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The Inspiration
ManifestoÓ
Out of love for our nation and our community, and in
a spirit of profound respect for our fellow citizens, we the
undersigned set forth in this Manifesto the commitment to inspire
ourselves and others to lives of noble purpose, and to establish and
nurture enterprises that bring forth the wealth and beauty of our
nation and the world to all people.
In so doing:
- We reject a mindset of
scarcity and the powerlessness, victimization, resentment and
resignation that accompany it.
We embrace a notion of abundance in
this world and commit to empower those who have yet to find
it.
- We reject the notion of
unfettered individualism that encourages people to accumulate
power and riches without concern for the effects of their
decisions on the well-being of others.
We embrace a mindset of meaningful
collaboration and teamwork, and commit to personal responsibility
for the welfare of others and the earth. We seek personal freedom
in the absence of harm to others and without the excesses of
self-interest.
- We reject the belief that business
success is measured only by financial results and accumulation of
monetary riches.
We embrace
the belief that our success is measured by the degree to which
we meet the needs of our customers, inspire
our colleagues and develop their talents, and enrich the
lives of others in our homes and
communities.
- We reject all attempts to manage or
lead others through fear, intimidation, and manipulation.
We embrace a philosophy of leadership that
serves to develop the strengths of all employees, exhibits
compassion and love, and inspires workers to new levels of
commitment and performance that enrich their lives and the
organizations they serve.
- We reject artificial rules
of correctness in thought and speech that frustrate the human
desire to engage in honest and open dialogue about our natural
condition and the challenges we face.
We affirm our right to
conversations that fully and freely express our thoughts and
emotions, and we embrace transparency and truth in all
communication.
- We reject the notion of
“leader as warrior”, believing that rigidity and blind
self-assurance are dangerous to societies and organizations in
this time of profound change.
In its place, we embrace the values of
self-awareness, enlightenment, and flexibility as noble qualities
for the present era. We demand integrative and open systems that
produce functionality, competence, flexibility, and
spontaneity.
- We reject
the notion of leadership as a position of power and
privilege.
We embrace
the belief that leaders should first serve others, and we believe
that truly effective leaders value creative collaboration beyond
the perquisites of rank.
- We reject the belief
that passion and emotion are inappropriate in today’s work places,
or that people can be motivated to greatness by monetary rewards
alone.
We hold that the first great
task of all leaders is to rekindle the respect for spirit by
engaging others in partnerships that inspire them to improved
performance and greater quality and fulfillment in their personal
and professional lives.
Thus, we hereby
commit:
To courageously
stand for and defend high values;
To exhibit authenticity by
aligning our thoughts, emotions, and words;
To lead others by
serving them;
To tell the truth in all relationships;
To nurture and express the creative genius in ourselves
and others;
To build a climate of genuine trust all around
us;
To honor the divine spark in all people; and
To strive
for mastery and effectiveness in all our
endeavors.
To this we attest and hereby affirm by
our signatures in Springfield in Illinois, this first day of October
in the Year 2005.
Copyright InspireNET 2005. Inspired by
ideas from the Secretan Center; Erin, ON; Canada; visit www.secretan.com. All rights
reserved. | 
