Leadership, Synchronicity and Intuition  Leaders who use their whole selves not just their rational minds are in the unique position of leapfrogging to new and unique ideas. Take for example Jeff Taylor who founded Monster.com. As the story goes, a client told him "I don't want a great idea, I want a monster idea." Soon after Jeff had a dream, he saw a monster bulletin board and voila a company was born from the dream. At the "Go for Growth" conference in Dallas, Texas this past fall Jeff gave a fun-filled speech that talked to the creative-intuitive in all of us. He suggested "looong" showers with indelible magic markers to jot down those outrageous ideas that could well be the next big thing. Gut feelings and "aha" moments are all around us. When we pay attention, wonders can happen. Mary Jane Saras, Director of Business Development at Creative Energy Options, Inc., recently attended the Lehigh Valley "Power of Women" Luncheon that started at a kitchen table with an entrepreneur saying "I wonder what would happen if….." Seven years later this program is the hottest ticket in town. Pam Varkony's vision of an exciting networking opportunity for women turned into a magnificent event that can't be defined or explained. As Pam states, "it has its own organic growth-it's magical". When Sylvia Lafair, President of Creative Energy Options, Inc. went to "The World Business Forum" in Manhattan in September she kept seeing a beautiful woman in a bright orange and yellow print dress standing out in the midst of all the blues and browns and grays. There were 4000 people at this exciting conference that Sylvia was covering for Worthwhile, a new business magazine. Seeing the yellow and orange swirl past her for the fifth time she decided to acknowledge the beauty of the dress. And so began a friendship with Catherine Afeku, a woman from Ghana at the conference to gather information for a center of leadership excellence for her village. The synchronicity became clear as Sylvia described to Catherine the CEO leadership program that includes teaching business people the connection between personal and professional worlds. In this program people are taught to develop their own Sankofa maps. Catherine looked both pleased and startled, hearing this important word from her country. Sankofa means "Heal the past to free the present." These special connections led Sylvia and her husband, Herb Kaufman, Chief Executive Officer of Creative Energy Options, Inc. to plan a trip to Ghana in January to help with Catherine's dream for her people. So, especially during this time of the year when family, friends and colleagues are in more of a festive mood, pay attention. Sing or write in the shower, sit in the kitchen with others and say "What if….", or simply tell someone they are looking good. Who knows what you'll be able to create.
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