The Quest is a Collaboration Global digital publication
Issue Twenty Two
Dr Lizzy Bernthal Our key collaborator The theme of this issue is:
The Power of the Arts
Spotlight on... ALESSANDRO FERULLO
SELINA BORSHORIN SUE PLUMTREE JILL POET GILL TINEY Join the discussion... facebook.com/Collglobal
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Published by: Collaboration Global Unit 2 The Old Stables Strood Green Wisborough Green West Sussex RH14 0HJ Issue 22, first published on 15th June 2022 All rights reserved. Copyright © Collaboration Global and Contributors, 2022 While aligned to the vision and values of Collaboration Global, the views expressed here are soley those of the contributors and are not expressions of policy on behalf of the Collaboration Global leadership. To experience a Collaboration Global Community, be our guest and come to a meeting. Register at https://bit.ly/3gcOrT3
For more details about The Quest and about Collaboration Global, visit our website at www.collaborationglobal.org You can contact the team by writing to team@collaborationglobal.org, or one of the contributors whose contact emails can be found at the end of their articles. The Quest is a publication platform open to members of Collaboration Global to contribute to major debates and issues of concern. Operating within the UK economy, and part of a global economic system, contributors to The Quest hold a big vision. They are personally involved with complex issues that require the skills and intent of many to solve. They are on a passionate, sometimes a life-long search, to secure change in the world and as such hold a great responsibility for benefitting future generations. Collaboration Global believes in working for a world where every one of us has the opportunity to be the best they can be: where we are empowered to recognize and honour our ‘innate genius’, exploit our full potential and make our dreams real. We seek a world where business and work are designed to meet a Human need for respect, to be valued, to achieve and to contribute to others. Most of all we seek a world where everyone has the opportunity to have their voice heard and make a positive difference to the planet and humanity.
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Issue Twenty Two About the contributors Editorial Gill Tiney
CONTENTS
The Arts - A Key Pillar for Leadership and Growth. Selina Boshorin How my love for the arts keeps me going. Sue Plumtree Using the Power of the Arts for Good. Jill Poet What makes your heart sing? Gill Tiney
Spotlight on Alessandro Ferullo Key Collaborator Profile Lizzy Bernthal
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About our contributors Selina Boshorin Selina Boshorin Leadership Strategist, helping Business Leaders get clarity on their genius and create a sustainable, scalable business. With over 15 years of experience in Careers Guidance, Hospitality, Events Management, Education, and Welfare to Work, Selina has trained, coached, and mentored senior leaders in leadership, business, and personal development. She personally experienced how being overworked and having a lack of clarity to create the right strategies, habits, systems can have a detrimental effect on productivity, performance, and success. Selina helps clients to work more productively, achieve success more effectively without sacrificing their well-being or the need for perfection and overworking. . Email: contact@selina-me.com Telephone: 07505 300 137 Website: www.selina-me.com
Sue Plumtree
Sue Plumtree is a personal relationship coach, published author and workshop facilitator. Sue’s passion is to enable people to build strong and loving relationships. Her third book, ‘Open Your Heart: The 7 Secrets of Strong and Loving Relationships’ is getting 5* reviews on Amazon. Sue was unhappily married for 37 years when she finally left at aged 60. Over the following 10 years she built a successful coaching practice working with women over 50, wrote her autobiography and built solid friendships. In December 2015, aged 70, she met Dave, her friend, lover and soulmate – and now her husband. As a prolific writer and regular blogger Sue shares her painfully acquired wisdom about what works and doesn’t work in a relationship as well as how it affects our emotional, mental health and wellbeing. .
Email: sue@sueplumtree.com Telephone: 07903 795 027 Website: www.sueplumtree.com
Jill Poet Jill Poet is CEO of the Organisation for Responsible Businesses CIC (ORB) which she co-founded in 2009. She is passionate about helping small businesses to thrive, but is equally passionate about encouraging micro and small businesses to operate ethically and responsibly and make a positive contribution to society, always with the message that Doing Good is Good for Business. Prior to launching ORB, Jill spent almost 40 years working as a management accountant for small businesses in a variety of sectors. She spent much of that time doing much more than number crunching including HR, Health and Safety, Project Management – and even pouring a pint or two when her financial roles were within the leisure industry.
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Email: jill@orbuk.org Telephone: 01702 468 387 Website: www.orbuk.org.uk
Gill Tiney
Gill Tiney has always been passionate about bringing great people together to collaborate. She does this through the podcast- Being Human Hidden Depths, the online publication The Quest, her books including #1 Amazon Bestseller, Together We Can Do Something Wonderful and the community she created at Collaboration Global. An international speaker, business coach, author coach and community catalyst she shares her insights in how we can all take responsibility for a better world. She is on a mission to transform the way we live in our world and change the paradigm for what it means to build a good business..
Email: gill@collaborationglobal.org Telephone: 07798 601 701 Website: www.collaborationglobal.org
Spotlight on: Alessandro Ferullo
Currently working in Recruitment and as a Qigong teacher. An adventurous childhood - an Italian boy, having lived in multiple countries including Indonesia where he was born, Italy (Sardinia), Tanzania, Yugoslavia, Turkey & the UK all by the age of 9, when he came to study in the UK. Allessandro has always had an interest in different health modalities and has a therapeutic massage degree. One weekend in 1988, he attended a weekend that opened his eyes and senses to Energy work when for the first time, he sensed an energy beyond his own between his hands as Qigong was introduced into his life. He’s been practicing this 4,000 year old Art ever since, an ever deepening energy practice helping us take more control of our health and wellbeing which has been invaluable to share with others particularly in these past 2-3 most challenging years we have all been through.
Email: alessandro@flowinghealth.co.uk Telephone: 07747 113305 Website: www.flowinghealth.co.uk
Key Collaborator: Lizzy Bernthal
Dr Lizzy Bernthal is a resilience specialist, confidence and leadership coach, cultural change expert, international speaker and author who designs and delivers Masterclasses, workshops transformational 121 and group coaching programmes globally online and face to face. After 25 years in the Army as a health professional and senior officer with a PhD in psychological wellbeing, Dr Lizzy is on a mission to remove toxicity in the workplace. This is though supporting female authentic leaders to find the confidence, resilience and awesomeness already within them so that they find their voice in the boardroom as they move from powerful to empowered.
Email: lizzy@rypotential.co.uk Telephone: 07905 584 218 Website: www.rypotential.co.uk Join the discussion... facebook.com/Collglobal
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Editorial Gill Tiney
The Power of The Arts Is there a piece of music that no matter where you are when you hear it you are stopped in your tracks and moved possibly to tears? I know many of you will be nodding yes, music has the power to transport us to another time and place and all of those associated emotions come flooding back – good or bad. The same can be said of seeing someone dance, or a beautiful piece of art, they can assault our senses in powerful ways – I’m told even the blind can sense a colour from the energy a piece of art conveys. A beautiful poem can stop us in our tracks and love is conveyed through the lyrics of a song. Our deepest emotions are explored through our connection to the arts and our hearts are healed when we allow ourselves to be unburdened through them. This issue of The Quest journeys through our appreciation of the Arts from a simple space of well-being from Sue Plumtree to an observant comparison to powerful leadership with Selina Boshorin. An appreciation that affects our lives in such a powerful and positive way that it connects us to who we are, our innate humanity, that also connects us to each other. It is why huge venues are so popular for performance as people want to gather to experience the event with others. The Arts are often seen as a poor relation in education with funding being sparse when Governments allocate resources. Many large institutions find themselves surviving from charitable donations. As Jill Poet considers the transformative effects on business that our creativity can produce, we must acknowledge that without the Arts, and the army of talent that supports small businesses, we would struggle to provide effective marketing. I am delighted that Alessandro Ferullo is our Spotlight member this month. A whistlestop Q&A to get a feel for our very own Qigong master. He is also responsible for setting the mood for our monthly meetings as he shares a meditation session at the beginning of every session to get us mentally and emotionally ready.
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Finally, our Key Collaborator for this issue is member Dr Lizzy Bernthal, who is walking the talk as she supports our team at The Quest and shares her wisdom at our meetings. We are blessed to have her energy and insight as a resilience specialist and confidence coach. Whether you see yourself as a creative, or are aware of the significance of these wonderful skills and talents in our world, I know you will enjoy the articles here that celebrate our opportunities to connect in the beauty that is gifted to our world.
Gill Tiney
About The Quest Team The Quest is produced by the Collaboration Global Digital Team and is made possible by, you guessed it, collaboration. We give huge thanks to Gill Tiney for her driving force for bringing the project to fruition, proofing and liaising with contributors, writing an editorial and case study and being our Team Dynamo. Gill Tiney gill@collaborationglobal.org www.collaborationglobal.org For typesetting, layout and art, our warmest gratitude and huge thanks to Benjamin Drury ben@thecultureguy.co.uk www.thecultureguy.co.uk For his awesome editing skills, thanks to Benn Abdy-Collins benn@bennabdy-collins.com www.bennabdy-collins.com
Adding to our amazing Technical Proofing Team, Dr. Lizzy Bernthal lizzy@rypotential.co.uk www.rypotential.co.uk For her proof reading, many thanks to Sue Plumtree. sue@sueplumtree.com For diligently proofing the content and checking for typos, huge thanks to Alan Brown of Brown and Tiney. alan@brownandtiney.com www.brownandtiney.com With thanks to the newest member of the team Syireen Rose Syireenrose@peachesnpen.com
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Selina Boshorin
THE ARTS - A KEY PILLAR FOR LEADERSHIP AND GROWTH.
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I am excited to be able to contribute to the theme of this edition as it is a subject I am deeply passionate about. Creativity and the Arts are key components of my personal and professional life. I’ve always spoken up for people, individually and collectively, to ensure that creativity in all its different forms is recognised. I have also acknowledged and raised the profile of all kinds of creative outlets. Thanks, Gill and Collaboration Global for creating the space where we can highlight the importance of the arts. In this article I will be exploring how the Arts and creativity feeds the soul. I’m particularly interested in the power of creativity in business and leadership as well as how we can make time for it in our everyday life. I will also be exploring the power of the Arts and how it can build collaboration and connection. A definition of Creativity and The Arts The Arts have a wide range of definitions of human creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation including different types of thinking, doing and being using a wide variety of media. Human beings express their own distinct identities – socially, culturally and individually. Through the Arts they transmit their values, ideas, visions, spiritual meanings and experiences. The dictionary defines creativity in various ways. One is “the use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness”. Another is “being ‘a phenomenon’ whereby something new and valuable is created” – either physical or intangible. We are also being creative when we do something creative which awakens our senses and encourages our growth, expansion and development. Yet another word for creativity is innovation, ‘the act of putting something new into practice.’ The Power of the Arts and Creativity in Business and Leadership Arts, creativity and innovation have an holistic impact and are crucial elements in business, leadership
and strategic thinking as well as performance. Taking part in creative pursuits and activities enhances our well-being and deepens collaboration, morale and shared understanding. Creativity and the use of Arts-based techniques also help us widen our perception, our creative thinking, find hidden patterns and new solutions. They also make us more curious and willing to explore new approaches – all of which enhance our experience and impact. Rollo May in ‘The Courage to Create’ puts it like this: “Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being. It requires passion and commitment. It brings into our awareness what was previously hidden and points to new life. The experience is one of heightened consciousness: ecstasy” I was particularly drawn to this quote because it highlights the process of creativity and, in particular, the emphasis on passion and commitment as well as the change in consciousness. This is what feeds the soul, enables us to identify the things that fulfil us, and enhance our resilience and wellbeing. The process of Innovation is defined as ‘trying out something new’ or ‘making a significant improvement to a product, service or process thus creating value for the business, government or society’. This is how we, as business leaders, thought leaders and individuals, can recognise that innovation is key to preventing stagnation in society, business, workplaces, even relationships. Innovation encourages us to constantly explore and increase our awareness. It encourages us to build our emotional intelligence and encourages all that is good in us as a force for good. In my business I encourage leaders and teams to use creative thinking and innovation in ways that are fun and inspired combined with robust systems and analysis. All this, together with more structural, familiar and more predictable elements, bring about harmony in the system. Creativity and Innovation enables us to approach problems strategically in the right place and at the right time.
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Creativity is the foundation of my own business. I teach it as well as live it in my personal life. I believe it is important for each of us to identify our own creative outlets and the things that give us the space to think and bring a sense of calm, the willingness to explore and have fun and the thing that inspire us. That could be taking part in an Arts-based activity like reading, creating, learning something new, walking and being in nature, something faith-based or another way of self-expression all of which is an act of self-care. From a business perspective, finding the right strategy is essential whether it is in collaboration with others as a shared interest or more individual. I have also developed workshops based on my own experience and background within the Arts using drama, theatre, music and storytelling as well as practical activities and games. These enable leaders and teams build their confidence, enhance their creativity and innovation,
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self-expression and other key skills all of which support them on their journey both in business and in life generally. In such settings and with the use of these creative techniques we tend to be better able to address some deeper issues that we might not otherwise have done. That’s because these creative techniques make us feel more at ease, more willing to take a different perspective. This often increases the impact of our work, achieving more while feeling better. When we let go of tension, stress or holding on to old ideas we not only improve our communication and understanding but also the way we relate to ourselves and others. The power of creativity and the Arts in everyday life Creativity and Arts-based pursuits have been proven to improve our health and well-being. People tend to feel ‘happier’, more ‘fulfilled’ and
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“Creativity is the process of bringing something new into being. It requires passion and commitment. It brings into our awareness what was previously hidden and points to new life. The experience is one of heightened consciousness: ecstasy”
more ‘balanced’ when they engage in ‘mindfulness’ Being present in the world around us or a creative activity. We live in such a fast world where we too often They all bring a sense of inner peace, increased juggle multiple demands moving from one thing to focus and clarity and an improvement in our the next so fast that we often forget to be present physical energy. in the moment, appreciating it. There are a number of ways we can introduce Slowing down our racing brain through meditation creativity into our daily life, no matter how busy we or mindfulness enables us to focus and identify are. opportunities that we might otherwise miss. This is how we can feel more inspired and operate in a more strategic way. This enables us to make Make creativity a daily habit and introduce more quality decisions, create richer experiences, opportunities that help you relax, dream and improve our relationships and overall performance. connect. Be creative with your hands, listen to music, cook, visit a gallery, go to the theatre or, better still, take Even 5 minutes make a significant difference. part in a performance. Create a space and make it a non-negotiable
Try different things
Most importantly, spend some technology-free time.
Engaging our brain, experimenting with different activities and pursuits that bring out the best in us All these things enable us to connect more, see create a sense of connection and self-expression. things in new ways and look after our minds, bodies and spirit. In doing so we will also find where our skills lie that This is how you create opportunities to be in support our personal growth and development. gratitude.
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Sue Plumtree
HOW MY LOVE FOR THE ARTS KEEPS ME GOING
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I’ve noticed lately how easy it is to make In those days I had no idea how to make myself ourselves unhappy, stressed out, and anxious. feel better, how to feed my soul. All we have to do is watch the news or read the newspaper which, I admit, we need to do to stay informed about what’s happening in the world though not to immerse ourselves in it or talk to some people who talk of little else than everything that’s wrong with them.
This is something I learned after I left my marriage and started to live on my own.
We can look at our own life and focus on the things that make us sad or angry, frustrated, disappointed or resentful. Or we can choose to look at the things we’re grateful for.
As I continued to experiment and trying out things that would make me feel better about myself and improve my emotional state, I gravitated towards things I had never tried or experienced before.
The challenge of rebuilding my life was punctuated not only by small and large victories but also by setbacks, obstacles and disappointments that filled me with anxiety We don’t have to remain in their company; we that stressed me out. can choose who to hang out with. Learning what nourished my soul was a gradual And that’s not all. process – a bit like hit and miss.
The list is long. Here are 3 things that I ended up adopting and To say that my first marriage was bitterly continue to do on a regular basis. disappointing is to put it mildly. Join the discussion... facebook.com/Collglobal
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Luckily for me I eventually did turn to YouTube and looked at a variety of comedy sketches.
1. The power of nature I discovered the healing power of nature.
My absolute favourite turned out to be Dave I had never really tried it deliberately. People Allen because of the way he looked at life’s used to tell me what a difference it made to misadventures. I even recognised a few! them but that never was my experience. And I recently found repeats of an old favourite But this changed when I became a member of of mine – ‘Yes, Prime Minister’. Kew Gardens. I’m still amazed at the way these fabulous Perhaps I was the one who changed or it might belly-laughs make me feel. have been a question of timing but one thing is inarguable, my experience of nature changed 3. Music fundamentally. Music has always been a love of mine. I started going to Kew Gardens on weekdays to avoid the crowds. I love most kinds of music. The lovely thing about Kew Gardens is that If I were part of a quiz to names bands, I would it’s huge and I could always find a quiet spot flunk it completely but what I love is the way where I could sit and gaze. my body responds to different types of music and the way they lift my spirits and raise my Over time I started to notice feelings of peace energy. and calm when my troubles seemed to recede. Better still, I started noticing that those feelings Yesterday my husband Dave and I watched an of inner peace remained when I got back amazing programme – ‘Steps to Freedom, A home, even several days later and I felt much History of the Irish Dance’. better able to either accept the situation or find a positive way to approach it. It was awesome! Neither one of us had ever seen anything like it! It was incredibly Kew Gardens is part of my life now - ambling, energising! doing people-watching, gazing at the trees or reading. Watching the dancers, I unexpectedly imagined that music and dancing could be seen as a And there’s no other way of saying it, it keeps mating ritual leading to love and courtship. me sane and on an even keel. What an amazing thought! 2. The power of laughter And that led to another thought – about the A few years ago, when I was going through a genius of the creators of the music and the rough time, a friend told me about the healing choreography and how much joy they bring to power of laughter. all of us. I’m afraid I resisted checking this out because And what made this even more special was the idea of laughing in the face of turmoil felt sharing the experience with my beloved Dave. uncomfortable. Best of all, I’m still feeling the effects. I woke up rearing to go! 14
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Jill Poet
USING THE POWER OF THE ARTS FOR GOOD.
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There are many different viewpoints in terms of dramatically from the rest. what ‘The Arts’ encompass, and probably even more viewpoints on the purpose of the Arts. From an art perspective, it was clever and clearly a lot of work was involved. But it was Most people would agree that art in all its ugly. A cage with models of animals in various glorious forms has the power to move and states of distress. influence people, perhaps to see things from a different perspective whether that is via visual Unlike the many quite brilliant exhibits that arts (painting, sculpture, architecture, theatre were in the ‘art for art’s sake’ arena, this ugly and dance, and film); or music and/or literature. piece had a message. Many would also say that we should appreciate art for art’s sake; that we should be able to look It was questioning the validity of keeping at, listen to, or read and enjoy those artistic animals in captivity in zoos and suggesting submissions without feeling the need to give that many lived in stressful conditions alien to the work any meaning or allow it to influence their natural environment, and that sometimes our perspective on any specific topic. those conditions and the care they received was inadequate. I believe both forms of art are valid but I am particularly passionate about the power of the It was designed to shock. It was designed to make you think. arts to make a positive change in our society. Many years ago, I went to a sixth form end of year art exhibition. Several forms of visual The young artist involved was my grandson. art were on display and although there were His tutors were not happy with his political a variety of styles, most of the many and approach to art, and he did not receive the extremely impressive exhibits were clearly grades that he probably should have done for his Art A level. But I was extremely proud of intended to be in the art for art’s sake remit. him! Except for one exhibit that stood out quite
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“Art has been used for thousands of
years to impact the way we think and feel about things, to portray messages in a way that resonates with our inner being.” extends to the creative industry and that broadens the list to include fashion; marketing, advertising and PR; web design; animation, computer games, interior design and more. Many of these creative arts are essential in our As a recent example, would so many of us businesses. have been moved to consider our personal or business contributions to the environmental Who doesn’t want a beautifully crafted website degradation of this planet without watching with imaginative, attractive images and prose Sir David Attenborough’s wonderful that authentically presents our businesses to documentaries focusing on the beauty and its potential client base? mystery of nature – and then hearing his unique, soft, raspy voice, warning us that we Perhaps we’ll include a video or two or some are running out of time before we destroy this animations? planet we call our home? And what about marketing? That surely needs Musicians across the ages are renowned for to be creative and artistic. What are the most spreading messages, from the soulful songs of effective colours? Should we commission African slaves to the pick-me-up music of Harry someone to design the company logo? Styles with his constant messages of love and positivity. Conversely, rap songs with violent How do we convince people to buy our messages are thought to incite aggressive products? What words and images should we use? actions and feelings of hostility. Art has been used for thousands of years to impact the way we think and feel about things, to portray messages in a way that resonates with our inner being.
Theatre is often used very effectively in schools to providing a better understanding of subjects such as internet safety, gang culture, and mental health.
How do we put our creativity to use in a business sense to make a positive impact on society, even if we need to employ some creative professionals to help us?!
The above is just a miniscule representation of Many people will be familiar with the term creative accounting which means embracing the power of the arts. accounting practices that may technically Sadly, not everyone is an artist capable of using follow the rules but deviate from the spirit of their innate talent to create a better world. But ethics, integrity, and transparency. we can all be creative! However, for absolute clarity, any reference Increasingly, the perception of the arts now to creativity in this article in not used in that context. 18
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Using creativity appropriately can help bring clarity and express the essence of a company in glorious verbal and visual technicolour. But any message portrayed must always, always be 100% authentic. Let’s start with your branding. Choosing a logo, the company colours, the style of literature and web sites is all a very exciting part of that initial branding exercise. Not forgetting of course, the vision, mission, and purpose conversation that gets woven in.
business is its reputation. Increasingly, your reputation is not just how good your products, services and customer services are, albeit of course all of those are important. But existing and potential clients increasingly want to buy from companies they feel are operating ethically and responsible and care about people and the environment.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, allegedly Without doubt, that early-stage branding plays said: a very important part of a company’s image and potential development. “Your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.” As a company develops, its branding is more about the reputation that the logo represents. And Richard Branson: People’s perception of a company becomes all “Build brands not around products but about important, remembering that ‘people’ includes reputation.” everyone the business affects, including employees, customers, suppliers, and the Many businesses, although far from all, feature genuine customer testimonials on their wider community. websites but I am amazed how few are talking Let’s be very clear – the greatest value of any about values, ethics, and the good things they Join the discussion... facebook.com/Collglobal
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are doing to make a positive impact on society. The About Us pages invariably feature the ubiquitous ‘we have a million years’ experience between us’ type statement and maybe a little bit about the history of the company, passion for the product or services, and even maybe a little bit about customer service. What about some real depth? Something authentic but creative in words and pictures. What are your company values? What is your purpose? How do you value your employees? What are your commitments to making a positive contribution to society and what are you doing now?
2. More people and companies want to purchase from, work with and work for ethical and responsible companies. But how do they make those choices if you are not providing appropriate information? Naturally, the About Us page is not the only place to share this information. Apart from the static information that form the backbone of your website, use blogs and social media to share your endeavours.
Include photos and videos to authenticate what you are doing and, as appropriate, validate what you are doing with appropriate At the Organisation for Responsible Businesses memberships and/or certifications. (ORB) we have a membership application process that starts with a short online self- Allow the arts to permeate your brand, connect assessment questionnaire. to people through music on your videos, use your text to inspire and reach deeper into a soul Then we take a look at the company’s website, than merely transferring information. Utilise all LinkedIn and Companies House before we forms of art to enrich your message and your have a Zoom meeting with the business owner vision. or director. And do consider your marketing very carefully, I have lost count of the number of times I especially if you sell consumer goods. speak with fabulous business owners who have initiated great practices to ensure the Consumerism is, to a large degree, the biggest motivation and wellbeing of their people, play single threat to our society because it impacts a big part in supporting their local community everything from the fuel used to make and and/or are taking steps to reduce their transport the goods, the waste streams it environmental impact yet none of this can be creates, and everything in between. found on their website or even in their Linkedin profiles. Consider how you can creatively and authentically employ powerful marketing We always use the phrase Doing Good is Good to encourage people to purchase quality for Business. But that is only true if people products that will last and that have good know you are doing good! societal and environmental credentials, rather than cheap products that cost the earth! So, apart from your company gaining a competitive advantage from creatively and People buy from an emotional pull; utilise the authentically highlighting what a wonderful, arts to connect your important message with caring, compassionate company you have, how that emotion to be responsible for our planet. is that also an important element of making a positive societal impact? Our biggest issues on earth can be seen more clearly and instil a sense of urgency when we 1. The more businesses who are enlist the arts to illustrate our problem. authentically talking about the good things they are doing, whether that relates to workplace, You can do this by ensuring you are leading the community or environment, the more it way as a responsible business. becomes the norm and other businesses will follow suit. Together we can all make a bigger impact. 20
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Gill Tiney
WHAT MAKES YOUR HEART SING?
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I believe that to have a good night at the theatre you need to laugh, cry, get up on your feet in appreciation of the talent on stage and be able to join in the merriment. This was a tour de force. It kept me on a high for at least a week. But how do you connect your heart to joy when Seriously, nothing could dent my mood that following week; it truly fed my soul with feelyour life is on a downward trajectory? good emotions that, weeks later, I’m still If music be the food of love, play on – we all enjoying. know the famous line by William Shakespeare What experience of the arts can do that for and never a truer word was spoken. you? Without music what are we? Likewise, without prose, poetry and soliloquies many a romantic Keeping the creatives alive and kicking is essential to all of our well-being. moment would have been lost. I don’t know about you but when I hear Nessun Dorma or watch Swan Lake or see Diversity create magic on stage or sink into a Cezanne I find my soul is being fed.
Theatre is my passion and if a month goes by where I have not been able to see a performance then my soul has not been fed and my energy depletes.
Artists who bring joy, musicians who compose, actors who perform, authors who create stories that let the imagination loose should not be struggling to survive.
It has been a tough two years.
They should be lauded and encouraged, supported and inspired.
I recently returned to the West End to see the Choir of Man. If you have yet to experience this Often these amazingly talented people were phenomenon I urge you to book soon. It was told as children that they are unlikely to make a career from their gift. fantastic.
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They are reminded that it is a tough market, love those bank jobs. They are good jobs. that there will be many disappointments and that only a few can make a living from it. What is not good is squeezing a size 10 into a size 5 shoe – it just doesn’t fit and will cause all They are led to believe that to be successful sorts of problems further down the line. in these areas it is like winning the lottery and are urged to ‘abandon hope all ye who enter’ We know that music can unlock dementia (‘Dante’s Inferno’ – but you knew that). patients, if only for a while. My question is why?
We know that dance can mobilise joints and strengthen muscles.
Why does the school system consider these potential careers, careers that feed the nation’s soul, be seen as unsuitable? It makes no sense. These amazingly talented people, whether they be musicians, artists, writers, or cakecreators should be encouraged to expand their horizons and develop their God-given genius. Instead, they are told to play safe, get the job of their nightmares and put their talent in a box, only to be brought out as a hobby on occasion, if they get time.
We know that writing can release grief and bereavement. We know that painting can open up future thinking. We know that singing can expand our lungs and increase endorphins to lift depression. When these creative arts can create miracles why are they seen as second-class careers?
It. Is. A. Tragic. Waste. No one tells them that if they get a job in a bank, one that is regarded as safe, they will go out of their mind because their creative juices will be locked in that small box in their heart only allowed out at certain times, away from the 40+ hours per week they spend in ‘work’. Others, who are not blessed with creative talent or who have no desire to perform would
There are so many possibilities for new jobs to be created using the arts in the way that feeds nations. Every nation on the planet has a music they call their own, have dance moves that are peculiar to them, have traditions and stories they pass down from generation to generation. Whether you live in a large western city or deep
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in the Amazon there will be creatives looking which people could access to help them after the soul of their people. with their depression, physicality, imagination, mindset or every condition known to Man. So what if we acknowledged the power of the What an amazing difference that would make arts? (Not the Dark Arts - that’s a whole other to the wellbeing of our nation. topic or publication) What if we acknowledged the powerful effect these creatives have on the Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that by listening to a Debussy concerto your diabetes psyche of our societies? will disappear. Consider – if we didn’t have them, something But imagine if you were exposed to some live inside of us would die. music while you had dialysis or were taught Imagine having no music created – just how to paint in watercolours. What would that imagining that is almost unbearable, like losing do to your mental well-being? one of your senses. We know that our minds are very powerful, and Is it not time to elevate their contribution to calming them to release tension can be done society so that any person wishing to pursue in many ways. a career in the arts would have a vast array of Once we are back in control of our thoughts and possibilities to draw from? feelings we can begin to see our future and our Imagine our health service having a illness in a better light. Then, potentially, the department offering some field of the arts healing can be speeded up.
“Every nation on the planet has a music
they call their own, have dance moves that are peculiar to them, have traditions and stories they pass down from generation to generation. ” Join the discussion... facebook.com/Collglobal
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“I think we need to see these amazing,
talented people for what they truly are because without them our lives would be very grey. ” departments in the NHS that do a remarkable Cancer patients have improved when they job but what if we extend treating the body to bombard themselves with comedy. treating the soul too? Suranne Rothberg of The Comedy Cures When we have gone through tough times Foundation is a living example of that. Check we all need someone to feed nutrition for our them out https://www.comedycures.org/ bodies but, when our soul has been broken, we need powerful positive energy to flow back Being funny is a wonderful gift but it is unlikely into our hearts. that a teacher would be telling a 9-year-old, “you are so funny you should pursue a career Before we can get better we have to want to in comedy.” get better, and music, laughter, art, stories and fun will help bring that back to us. Yet, if that teacher were aware of the power of that gift, the gift of being able to, for example, I think we need to see these amazing, talented give people the opportunity to extend their people for what they truly are because without lives after a terminal prognosis, they might be them our lives would be very grey. more encouraging. It is no surprise that the people of Ukraine are So, let’s see the NHS start to fund departments following the incredible Volodymyr Zelenskyy. for creative therapy. His comedy connects him to them; he knows their lives and is one of them. I remember when my mum was in hospital for a year (with meningitis) and was told to weave The pandemic has meant that many creatives baskets to bring her fingers back to strength. have had to find alternative careers which, in a time of crisis, is understandable. No thought was given to whether or not she would actually enjoy creating something. But now we know what we are missing so let us not lose sight of the fact that ALL talent needs Some people in her ward were frustrated to be encouraged and utilised because there and ambivalent about the task but she was will always be a need to feed our souls. a creative. It fed her soul to be creating something. It really cheered her up and we To those who continue to struggle to make a noticed a marked improvement in her. living from their talent, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. From a woman who nearly died she now had a purpose, albeit a small one and she was soon Your gift makes a difference on the road to returning home. To us. I
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Spotlight On: Pointing the Spotlight on one of our Collaborators
Alessandro Ferullo
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Who do you call family? My daughter, two sons, sister, brother, relatives in Sardinia, and close friends.. Are you a dog or a cat person? I’m a cat person. There is something mysterious about them, they are very sensitive to energies and can sometimes transform into negative energies I have noticed. All my life we had cats in Turkey, Morocco, Denmark.
Walked on burning coals in a field in Derbyshire on a 1,000 degree Fahrenheit fire we built as a team-building exercise. What makes you cry? Too many things, even cartoons often. What is your biggest frustration? Wasted human potential.
If you could have a super-power, what would How do you chill out? it be and why? In nature, with my camera, listening to music Bring peace to the world. We can then start and podcasts, sitting by the sea. building a greater world together then. What do you do to look after you? What do you consider to be your genius? Or Qigong, energy work. Write poetry, draw, what do other people say you are amazing journaling. Walks in nature. at? 😉 Being a beacon of light when needed... And finally…. What question would you like Helping others connect to their true nature to add to this list to ask other members? And and energy. please answer it yourself too. 🥰 What is your favourite film? Mine is Coast or country? “Groundhog Day”. Coast. I am from the island of Sardinia and love the sea. We always spent holidays there You can contact Alessandro at: throughout my childhood. Email: alessandro@flowinghealth.co.uk What is the most adventurous thing you Telephone: 07747 113305 have EVER done? Website: www.flowinghealth.co.uk
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Profile: Taking a look at a key Collaborator in the community.
Lizzy Bernthal
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Who is Dr Lizzy Bernthal? Oh, so many identities! Mother, wife, runner, swimmer, travel lover, entrepreneur, business owner, resilience specialist, confidence coach, researcher, author, international speaker, 8th generation Army (don’t know further back than Queen Victoria!), ex-Army Nursing Officer of 25 years and midwife who has lived and worked in 18 countries in some rather austere environments. Uniqueness? Mmm....probably the mixture of my background mixed with passion for doing what I do and am aspiring to become.
has to stop! Helping leaders stand tall, own their awesomeness, find their power and be empowered and confident as an authentic purpose value-driven leader. If you could choose one Collaboration Global behaviour or value that you identify with, what might that be? Ooh tricky - love them all! Being courageous as that it includes all the others in my book.
Please share what your experience has been since you joined Collaboration Global? Incredible, inspiring, innovative, inclusive. So What fills you with joy? grateful to this extraordinary community that Spending time with my 20-year-old - especially has pushed me to develop as a leader, coach, in a hot tub fizz in hand, meeting up with entrepreneur and as an individual. friends, lying on a sunbed with my husband, seeing light bulbs going off with my clients as This issue of The Quest has focused on those blind spots become clear, standing on ‘The Power of the Arts’, how do you see that the stage and the buzz in the room. manifest in your life? I cannot live without creativity. Innovation and What is your reason for BEing? collaboration cannot exist without it. I love Getting rid of toxicity in the workplace - it writing and creating content, whether for my
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book, an article, a social media post to share If someone is interested in getting involved my message as far as possible. with our Collaboration Global community, from your perspective what might they Are you free to operate within your Genius? expect when they get there? What does that mean for you? An extraordinary community of collaboration We are all energy. Our genius and best self are and innovation with like-minded people who all energy. Waking up each day asking, “How have a passion to make a difference and create can I be the best version of me today?” and a legacy to make the world a better place. “Who can I help today?”, getting into an energy of gratitude and joy to build on throughout the You can contact Lizzy at: day. This means creating opportunities and possibilities that would not seem possible as Email: lizzy@rypotential.co.uk our limited self.... Catching any fixed thinking Telephone: 07905 584 218 and regrouping when I need a boost. Website: www.rypotential.co.uk What vision do you have for your business and your life going forward within the Collaboration Global community? I want to develop incredible collaborations with its members. So excited and privileged to be collaborating with some members already - can’t wait to see what we can create together! I have a vision to create a movement in which authentic empowered leaders stand together so there is no place for toxicity in the workplace as it is just intolerable and so out of place!
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Be Our Guest! Be our guest at one of our regular live online sessions and meet our community. The last Tuesday of the month 3-5pm (UK local time) online. What happens: We learn - as a member shares their genius We discuss – as we consider ways to improve our business and life We debate – a topic of the day or a belief system We connect, collaborate, and grow! Click the link below and we look forward to seeing you there. https://bit.ly/3gcOrT3
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