The Director's Special Cut: The Naked Leader - Part 2

David Taylor, on the day his first book hits the shelves (virtual or otherwise), shares another way to take your career by the scruff of the neck...

Synchronicity

In all of my leadership work, there is no doubt what captures people's imagination more than anything else - synchronicity, or meaningful coincidences.

Coincidence implies that two events have happened at the same time, as if by chance. However, it is possible to define two different types of coincidence. The first involves pure chance where there seems to be no particular significance in the coincidental events. The second type of coincidence is when the event seems to be full of significance.

Carl Jung labelled such events as 'synchronicity'. The type of event may seem to the outside world to be meaningless chance but to the person who experiences it, the opposite is true and the event is full of meaning.

In leadership and personal development circles, it has become a hot topic, driven largely by the success of James Redfield's publishing phenomenon, The Celestine Prophecy.

I believe in synchronicity at three levels. On a basic level, it happens to all of us, and we need to look out for it happening. This level is a reflection that all of our lives are interconnected in some way, and our reaction to these events is usually one of amazement, disbelief and feeling good. These events happen all around us, every day.

We move to the next level when we widen our vision and take in more of life around us. I am often told this happens when someone becomes pregnant, suddenly all they see around them are pregnant women, babies and magazines about childbirth! And so it is with our beliefs, the way we see the world. When we believe something to be true we see the world in that way, and this takes us to the next level.

This level is linked to the strength of our beliefs, convictions and certainty. I firmly believe that life stands aside for those who know where they are going, and when we as individuals, teams or companies are absolutely clear, focused and certain of what we are going to achieve, events will conspire to help us.

This will happen automatically, for two reasons. Firstly because success really does breed success - when a project team is together, as one, and driving forward they will remove barriers, leap hurdles and attract the resources they need. Secondly because when we know where we are going, we will always be looking out for events, people and support to help us get there.

Isn't it strange that, in our culture, we are more than happy to believe in negative 'self-fulfilling prophecies', while being less inclined to accept the positive parallels?

The deepest level of synchronicity is when we simply expect such events to happen, as part of our everyday lives. This is the most challenging to accept, however people who talk about experiencing this third level can provide scores of examples that happen to them every single day. And yet those who do not believe in it experience none, on any day. Now there's a clue.

A clear, compelling vision, combined with total belief in its achievement, and action, will be enough to open your eyes to the synchronicity that is already happening around you, in your career, project and personal lives.

It is interesting to look across many departments, companies and business in general. Without exception those with a clear vision, and positive certainty, almost always succeed, and those who see life as a roulette wheel, or each day as a disaster, almost always fail. Whether that is evidence, depends on what you believe, of course.

Synchronicity gives us a sense of hope,
a sense that something bigger is happening out there
than what we can see, which is especially important in
times like this when there's so many reasons for despair.

If your belief system is such that intuition and synchronicity
are real and significant, you will notice them.

If your belief system is that they're hogwash, you won't.

- Carolyn North - Synchronicity: The Anatomy of Coincidence

I could fill this book with synchronicities from me and others, I select just three that are pretty amazing:

Paul Downs:

"I had offered to secure an entertaining and enlightening speaker for our School AGM of which I am governor. I had in mind a gentleman called Dr Chris Yapp who I had met once before. I wasn't sure how I was going to approach him but I felt confident I would find a way. The very next day I was called by a colleague inviting me to attend a Summer Dinner in the City of London that she was hosting a table at. Who was I sitting next to at the dinner: Chris Yapp. I spoke to him about my school and whether he would consider providing the keynote speech, he agreed that he would do it if his diary permitted."

Claire Reid

"When trying to find a school of which to be a governor, I had made numerous enquiries and phone calls to the relevant bodies to try and find a school that required a governor. After several months of writing and leaving lots of phone calls I was about to give up and channel my energies into something else. Then out of the blue came a letter asking me if I would like to be a school governor for my local school round the corner from where I lived. I agreed willingly. After some investigation I discovered that this invitation was completely random and was in no way connected to my original enquiries!"

And just one from me... A friend told me about a new book that was taking The States by storm, Conversations With God. I decided to buy it the next day. However, when I got home a book was waiting for me in the post. Having ordered a sports book online a few days before, I opened the envelope looking forward to brushing up on my squash. But they made a mistake and sent the wrong book, guess which book I received..."

What about you? Was there someone who you met 'by accident' on the train? Or an article you happened to see that related to something in your life? Think about what it may mean for you. It only becomes synchronicity if you act on the event. What will happen to you today, who will you meet, that will have a huge influence on your life?

Remember - let us know your thoughts.

Or to order a copy of The Naked Leader, email Lsharp@silicon.com .

See also:
The Director's Special Cut: The Naked Leader - Part 5
http://www.silicon.com/a54553
The Director's Special Cut: The Naked Leader - Part 4
http://www.silicon.com/a54511
The Director's Special Cut: The Naked Leader - Part 3
http://www.silicon.com/a54471
The Director's Cut: The Naked Leader - Part 1
http://www.silicon.com/a54154