S & G Quarterly Newsletter Post 1 of 4

The S & G News
Issue 1; Quarterly; Friday, September 8, 2006
www.sgendeavors.com

In this issue:
1: A Message from the President
2: ACT Therapy—the Concept of Mindfulness
3: The Five Truths
4: Subscription Instructions

1: A Message from the President

Over the past eight months, S & G has put our techniques into practice both with our clients and with our own organization. Every company can always improve their strategies, and thanks to our customers and suppliers, we have received great feedback on what we do well and what improvements we can make to reach the highest level of customer satisfaction. As a result, we have gained an increased awareness of our customers’ wants and needs, created strategic partnerships to leverage project resources, and focused our services around six strategic thrusts. S & G engages projects in the following areas:
 Strategic Planning—The key to the S & G services. We endeavor to help your organization or business reach its true potential. Operating with an awareness of your organization’s whole system, we help guide you through the purposeful journey of strategic analysis and action planning.
 Web Design Services—Either we can design a web site for you, or we can teach you how to design it yourself. No matter which avenue you choose to design your web site, you can guarantee that strategy will be a key component to the process.
 Political Enrichment—Whether we help you with your grass roots efforts or your campaign, S & G helps to create that two-way dialog with the community. Our process offers a unique approach, allowing all constituents to participate in building this great country.
 Executive Coaching—We offer 5, 10, and 20 session packages, which are designed to help you maximize your leadership ability and strategically plan success within your career. Whether you are seeking help with finding a new job, or just looking to improve your current work situation, our custom-designed coaching experience is guaranteed to benefit you.
 Leadership Development—Our workshops on leadership provide an opportunity for increased effectiveness both in the workplace and in your personal life. Have us work with your management or executive teams to help them tap into their leadership abilities.
 Teambuilding—Whether you coach a sports team or you manage a department, this service will interest you. Either we bring the teambuilding workshop to you, or we facilitate an offsite retreat to increase your group’s ability to work more efficiently and effectively as a team.
S & G believes in open and honest communication with our customers. Therein, in addition to more effectively defining our products, we have also created other avenues of dialogue with our customers:
 A Consultant’s Blog: Here we have begun to discuss some different ideas about our field. Over the next couple months, we plan to post entries detailing some of the models that we use to provide consulting services to our clients. Access this Blog by clicking here or pasting the following address into your browser: http://aconsultantsblog.blogspot.com/
 Our Political Newsletter is slated to have two issues released in the near future, one on September 11 and the other on October 1. It is not our intent to provide people with a biased view of the political scene. It is, however, our intent to provide a fair representation of all facts, so that all Americans are given the opportunity to know for what and whom they are voting. As always, if you have contributions, please feel free to send them to us via the Political Newsletter Web Site. If the above link does not work, you can also access it by pasting this address into your browser: http://www.sgendeavors.com/political/
 The Make A Difference Blog: Our hope is that the Political newsletter will inspire readers to visit and contribute to the Make A Difference Blog. Inspired by our I’M MAD (I May Make A Difference) Workshop Series—conducted in June 2005—we welcome feedback on any posts that are made on this blog, and encourage those who have interest to participate, as you desire. Have a question or want more information on a topic, suggest it on the Make A Difference Blog. If the above link does not work, please paste the below link into your browser: http://www.imakeadifference.blogspot.com/
 Finally, we are proud to release this newsletter, the first installment of the S & G News. Our plan is to create a quarterly newsletter detailing some of our research, strategic models, and current happenings of the company. If you have suggestions for the next newsletter, be sure to email us or simply send feedback through our company web site. If the above link does not work for you, please paste this link into your browser: http://www.sgendeavors.com/

In closing, I want to personally thank you for taking the time to read the first release of our quarterly newsletter and hope that you enjoy its offerings. John Spalding has written two great articles describing some techniques used within our field. As always, we welcome your feedback, so don’t hesitate to let us know what we can do to help you with your endeavors.
Sincerely,
Jeremy W. Grandstaff, President

Quarterly Newsletter Post 2 of 4 (Continued)

2: ACT Therapy—the Concept of Mindfulness (John Spalding)

At SGE © we focus on several bodies of work to enhance our business services. We draw from the field of Psychology to introduce the Concept of Mindfulness. Specifically, we will look at one of the new branches of psychology termed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy also known as ACT. Mindfulness is described in wikipedia as the practice whereby a person is intentionally aware of his or her thoughts and actions in the present moment, non-judgmentally. Mindfulness is a skill that can be learned if people are willing to critically analyze their own behaviors.

The concept of Mindfulness is evidenced with the main model used to represent the concepts of ACT. The components of the model make a client more mindful of the situation as a whole. The ACT model (www.contextualpsychology.org) has six components:

• Acceptance
• Defusion
• Contact with the Present Moment (Mindfulness)
• Self as Context (Mindfulness)
• Values
• Committed Action

Acceptance and Defusion— a look at the present state of the person; listen to the presenting problems; agree that the past cannot be changed, but a change can happen for the future. The goal is to accept the current state and defuse thoughts of negativity or desires to give up. Once the coach and client go through this process, they can move to the next two steps.

Contact with the Present Moment and Self as a Context—these two steps are the essence of mindfulness. The client needs to be fully aware of the present moment and willing to be non-judgmental; what’s done is done. The client should also be able to look at their behaviors, non-verbal cues, and attitudes, to identify if those attributes are in line with their values.

Values and Committed Action— Values, being defined as, traits or qualities that are considered; represent your highest priorities and deeply held driving forces. In these steps of the model, the coach facilitates the client to solidify their personal values and make a commitment to take action and move forward.

The Mindfulness model is useful to understand the main concepts of ACT psychology and to uncover a different way for us, as coaches and practitioners, to assist our clients. Mindfulness strategies allow people to reflect on their behaviors through real time diagnosis opening up the door for possible changes to behaviors that are damaging or even unknown to the client. However, unless your occupation is Buddhist monk, we are not recommending hourly “mindfulness sessions”; but, a few sessions a week wouldn’t be a bad start.

At SGE © we use mindfulness strategies in our Executive Coaching with clients. We ask them to reflect on their lives and the events that have brought them to where they are right now. Then, we have them reflect on their actions and receive feedback from others. Once they have a realistic picture of the past and present, we can help them more effectively plan for the future.

Quarterly Newsletter Post 3 of 4 (Continued)

3: The Five Truths (John Spalding)

S&G Endeavors is a consulting firm that delivers quality services allowing individuals, groups, and organizations to create strategies, programs, and ideas in order to achieve their fullest potential. We use several models to help us guide people through the process of change. One of those models is the concept of “Whole System Transformation” or the 5 Truths that impact any type of change effort. The research and analysis of this work was conducted by Steve Cady and Kathie Dannemiller in their study of the impact of organization development initiatives. Steve Cady is a professor at BGSU and Kathie, who passed away in December of 2003, was a founder of a process called “Whole Scale Change™”- a consulting effort designed to help organizations envision and plan for their future. Together, Cady and Dannemiller found five “Truths” that are present in any type of change, and began using it as a model to help organizations achieve “Whole System Transformation”.

“The term ’Whole System Transformation’ is more than a change that affects the entire system; it means that the entire system is involved in creating itself anew.”, write Cady and Dannemiller, in their chapter for the book In Practicing OD, by W. Rothwell, R. Sullivan, and G.W. McLean. When we work with our coaching clients, committee groups, and organizations, we use this model to assist them in evaluating the current state of their system and envisioning the future they wish to see. We are going to outline the components of the model, give you the original definitions of the model, and then unveil our ideas on the theory.

System- Transformation connects all things within and around the system.
Our Definition-- The entity that is involved in our process.

We help our clients to objectively, yet thoroughly, look at their system. You, your group, or your company will be able to realize a clear picture of where you are and where you are going.

Purpose- The transformation is clearly purposeful.
Our Definition-- What is your reason for being?

Every individual, group, and organization has a purpose. Sometimes the purpose for a group or company can change or evolve into something different; we help you make that transition. For our coaching clients, we help you design your individual purpose, with the hope of helping you achieve your dreams.

Journey- The transformation is a dynamic journey.
Our Definition- What steps do you take towards your purpose? Where is your system headed?

Change is not easy. It can be a long process that has several roadblocks and detours if the transition plan is not effective. We help you, or your group, map out a journey to achieve your purpose.

Theory- Transformation is guided by theory.
Our Definition- What influences your decisions?

We all have several theories that we use in our daily life. The best business practices, your beliefs about how the world works, different education levels and skill sets allow people to see the world through different lenses. We help you bring all of those lenses together to guide your system.

Values- Transformation is shaped by values.
Our Definition- How do you want others to look at you?

As an Individual, group, or organization, what are your values? Do you know? Do you live them? Do they matter? We hold values in high regard, but we do not tell you which ones to have. We help you to uncover the main values that will help your system achieve its purpose, and we help you ensure that you are living your own values through the work you are doing.

There may be several reasons people need assistance with managing change. In companies, for example, a merger and acquisition is a perfect opportunity to use strategic planning and system transformation. For political groups or committees, after the elections are concluded and new people have taken office, there is a definite need to look at the new group, look at where you are, and plan for where you want to be by the end of the term. For individuals and business leaders, a job change, a mid-life crisis, or a desire to do something different or better, could be a need for some advanced coaching on how to take your life to the next step.

The Whole System Transformation Model reveals the components that are usually involved in successful change efforts. At S&G, we use our process to manage people in a way that creates positive and effective plans for the future. In doing so, we give our clients another way to connect with themselves and the people around them. Does that equate to better business? A successful venture through a change process could be more than better business; it could mean a better world.

Quarterly Newsletter Post 4 of 4

4: Subscription Instructions

We want to encourage our readers to forward this newsletter to any people that you feel might have interest in reading it. We will be posting the newsletters to the web site beginning with the second issue.

If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter, send an email to info@sgendeavors.com

A New Word--Capitalarchy

Capitalarchy--I was on a blog for a good Toledo Ohio Writer and there was a discussion about the next steps for our free world and I had some thoughts about what might be next. I am putting it out there for discussion and certainly not to coin any new term. I also like opportunities to share Margaret Wheatley's thoughts on change and leadership at any opportunity.

My Thought--Actually the next step is capitalarchy- The fusion of the individuality of capitalism and the anarchistic notion of no bosses. Instead, companies will use self managed teams with little leadership hierarchy.This step in capitalism will create organizations that remain small, networked with other like minded companies as partners and suppliers, managed in a cell structure where all parts work to better the whole.

The organizations will stand for something more than "good business" and actually work with others to change the face of the current world.

Here are a few clips from Margaret Wheatly--"We see the world through who we are, or, as expressed by the poet Michael Chitwood: "What you notice becomes your life." Since no two people are alike, no two people have exactly the same interpretation of what's going on. Yet at work and at home we act as if others see what we see and assign the same meaning as we do to events. We sit in a meeting and watch something happen and just assume that most people in that room, or at least those we trust, saw the same thing.But if we stopped to compare further, we'd soon discover significant and useful differences in what we saw and how we interpreted the situation.As we work with this principle, we begin to realize that arguing about who's right and who's wrong is a waste of time. If we engage with colleagues to share perceptions, if we expect and even seek out the great diversity of interpretations that exist, we learn and change."

Any thoughts, comments, questions?

New Links Added

Here are a few links that I have added to the page:

Gautam Ghosh on Management: My favorite books on HR, KM and Innovation--I link I found when I was looking up organizational learning and organization development on the website. Definitely Linkworthy. Very Good Resources.

http://promotionsontheweb.blogspot.com/-- It looks like this a students perspective on the Marketing and Advertising realm. It has some cool articles and good informational resources.

http://jobpundit.blogspot.com/-- A good website with some useful information for managers, leaders, and job hunters.

If you have any feedback about this post or of the links please let me know. If you thinks your link is valuable and would add to the site feel free to e-mail or post something here.

Your thoughts on consultants?

1. What do you think when you hear the word consultant?

2. Have you ever worked with a consultant? What was your experience like?

3. Are you a consultant? What do you do?

I look forward to hearing any feedback out there. I will also invite any hr/management/organization development consultants out there to send me a breif description of their work and I will add them to the site as a contributor.

This space is meant to be a public supplement to my consulting partnership S&G Endeavors.

www.sgendeavors.com

I will update weekly, provide resources, discuss my work and ask for feedback. We have been around for three years and looking to take our business models to the next level. We also want to share some of our knowledge with a wide variety of people, as today's business environment changes rapidly.

We help create organizations with ideas.

John Spalding