One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is seeing how Transformational Presence is spreading out around the world and making a difference. Several years ago, I met Mark Braber for the first time when, at the very last minute, he joined the Transformational Presence for Leaders and Coaches (TPLC) program in the Netherlands. He joined us on the recommendation of two colleagues who were also with us for those days. Now, Mark and his company, Quinter, are pioneers in taking Transformational Presence into the business and organizational world.
Mark has now invited others into Quinter – his wife Liane as well as Jo Boniszewski and Linda Reumers. All of them are graduates of the TPLC. They have just launched Quinter 3.0 as a new initiative and I am very happy to share what they are doing with you. Their work is deeply rooted in Transformational Presence and they are a model and inspiration for others in our community who are working in businesses and organizations.
The name “Quinter” is derived from Aristotle’s La Quinta Essentia, the fifth fundamental element of ether that goes alongside earth, water, fire, and air. It also stands for the unique gift that human beings have to create something new from what they already have. Both meanings form the essence of what Quinter brings to organizations and individuals – open space and the ability to create new possibilities with what you have already.
Mark, Jo, and Linda have written a letter to the Transformational Presence community sharing Quinter’s story and the journey they have been on together. Jo also wrote a powerful manifesto inviting organizations to touch the true power and strength of the heart. It has become their guiding star. You will find it below their short letter along with a five-minute video on the Powerful Heart Perspectives.
Enjoy their short story and manifesto and the short Quinter movie.
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Dear Transformational Presence Community,
Back at the start of 2016, a team of active Dutch Transformational Presence Leadership and Coaching (TPLC) graduates – Jo Boniszewski, Liane Braber, Linda Reumers, and Mark Braber, together with Janis van der Linden, our creative partner – started a co-creative journey together.
Our journey was based on our shared dream and sense of urgency to help today’s business world transform into a business world that works. We wanted to support companies and individuals to perform at their full potential and to leave behind traditional structures and behaviours that no longer served them.
We felt that our shared TPLC background and mix of personal capacities was, and is, unique in the field of leadership and organisational development. This makes us a valuable partner for companies and leaders willing to take the next steps in responding to what the world is asking of them, and to realise sustainable growth and results.
And now here we are in September 2016. For us, it’s amazing what has unfolded.
We have worked hard, had fun, reflected, and learned. We have also experienced that, despite our TPLC practices, we sometimes fall into old patterns. We catch ourselves wanting to plan, control, hurry and manipulate outcomes. But, once we become aware how we have slipped back, we are able to let that go, and get back on track. We also acknowledge that the “being” needs the “doing” to get things done.
Following a powerful coaching session with Alan back in March, Jo created a deeply personal manifesto entitled “The Powerful Heart.” It expressed her deep conviction about the power of heart in business. When she shared her manifesto with us, we immediately affirmed that we, too, share her conviction. We began dreaming of creating a film inspired by what Jo had written. While searching for someone who could help us manifest our vision, we “coincidentally” met Joep C. de Jong at a workshop led by Alan here in the Netherlands.
Joep is a leadership expert currently completing his research on the Core of Appreciative Leadership. He is also a student of the wonderful film creator, Nic Askew, whose films Alan has featured often in this newsletter. For his graduation project, Joep is creating leadership portrait films. He was so touched by our dream and our mission that he enthusiastically accepted our request to create a video portrait of the Quinter team that would be inspired by “The Powerful Heart.” You can watch the film below. We are incredibly grateful for the result.
This film received its first official showing in September during our Quinter 3.0 première in Rotterdam. It is our way of touching the heart in today’s business environment. In general, business leaders and consultants today primarily engage only the intellect and the rational mind. We believe that sustainable growth and success in business in today’s world is achievable only when your heart is also engaged. We want to make a difference by bringing this awareness to the world.
So we followed the energy, we co-created, and we lived and shared our dream. Sometimes we struggled with old patterns, but our Powerful Hearts kept us trusting, engaged, and focused. Transformational Presence and all that it represents has inspired us and enabled us to get this far, and it will continue to do so on our Quinter adventure. We have also learned that “practicing what you preach” is the only way to help others. Sensing what is happening and what is wanted – both in our work in businesses and with ourselves – and then responding to what is being asked of us nearly always takes us out of our comfort zone. Yet it also nearly always takes us deeper into our hearts. And true heart-based connections can move mountains.
We hope you will be inspired by “The Powerful Heart” manifesto and by the short film below. Please feel free to share them both with anyone you wish. They are a result of the road we have travelled so far. Our invitation to you: Let’s create a world that works, together.
The Powerful Heart
Jo Boniszewski (May 2016)
Imagine working in an organisation where The Powerful Heart is engaged and tangibly present in day-to-day business.
Braveheart
The Powerful Heart is a brave heart. It has the courage to give others freedom and responsibility to take decisions and to act. It has the courage to show up and be authentic. It has the courage to be honest, and to make mistakes and learn from them, publicly.
Open hearted
A Powerful Heart is open and vulnerable; it feels pain and sorrow and fear. And despite all that, stays kind, and generous, and does what needs to be done.
My heart is in this
The Powerful Heart is full of love. And I don’t mean the romantic, cute puppy type of love. I mean Love as a determined force – a force that can break through barriers and move mountains – a force that ignites and lights up people and projects. It’s the energy that shouts out, “YES! My heart IS in this!”
Right to the heart of the matter
A Powerful Heart is wise. It has answers. In this complex world, a Powerful Heart gets right to the heart of the matter with focus, ease and simplicity. The brain gives the heart its sight, but the heart gives the brain its vision.
A Powerful Heart can take us as individuals and organisations to the next level. Working in partnership with the amazing mind that can think, plan and organize, the heart can expand our skills, allowing us to sense and respond quickly and to work with our future as it emerges.
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Related Blog Posts:
- Whole-Mind Thinking and Whole-Being Awareness: The Power Behind Transformational Presence
- From Mindless to Mindful – The Power of Paying Attention
- Head, Heart, Gut – Which one is your “inner leader?”