Colourful Thinkers

Heart.

Penny Hunt, July 2011

Years ago, before GPS but just after sealing wax, a friend was on hols with her family. The independently ambitious marching around a European capital wasn’t turning out so well. The map had pictures rather than streets, the instructions were ambiguous, and grumpy tiredness had set in. Where was this pesky  17th century Princess’ palace muttered the super intelligent  (and self confessed over achiever)  parents?

The littlest one scuffed and bleated, gave up and withdrew. She folded her arms.

But she was looking around and began to sense rather than study the surroundings.

Then she pointed.

If I were a princess I’d want to live there…

And of course she was right.

It’s heart over head, instinct over analysis, isn’t it?

I tried to respond instinctively at Canary Wharf the other day.

‘What an incredible achievement’ says the head, stunned. Look at the height, look at the marble, look at the glass.

And it’s great that there’s so much to wonder at…

because there isn’t much to feel.

Does the area have a heart? Has something been lost in the scramble for success?

F M Alexander (he of the technique) coined a wonderful phrase ‘ end gaining’.

‘End gaining is a universal habit’ . End gaining is the tendency we have to keep our mind and actions focused on an end result whilst losing sight of, and frequently at the expense of, the means –whereby the result is achieved.’

Let’s redesign the foundations of business training for the future.  Let’s nurture and reward instinct, empathy and heart.

At least businesses won’t lose their way so often.