Multiple-I’s
For the last decade or so I’ve been particularly interested in the philosophy now described as “The Fourth Way” which was first introduced to me by Colin Blundell following his lifetime study of “The Work” of GIGurdjieff and PDOuspensky. In particular, one idea has significant potential for business – “Multiple-I’s”.
The notion that any of us is just one “I” is absurd. Right now I’m employing “Writing-I” and also “Concentrating-I” as well as “Remembering-I” and several others too. This morning I will be chairing one of our Mastermind Leadership Groups and will engage a different set of “I’s” and when I meet up with friends for dinner this evening yet more will be called on.
The idea is to be aware that we all have thousands, indeed millions, actually an infinite number of “I’s”, (right now I’ve just selected “Don’t-be-distracted-by-the-other-passengers-on-the-train-I” for example). Rather than having these “I’s” selected mechanically or automatically, instead consciously consider which “I’s” will be most helpful for every situation you’re entering and select these whilst also ensuring that other less helpful and inappropriate “I’s” are switched off.
NLP Practitioners will recall that getting into the right “State” is key to personal development: I like to illustrate this point by highlighting how difficult it is to communicate with an angry, upset and emotional child and how it’s better to return to the issue in hand when their state is much calmer, (actually this applies to adults too!). In order to assist someone else to get into the right state it’s essential that you’re in the right state yourself – and this where selecting the right “I’s” is so useful.
Before going into your next client meeting consider which “I’s” you’re going to select. Similarly, your next team meeting and one-on-one. I find it helpful to step into each, to really feel the “I” and notice how I look and sound in comparison with a time when “I” have a different set.
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