Emotion | Balanced Action

On Emotional Intelligence: Self-Awareness

November 26, 2015 by philipp68

Our ability to monitor our own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide our thinking and actions, is called emotional intelligence (Salovey and Mayer, 1990). Reading the article “What Makes a Leader?” by Daniel Goleman, I had the idea to capture the five basic emotional intelligence skills in the form of iconic images. This sketch represents the first dimension of emotional intelligence, self-awareness. I hope these images will remind you to […]

Categories: Sketch • Tags: Emotion, Emotional Intelligence, Mind

Comic: What is a Leader?

November 12, 2015 by philipp68

These last couple of weeks I have been spending a lot of time discussing what it needs to create a work environment where people can thrive. Here a short comic style summary, what I learned about leadership. I strongly believe that a great work environment is a place where everyone is encouraged to lead. It’s a place where you’re asked to dream about where you would like to go and find time and space to share what you believe in […]

Categories: Comic • Tags: Emotion, Fear, Heart, Leaders, Mind, Modern Workplace, Teaching

Sketch: A great guide

September 14, 2015 by philipp68

I believe that having a great guide on your side makes it so much easier to appreciate an art exhibition. It’s the same in our lives: Having someone pointing out what we would have otherwise missed, makes it easier to see the magic in life. Visiting an exhibition Last Sunday we took a guided tour to see Steve McCurry’s famous photographs. I had strolled through the exhibition before. But his time, with an excellent storyteller on our side, the whole experience […]

Categories: Sketch • Tags: Emotion, Heart, Mind

Sketchnote: Brené Brown on the power of vulnerability

January 29, 2014 by philipp68

Connections can happen if we have to courage to take our emotional armor off In an emotional, funny talk, Brené Brown shares a deep insight from her research: We need to live wholeheartedly, lean into the messy side of life. Only if we let ourselves be seen, can connections happen. We all know how difficult it is to lean into fear, shame and disappointment. How much easier it is to try to numb bad feelings by having a “couple of beers […]

Categories: Sketchnotes • Tags: Emotion, Heart, Sketchnote, Vulnerability, Wisdom

Sketchnote: Coaching Essentials

September 8, 2013 by philipp68

I had the opportunity to attend a coaching seminar a couple of weeks ago. People from different companies and backgrounds attended, all interested in learning how to use coaching to create a more empowering working environment. It was interesting to feel how a well-meaning coach can act as a guide through our mind, each question triggering thoughts and emotions that could prove helpful to better understand, probably resolve a tricky situation. My hope is that the following sketchnote motivates you […]

Categories: Sketchnotes • Tags: Coaching, Emotion, Mind, Sketchnote

Sketchnote: Andy Puddicombe on meditation

February 27, 2013 by philipp68

A friend had recommended watching the presentation “All it takes is 10 mindful minutes“. So the other day I sat down in my comfortable chair in the living room with my notebook on my lap and started sketching. Andy does an excellent job at de-mystifying meditation. To quote the New York Times: “Andy Puddicombe is doing for meditation what Jamie Oliver has done for food!” Andy wrote the book “Get Some Headspace” and runs a website about mediation. I really like […]

Categories: Sketchnotes • Tags: Emotion, Meditation, Mind

Finding the Being in the Doing

February 13, 2013 by philipp68

One of the secrets to our wellbeing is to find the balance between being and doing. To be ourselves, to connect to the things that make us happy, we need to learn to simply be. Cleaning out a busy schedule or taking a long vacation will help, but ultimately we will need to find the being in the doing. How we got busy The natural state of an infant is to be. There is nothing to do, no expectations to […]

Categories: Life & Work • Tags: Action, Being, Bhagavad Gita, Doing, Emotion, Karma

The three pots

January 12, 2013 by philipp68

Early in January, while thinking about possible new years resolutions, I stumbled across the story of the three pots by Pema Chödrön. “This is it!” I thought. “An excellent reminder I can print out and stick to the wall behind my desk. Reminding me to keep a calm, open mind. Allowing me to fully experience all the good and bad things that will happen to me in this New Year.” The three pots Each of the three pots represents an […]

Categories: Life & Work • Tags: Attitude, Buddhism, Emotion, Mind

Playing games to learn for life

December 20, 2012 by philipp68

Playing a game like Monopoly with a couple of friends can be all joy and laughter, as long as no one gets too attached to the outcome. The moment we become desperate to win, anger and frustration can surface and turn a simple game into an awful fight between friends. This desperate attachment to succeed is often present in our life. We think that more status, money or fame will help us to win in life. Life is not about […]

Categories: Life & Work • Tags: Attachment, Emotion, Gamification, Meritocracy, Modern Workplace

Inviting a monster for tea (or beer)

November 16, 2012 by philipp68

With tears in my eyes I finished the powerful children’s book A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Jim Kay. It tells the story of 13-year-old Conor O’Malley. His mother has cancer; he is terrified to lose her. The failure of anyone to address the reality of the situation exacerbates Conor’s bewilderment, anger, frustration, guilt and internal loneliness. Then one night, after one of his nightmares, he is visited by a terrifying monster – a yew tree in his garden […]

Categories: Life & Work • Tags: Compassion, Emotion, Fear, Heart, Monster