Michaelangelo
I spend a lot of time going over scenarios for the Golden Age of Gaia and Michaelangelo Fund after the Reval.
As I do, I often seem to go deeper and deeper into the meaning or relevance of something that Michael (Michaelangelo) has advised.
I’ll give you an example.
He told me, about a year ago, that I was to run everything with no more than six people reporting to me.
The Michaelangelo Fund, the Golden Age of Gaia, a hub of support services, other companies, all with just six reporting relationships? I thought the figure impossibly small.
But I’m connecting now with the reality that I’ll have to remain relaxed if I’m to do it all. Relaxation is the link between awareness writing and financial stewardship. As a result of that awareness, I begin to get a sense of the pace of life that he’s wanting me to create and I’m beginning to see that it’s a wise measure.
Restricting reporting relationships to six will allow me the pace of life I need to do the writing I do while still playing a financial role. The only thing that would keep me from acting on his advice would be an unknown “less than” feeling lurking somewhere. Or a “more than.” Poor self-image or a grandiose self-image.
I know he regards communications as more important than my financial work. I can be replaced in the latter, so to speak. But communications, I’m told, is really what I’m here for.
Therefore if I’m serious about doing the financial work successfully, I’ll have to limit myself to six, whom everyone else reports to.
It a simple matter but it’s taken me a long time to accept it. I had to let go of both residual “less than” and residual “more than” feelings.
A sign that I was coming to accept it was my having an imaginary conversation with the six people who in my imagination reported to me. I found myself saying things like “I need your help…,” “what is your recommendation?” etc. This language was new to me. I wondered who was speaking.
Who was speaking is a new persona that is gradually emerging. I call him the “CEO.”
He owns the company but doesn’t run it.
His principle job is, in my model, to listen.
I’m old enough, I’ve received enough awards and affirmations to not need more. I don’t have to have things be about me. I can demonstrate this particular model of CEO.
It won’t be for everybody.
I also have to give my senior staff plenty of rein to build the companies the way they wish to. I already know not to hire people but to let the senior staff hire their own team. Michael is coaching me every step of the way.
I have to stand back, with my only contribution being via the in-person spoken and written word at the highest levels of policy and vision.
And that only half the day. The other half is spent writing and editing. And exploring inner spaces, which is really what I love.
I’ve never done anything like this before – financial work combined with awareness writing – so I have to actually imagine each scenario and the consequences and impacts. Chances are I’ll be off the mark but at least I’ll have started the process.