Looking in, being there

The outside view is useful. You've heard it as

+ objectivity
+ thinking outside the box
+ getting a second opinion
+ bouncing ideas off someone
+ an outsider's view
+ helicopter view

and many others. It's one of the things I do for people, as a coach, researcher or project catalyst. I am more and more involved in conversations. They have a great advantage in opening up empathy and trust. But they also have the bonus of being two-way. So I learn something about myself as my partners learn something about themselves, their projects or the world they live in. To do that though means allowing the flow to be that interactive, without diluting or confusing my partners' needs from the time we spend together. I think I can do more of that. By choosing who I work with, how and why. I have increasingly detatched myself from some of the more distracting motivations for working with people, like money, and portfolio status, among others. It's a risk. But I have to say that now when I work with someone, I really want to do it, because I believe in what they are doing, and I see our time together as a joint adventure into the world. So in fact it's not that I believe in what they are doing, but in what we are doing together for however long it is. If I choose to create that partnership, then I am in there 100%. I believe it's good for us; time will tell ...