The Saybrook Forum

Conscious Self-Disruption: Doing Really Hard Stuff on Purpose

12/17/2012
The couch is ready for me—the remote just lying there ready for TV action. I can go watch a game, surf some channels, and chill out. I also have a tough book to read and a paper to write and maybe, instead of surfing and zoning out, I will put my head into this taxing book, then sit at a computer and try to write something coherent and original. And so our days go—do we do the easy thing and and turn off any pressure about doing or learning, or do we step one more time into the hard thing, the activity that demands some higher consciousness and sweat and some anxiety along with it...

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The Universal Declaration of Human RIghts - 64 years in and as important as ever

12/16/2012

December 10 marked the 64th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which has become a universal standard for defending and promoting human rights. Each year, Human Rights Day presents an opportunity to celebrate human rights, highlight a specific issue, and advocate for the full enjoyment of human rights by all people.

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Crisis and the New Prescription: Wearing a Different Set of Glasses

12/13/2012
Today I went to pick up a new pair of eyeglasses. Every time I have ever worn a new pair of specs, something very interesting happens, regardless of whether my prescription changes. I put the glasses on, and everything looks clearer, at first. Then I get up to walk away, and the world appears slightly out of proportion. The clarity is still apparent, but I have not made the adjustment yet. In addition, I struggle to find the frames that I believe are either most flattering or representative of my true nature. It took me a good hour to choose the two frames I did (one set of frames was free...

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Do You Still Go to Work?

12/13/2012
We closed the Dallas Region office of my consulting firm in 2002. When I boxed up my stuff, it marked the end of 14 years of reporting to work in an office building. Since then, when I’m not travelling, I work from home. Until this week, I hadn’t given much thought to “office work.” I just returned from a trip to London where I worked with leaders of the global property operations function of a technology and financial services company. I not only learned about the role of a facility manager, I also got an unexpected peek into the workplace of the future. My client has...

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