The first step required for any bold action or idea is courage, because without it, nothing else can happen, especially not anything new, daring, different, contrary, challenging, or innovative.

The failure of hundreds of companies could have been averted with a few courageous words that questioned, challenged, opposed, or proposed an alternative to the status quo or the consensus of the herd.

We show courage when we introduce a new way of:

• doing anything
• running a company
• leading\
• conducting a meeting
• running advertising campaigns
• selecting, hiring, retaining or paying people; leading a country

Committing oneself to showing up and being fully present in all aspects of life.

Removing the mask and becoming a real, vulnerable, and intimate human being, a person without self-absorption who is genuine and emotionally and spiritually connected to others. Authenticity is complete oneness in our thinking, speaking, feeling, and doing.

This means that we consciously think, say, feel, and do the same thing in all aspects of our lives.

Any relationship is enhanced, and often made whole, through authenticity. Indeed, it is the alignment of all these aspects that enables us to experience this longed-for sense of oneness.

Authenticity is about being real. If we don't have courage, we cannot be real.

Being real requires us to be brave enough to reveal, own, share our truth, fears, emotions and vulnerabilities; and to be humble by revealing our foibles or imperfections.

Focusing on the needs of others by listening to them, identifying their needs, and meeting them.

Being inspiring, rather than following a self-focused, competitive, fear-based approach.

The dictionary defines motivation as providing someone with a motive; to move, impel, induce, incite.

By contrast, to inspire means to infuse with an encouraging or exalting influence, to animate, to stimulate by a divinity, a genius, an idea or a passion,” he explains.

The word is derived from the Latin root spirare, meaning to, to give life, to express.

Inspiring is other-focused (serves you) while motivating is self-focused (serves me).

The difference in organisations is palpable: inspired people arouse the hearts of others—employees and colleagues, customers and suppliers, which translates directly into improved business performance.

We don’t always tell the truth. Sometimes, we omit the truth by not saying it or don’t speak the whole truth to avoid hurting someone’s feelings.

We think it is okay if we tell the truth most of the time.

By playing fast and loose with the truth in work and life, we have diluted our standards of and the meaning of truth.

There is deep wisdom and power in opening our heart and using it to relate to others. These are the relationships that inspire, because they are heart-to-heart and cause us to feel and connect as one.

In a dialogue that comes from the sweetness of your heart to that of another, there are only winners, not losers—there is, simply, oneness.

The energy of passion and creativity in pursuing the principles of courage, authenticity, service, truthfulness and love, leads to effectiveness.

True effectiveness begins with a dream—a vision drawn from myth, mystery, and magic.

Think of it as a data sandwich with two outer layers of myth, mystery, and magic—one for dreaming the dream and another for realising the dream.

Between these, imagine a layer of mastery—data, as well as metrics, implementation and execution—drawing deeply from the intellect and reason.

The outer and inner layers combined represent the marriage of science and myth, mystery, and magic.

The transformation that occurs when people see the sacredness (oneness) in all relationships results in enhanced creativity, reclaimed authenticity and increased clarity about the value each individual brings to the organisation.

As a result, personal and organisational effectiveness flourish.

It’s hard to say, "I’m sorry"

We cannot always act in perfect harmony with the people we love. They inevitably will feel upset, misunderstood and frustrated by the things we do.

“But, we get so caught up with figuring out who is right and wrong that we forget what matters,” says psychotherapist and co-author of The Art of Possibility Rosamund Stone Zander.

We usually apologise to put ourselves in a better light. We say, "Sorry," and then add a "but" – which is the shorthand for "I’m really right."

She says there were two kinds of apologies:
In one, someone admits they are wrong, the other person gets their revenge and justice is served. In the other, a person notices something is broken and finds a way to make it whole again.

“When you blame someone, you get resistance. But, if you take responsibility for repairing a rift, you form a team,” says Stone Zander.

Once you realise you don’t have to make yourself wrong to deliver an apology, you’ll feel a new power.

When you experience a breakdown in a relationship, Stone Zander says harmony can be restored:

• Think of any breakdown between you and another person as an opportunity to apologise.
• You know there is a breakdown when you feel angry, tense, disapproving, distant, sad or vengeful toward someone.
• Notice that the way you feel and behave maintains the problem.
• Apologise for letting anything other than the relationship take priority: For example, say: "I’m sorry that I let my feelings of pride [or fear] get in the way of us."
• If you have a strained situation with your boss and feel misunderstood, at least you can say, "I’m sorry for the tension that has developed between us. I intend to find a way to work it out."
• If your teenage daughter screams at you that you are ruining her life with your rules, you can say: "My rules are meant to protect you and teach you how to get along with people. I’m sorry for any bossiness or coldness that I may have delivered with my message."

The power of an apology does not lie in the admission of guilt. “An apology affirms the primacy of our connection with others. It can unlock deep love in our everyday lives,” says Stone Zander.