Democracy promotes experiencing the land respectfully. Once J. F. Kennedy urged human kind, “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”

My quest for U.S. citizenship is in progress and I am scheduled for my finger-print in two weeks. My husband works hard to cause abrupt reactions out of me because he rarely sees his wife reacting. However my husband succeeded this time. While he was reading a finger-print notice from the United States Citizens and Immigration Services (USCIS), he jokingly switched its original date. My jaws dropped with panic. “I am changing my travel arrangement to Orlando. There is no way I am requesting for a reschedule!” My husband laughed and said calmly it is on July 13th not the 3rd! We cherished an accomplished moment together through expressions of our love for each other!

What is next? I am anxiously waiting to receive a letter from the USCIS indicating my citizenship test and interview appointment. I am ready! Regardless of any emotional headaches and heartaches it has been truly a blessing to partake in the American democracy for the last 20.5 years.

Here is a question to ponder. Who are the Americans? Please send me your ideas.  I will incorporate your responses alongside my thoughts in an upcoming post.

Thanks!

I am unusually adaptable – and although I’m a strong-willed person I am very flexible. Perhaps different life experiences and wisdom guided me to acquire the strength of flexibility that is a necessity in leadership. I am a sensible risk taker and an adventuresome person in a way that enhances my leadership appeal to the larger community. I welcome new challenges. Because of my risk taking ability I feel that greater opportunities knock on my door. As Pablo Picasso said, “I am always doing things I can’t do, that’s how I get to do them.”

I approach conflict as an opportunity for change and growth. Our weaknesses can turn into strengths. Relative to my leadership abilities, I am fully aware of myself. I feel that this is a practical foundation for making appropriate adaptations in dealing with others. However, I can be overly critical of myself. I treat others with dignity and respect regardless of power or position and foster sound decision-making processes based upon the task at hand. My daily practices are; emotional intelligence, self-awareness, self-management, and mindfulness. These skills are the fruit of more than 30 years of daily meditation. So far as I know, these have been the practices of my parents, their parents, etc… Such a gift is not easily surrendered.

 

I realized that one of the best skills I can seek to acquire is the ability to communicate new understandings to people by methods proper to their needs and level of engagement. Allow me to share an example which illustrates this realization. The Littleton Immigration Integration Initiative (LI3) is an organization that tries to discover and develop immigrant leaders in Colorado –I am a steering committee member. Recently we hosted a resource fair to celebrate the success of immigrants and their community partners. The fair was remarkably well received because it emphasized this community focus. My American experience has taught me that regardless of homogeneity or a mixture of color, faith or ethnicity it is the people themselves which produce a community; leaders belong to people and leading by example fosters growth. This resource fair connected many dots of distance in an extended family dynamic by bringing immigrants and businesses together. In this way the value of diversity is recognized as leadership.

What is democracy?

The simple answer is; the free and equal right to participate in the decision making process.

When I left Nepal 20 years ago I was still too young to vote there. Since then I have been residing in the United States and became a permanent resident 4.5 years ago. According to the immigration and naturalization law now I am eligible to apply for the U.S. citizenship. Indeed! I applied last Tuesday!

It’s an irony; I have never elected the president of a country or a government official in my life. I firmly believe in democracy and understand that voting is a critical element of the democratic process. Therefore I am anxiously waiting for that incredible moment until I take an oath of my citizenship so I can fully experience the power of democracy. Unfortunately I don’t know how it feels to share in the right of voting at this time.

As I prepare for my citizenship test I will post my experiences here; please share this journey with me. I encourage you to comment about your memory of the first time you voted.

 

“Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.” Lao Tse

Success starts with small steps. I feel humble to know that leadership is manifest through communal actions: When a leader jumps on to the sand pile and leaves one big step, that is just one step. If the leader jumps and encourages his followers to jump on to the sand pile and leave smaller steps behind his –those smaller steps become milestones, and they deliver higher meaning and credibility.

A serendipitous event taught me how fearless delegation expands the value of leadership at an even deeper level. Taste of Culture is an event hosted by Spring International –an education institute associated with Arapahoe Community College. The purpose of this gathering is to connect native and international students & faculty in a setting that would create momentums for celebration. The Taste of Culture is also a powerful showcase for experiential leadership where trainers and trainees enrich their lives by sharing the uniqueness of different cultures.

I was invited to address the group as a keynote speaker. The title of my speech was, “Not just to survive but to live.” The meaning behind this presentation was about empowerment and responsibility. When people are guided and expected to lead and to believe in themselves they learn to embrace higher expectations and turn these into their personal values. This is how challenges and struggles become a source of strength. Living should reflect meaning, and sharing should generate energy amongst one another. In this way women and men are inspired to go above and beyond and to strive for the best.

What is it? Spirituality is an intangible living process which encompasses truth, security, and confidence.

Does it really exist? I understand we might argue in answering this question because we share different life goals as well as opinions. In spite of various arguments, I strongly believe to experience spirituality we must live in it and live with it. Then we will prove to ourselves with necessary evidences that the spirituality truly exists.

Accessibility requires a creative process for learning and leading. It is commendable how Jim Collins expresses leadership in his book, Good to great: why some companies make the leap. . . and others don’t. Have you ever seen a good idea take hold at one business or institution and then simply take hold at other organizations across the country?

The following phenomenon reflects monumental leadership in accessibility. Tactile art! What is it? A large percentage of museum professionals are still unaware of the existence of tactile art. It is problematic for them to imagine that museums should seek to make their art works as accessible as are their buildings.

Again, what is tactile art? That work which can be seen through the touch of fingertips is recognized as tactile art. Who can enjoy and benefit from such art? There is a myth that tactile art is designed only for the blind and visually impaired. As we all know information is knowledge and knowledge is power. Think about it, if all people can access information through different mediums won’t that give more power to humankind? By exposing themselves to new horizons art lovers will learn to examine other avenues and perceptions about their own beliefs and creativity. Thus persons from varied backgrounds can enjoy and benefit from beautiful tactile art. Won’t it be wonderful when museum Curators take a leadership role by incorporating tactile experiences into their exhibitions?

Ann Cunningham is an artist who has been leading the way in tactile art. I had the honor of doing a presentation with Ann during the Western Association of Art Conservation Conference at the Denver Art Museum in fall of 2007. Our presentation included a live demonstration of a tactile art experience that proved to the audience how information is gathered through the touch of our fingers or hands. This convinced them of how a work of tactile art can turn into a valuable source of education. As a result several museums around the western region are now interested in adding tactile art pieces to their collections. Following on this success Ann and I sought to strengthen our connection to this community.

In April of 2008 the Association of Art Museums gathered in Denver for their annual convention. The conference organizers invited Ann and me to address the general session and to lead a workshop promoting tactile art. Here we had the opportunity for a defining moment in accessibility as well as leadership springing from a somewhat commonplace community interaction. What was exciting to me about this is how a small event –a single demonstration at one conference– might have a large influence. In this case it happened when the organizers sought to introduce their colleagues to a creative way for enlarging museum audiences. Once this practice takes root then sustainability becomes evidence of acceptance by the institutions and their visitors.

Perhaps you got laid off yesterday. Some folks were dismissed two years ago, and others were let go six months prior. No matter when we lose a job we feel devastated. You might be experiencing cabin fever by now. You must not stop here. Remember the world continues to spin.

Are you in a career search or a job hunt? In either case, take a moment to reflect upon your previous employment. Either the management in your organization could not recognize value in your expertise or the Devine pushed you out of your comfort zone. Things happen for a reason. So, are you plotting yourself back into a similar field and position? Or…, are you considering to leap out of your familiar territory? Then you can enter into the beautiful unknown and spot that treasure; the job you wake up happy to go to.

You are not alone! Many Americans have lost their employment. Obviously I cannot speak for them, neither feel their pain nor express their emotion. However, I can sympathize with them because my husband recently got laid-off. Among the many qualities I admire about him, particularly in this pivotal moment, is his love for lifetime learning. This course of action has certainly lead him to his next career calling. I know my husband will achieve his passion –so you will!

 

Learning never ends – I crave for knowledge.

Reading and writing is therapeutic to my soul. Growing up as a blind child in Nepal reading became a fantasy because books were not available in alternative formats such as Braille, audio, and digital. Today living in the United States reading has turned into a treat. When I access information, either under my fingertips or in my ears, I feel liberated like stepping on the gas pedal in an automobile. Information equals knowledge. Knowledge reflects power. Power speaks freedom. Thus reading represents independence to me. Therefore I want to share my love of learning with the world.

The more I read – the less I know. It is an irony! Reading peeks my curiosity because my brain is stretched as well as my thinking-power is increased. That is why I regularly encourage myself to read, think, and apply. I may disagree or not enjoy the material I put my hands on – I look for something good and I find it. Reading enhances my patience.
“Let us… cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write… Let every sluice of knowledge be opened and set a-flowing” John Adams

As of January 26th I have completed 4 books in 2011. They are:
• The Big Moo; stop trying to be perfect and start being remarkable, and
• Tribes by Seth Godin.
• The Pearl, and
• Grapes of Wrath. Writings of John Steinbeck.

I am excited to tap into another creation by Seth Godin: Small is The New Big and Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas.

Is reading transformative?

September 14, 1990 is marked as a new beginning in my life. I flew across the Pacific from Nepal, and landed for the first time on American soil when I was 18 years old. I spoke very little English. When people asked me: “What’s your name?” I struggled to understand their question.

I packed my clothes, pictures, poems, and other belongings. My luggage was filled to the top. The Nepalese Customs department allowed each piece of luggage to weigh up to 50 kilos. Otherwise an overage charge was attached. My oldest brother commented, “Your suitcase is too heavy. I will be returning home with many items from the airport.”

It was challenging to fit everything. I was determined not to unpack and leave items behind. I was thrilled to embark upon this adventure, however saying good-bye to friends and family was painful. My voice choked up. Tears flowed from my eyes down my cheeks. I was at a cross-roads anxiously anticipating this new beginning, yet reluctant to give up the past. Shaking with emotion my feet moved toward the unknown exciting life.

20 years ago I boarded the aircraft and started my journey to the United States of America.

 

Authentic leadership is about the real thing. The real thing resides in our consciousness. I recently read these three books and recommend them for leadership development.

1. Tribes by Seth Godin.

This writing is not a hodge-podge of borrowed ideas. It is a series of case studies around a central theme; followerships connecting through ideas, each other and a leader. Here the real thing is that thirst we all have for Netweaving through a well articulated idea.

2. The Spirit of Leonardo: seven steps to self-realization from history’s greatest genius, by Michael J. Gelb.

Gelb is an inspirational writer and this book heightened my desire to visit Italy soon. I want to see da Vinci’s creations through my fingertips. Above all I love his philosophy of embracing darkness to reach light. There is genius in all of us.

3. The Highest Goal: the secret that sustains you in every moment, by Michael Ray.

This book illustrates the importance of balancing our personal and professional lives. Leaders must be open (in the decision making process) from their hearts not only through their heads. We all intuitively feel that balance requires equal portions.