John’s gatherings found himself in Paris with his girlfriend. (How lucky is that!) He later told of how, as he peered down from their lodging one Sunday morning onto the narrow city street below, the parking of cars since he had retired the night before had blocked his rented vehicle into an impossible spot. Tension overtook him as he descended the stairs down toward the lobby to what awaited him. They needed to get the car out in order to start the day’s agenda! Suddenly he grinned at a revelation! He could intone to himself, and apply what he had learned from John, to say, “Ladies and Gentlemen! On behalf of all tourists in tight parking spots in Paris, watch what happens when I demonstrate fun, ease and joy in getting out of this predicament!”

He later reported how instantly his concern and tension lifted as he realizing he could put his declaration into practical use — in a real-life situation or “field trip” as John puts it.

Meanwhile, his girlfriend could see things from another perspective. As she watched from above, she suddenly felt she was being watched. Shifting her gaze, she noticed that other morning risers on that lazy Parisian Sunday, having opened their windows and gone out on their balconies, had noticed her looking down and — doing likewise — called others to view the spectacle. They grew in number and just as transfixed by the event unfolding below.

Meanwhile, her beau had applied his newfound purpose and confidence, using what amounted to a 47-point turn to manoeuvre his vehicle clear and free. As he alighted from the car, totally spellbound by what he had been able to do and the strength of his declaration, he lifted a fist in what he thought to be a solo victory, only to be met with loud cheers and applause from on high as the entire street on both sides, and all the way up, erupted in celebration. He was absolutely floored.

What crowds that you cannot readily perceive are watching you? And are they getting ready to cheer? So it is with the atmosphere around us when we are bold enough to know we are seen and we choose to turn our challenges into demonstrations so that even the unseen get it. Thus we become better prepared for what lies ahead.

Listen Up on Legacy — What Matters, Lasts!

It may seem a bit daunting to take spiritual mechanics into the workplace, but every instance proves, more and more, how ready people are to live from their core and exchange with others in that way.

I was once asked to make a presentation as part of a workshop about fear and frustration in leadership, and how to face it, embrace it, and move beyond it. What was I to do for a gathering that included sales people, shopping mall executives, government bureaucrats and even diplomats in the opulent setting of a major hotel?

I brought them back to the core of the matter by showing them how so little has changed in the fundamentals of life. I brought out a 1902 gramophone — brass horn and all — that plays back sound recorded on wax cylinders. We listened to an original recording made in a studio in London, England in the 1890s by a group of men engaged in chatter, laughter and song. As the cylinder rotated, their banter and melodies filled the room as their voices broadcast across the ages.

We then shared about how these fellows felt to us, about things we realized they had no notion of as to what was coming in history, and what a great time they were having, little knowing their antics would be one day shared so far away in time and distance. My audience relaxed, engaged, and seamlessly returned to core values.

The event made us all “sound” quite connected, rather similar, and rather uncomplicated, even in the complicated lives we’ve created. I told the gathering that day that I’m looking for a 1904 cylinder recorded by a brave individual who stood in front of the horn back then and declared, “Ladies and gentlemen of the future! How are you doing? How’s life with all your technology? How simple has life become? Do you get it yet? And what is it you might wish we would have done back in 1904 to make life better back here so life would have become even easier for you? That’s what legacy is all about! Think about it and get back to me!”

Share Your Story!

Do you have a personal story of an uplifting exchange or wondrous happenstance? Send it along to John….