false 85697 4 The lure of this book's promise starts with the assumption in its title. Possibility--that big, all-encompassing, wide-open-door concept--is an art? Well, who doesn't want to be a skilled artist, whether in the director's chair, the boardroom, on the factory floor, or even just in dealing with life's everyday situations? Becoming an artist, however, requires discipline, and what the authors of <I>The Art of Possibility</I> offer is a set of practices designed to "initiate a new approach to current conditions, based on uncommon assumptions about the nature of the world."<p> If that sounds a little too airy-fairy for you, don't be put off; this is no mere self-improvement book, with a wimpy mandate to transform its readers into "nicer" people. Instead, it's a collection of illustrations and advice that suggests a way to change your entire outlook on life and, in the process, open up a new realm of possibility. Consider, for example, the practice of "Giving an A," whether to yourself or to others. Not intended as a way to measure someone's performance against standards, this practice instead recognizes that "the player who looks least engaged may be the most committed member of the group," and speaks to their passion rather than their cynicism. It creates possibility in an interaction and does away with power disparities to unite a team in its efforts. Or consider "Being the Board," where instead of defining yourself as a playing piece, or even as the strategist, you see yourself as the framework for the entire game. In this scenario, assigning blame or gaining control becomes futile, while seeking to become an instrument for effective partnerships becomes possible. <p> Packed with such examples of personal and professional interactions, the book presents complex ideas on perception and recognition in a readable, useable style. The authors' combined, eclectic experience in music and painting (as well as family therapy and executive workshops) infuses their examples with vibrant color and sound. The relevance to corporate situations and relationships is well developed, and they don't rely on dry case studies to do it. Indeed, this book assumes the emotional intelligence and desire to engage of its reader, promising access to the rewards of that door-opening notion--possibility--in return. --<I>S. Ketchum</I> 82694 2000 The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life total:422|5:167|4:121|3:99|2:31|1:4| 422 1682 712 118 3 1 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Feb 08 10:23:12 -0800 2008 Fri Feb 08 10:23:12 -0800 2008 The Art of Possibility</> is written for popular consumption, unlike many of the geeky books I read. I ran into it at work. The theme of the book is how to create a shift in the models we use to create our experience of reality.

The material is drawn from a variety of disciplines t...more...]]> 4 1 false false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Jul 09 05:53:16 -0700 2008 Wed Jul 09 19:54:24 -0700 2008
I referenced porti...more...]]> 4 1 false false Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2005 Fri Jan 11 00:55:55 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 11 00:56:13 -0800 2008 more...]]> 2 1 false false Sat Feb 23 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 18 19:13:28 -0800 2008 Mon Feb 18 19:13:48 -0800 2008 Strangers to Ourselves" by Timothy Wilson.more...]]> 4 1 false true Mon Jan 19 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 19 09:13:16 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 19 21:23:07 -0800 2009 1 more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Jun 03 12:00:31 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 03 12:00:31 -0700 2009
This self-help book is a collaboration between Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, and his wife ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 15 11:58:59 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 15 12:07:50 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Dec 30 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 16 09:42:51 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 30 06:32:48 -0800 2008 fabulous read. This book should be required reading in high schools, colleges, and beyond. The basic premise being this: you should open yourself up to all possibiliti...more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Mar 23 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Feb 13 11:14:14 -0800 2009 Tue Mar 31 13:47:35 -0700 2009
They stick to us like that glue that comes with packaged toys that you pull off one finger just to find it stuck to another. The more you try to discard it, the more it seems to hang on for its life. That’s how paradigms work, they just don’t want to die or be replaced. Par...more...]]> 2 0 false false Mon May 26 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue May 13 15:34:50 -0700 2008 Mon May 26 12:12:27 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Thu Feb 12 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Apr 20 16:42:05 -0700 2008 Thu Feb 12 19:43:27 -0800 2009 2 partial Ros Zander is a family therapist and artist. Her husband Benjamine Zander is conductor of the Boston Phil Orchestra and prof at New England Conservatory of Music Both are co-authors. Commissioned by Harvard Business School Press.

key phrases:
it's all...more...]]> 5 0 false false Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Thu Aug 16 07:42:32 -0700 2007 Thu Nov 01 13:23:54 -0700 2007 I picked this up at the Friends of the Library bookstore, and The Art of Possibility was just hanging out on my bedside table for a couple months -- waiting for me to possibly read it...
Turns out that it's incredible! Written by Rosamund Stone Zander and her husband Benjamin, conductor ...more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Aug 13 21:09:26 -0700 2007 Tue Mar 25 20:17:18 -0700 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Jul 09 19:41:27 -0700 2007 Fri Jul 27 06:51:05 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 0 false false Fri May 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun May 17 15:52:03 -0700 2009 Sun May 17 15:53:44 -0700 2009
A couple of their lessons are not easily applicable or described in actionable ways (they tell stories to demonstrate the principle, but don't lay out clear-cut ways for readers...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Sep 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Aug 19 11:39:22 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 07 12:22:18 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Wed Feb 25 08:28:06 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 25 08:35:06 -0800 2009 more...]]> 0 0 false false Thu Jan 15 13:50:34 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 15 13:52:19 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 16 14:22:23 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 16 14:24:41 -0800 2009 Accepting things as they are, accepting responsibility for everything that happens to you, aiming to make a contribution, giving yourself and everyone else an A. I cried and laughed through many moments and plan to kee...more...]]> 5 0 false false Thu Jul 23 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Nov 08 02:31:57 -0800 2009 Sun Nov 08 02:37:18 -0800 2009 more...]]>