In the June 2005 Newsletter:
  Passion News / Bullying Bosses / The F in Sunflower / Events

Passion News!

Media Highlights. Tune into Theresa on:

Fox TV (KDFW-TV) at 7:00 AM CDT on Good Day Dallas, the #1 morning show in Dallas, on Monday, June 27th.

The Tour Rolls On. Theresa is on tour in Dallas/Fort Worth and Colorado in June. She wowed audiences in Chicago last week. Learn more below.

“The ‘Pursuit of Passionate Purpose’ workshop is an inspiring, informative segment of time well invested. The time will not only add a new dimension to your own life, but will ripple to affect the lives of others you meet.”

      Dr. Raymond D. Haslam, Rotary District 7430 Governor, Hamburg, PA after attending Theresa’s session at the Rotary International Convention in Chicago along with 600+ Rotarians from around the world.

Bullying Bosses

Okay so John S. Bolton, the undersecretary of state for arms control and nominee for ambassador to the United Nations, has been labeled a “bullying boss.” So has Martha Stewart. A recent in-depth survey published by Rolley Park, an executive education and research organization, suggests that aggressive behavior in the workplace is widespread. As reported at: www.management-issues.com, “Nearly one in five managers (18%) say that they have personally experienced harassment or verbal bullying at work. Nearly one in ten (9%) claim to have experienced physical attacks.

Here are some Practical Pointers on how to deal with this situation.

	Know Yourself, the Person. Revisit the first stage of the ‘Pursuit of Passionate Purpose’ process. What do you value and find important? If you know yourself, you are more likely to live true to your own highest convictions rather than be negatively influenced by the behavior of others. I recall in my twenties having a crafty, sly boss. Not knowing better, I began to emulate his Machiavellian traits. I eventually connected with my true self and realized that his style did not fit me.
	Lessen the Impact. Use the Connections Strategy — realize there are people who can have a negative influence if you allow them. Intentionally or not, they are a discouraging force. Non-supporters might be co-workers or bosses that you cannot easily avoid. Learn from them and, as appropriate, incorporate their wisdom, yet lessen their impact. They can affect you by stimulating uncomfortable body sensations, mental images, and internal talk (BIT). Use meditation to observe your own sensations when these people are around. Then accept your observations with equanimity. Through this approach, you can reduce the negative impact.
	Feedback. It takes courage, but try giving the bully boss genuine feedback. While it seems hard to believe, the boss may not realize the impact of certain behaviors and might appreciate your inputs. Try this standard ‘assertiveness training’ approach: “When you do ______, it makes me feel ______, and so I would appreciate it if you would do ______.” If working alone seems too risky, provide this feedback together with co-workers. Report the behavior and work to change the situation.
	Assess. Life is short. If you cannot change the situation or live with it, it may be time to move on. Prepare — put your walking papers in order and takes steps to find your next career move. Begin to visualize the optimal work environment and open to the possibilities — use the Attraction Strategy.

The F in Sunflower

Passionate Pursuers, people who successfully find and pursue a worthwhile purpose with intense interest, enthusiasm, and dedication, have nine winning traits. Consistent with the bold flower on the cover of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose, each trait aligns with a letter in the word SUNFLOWER. Over each of nine months of 2005, this newsletter highlights a ‘Sunflower’ characteristic. Take the Self Inventory on p. 54 of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose to assess how well you are doing with these traits.

F – Fervor. Fervor, or passion, is intense interest, enthusiasm, and excited involvement. This attribute is the fuel of the pursuit. Passion is found in the intersection of your values and gifts. Passionate Pursuers have clearly defined convictions, or values — based on their core beliefs, morals, ideology, and ethics. They know who they are and what is meaningful to them, and they align their values with their talents to spark passion.

Consider Lance Armstrong. He combined his value for being the best he could be with his athletic gifts and will to win. After winning his sixth Tour de France in the summer of 2004, he was asked by the media what made the difference, why had he won six Tours and no one else had? Lance replied, “Passion! Passion made the difference.”

Leslie Durgin, social services administrator and nonprofit executive whose story is shared in Pursuit of Passionate Purpose, shares, “Passion is fundamental. It is first and foremost. When passion is not there, I can’t fake it. You can do it without passion, but then you are missing the key piece of what makes life interesting and fun.”

Practical Pointers. What helps you find and foster passion?

	Probe deeply into your values, gifts, and traits. Ask for feedback from trustworthy colleagues.
	Consider how your values and gifts help define what you are passionate about.
	Surround yourself with passionate people. Passion is contagious.

Upcoming Events and Media Interviews

Sunday June 26, 2005. ‘Pursuit of Passionate Purpose’ interactive workshop at the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) General Assembly in Fort Worth, TX. Convention Center Ballroom A from 7:15 PM – 8:30 PM CDT. Visit www.uua.org for information.

Monday, June 27, 2005. Fox TV (KDFW-TV) interview at 7:00 AM CDT on Good Day Dallas, the #1 morning show in Dallas. Hosts Tim Ryan, Megan Henderson, and Dana Rogers will interview Theresa on dealing with bullying bosses and Pursuit of Passionate Purpose.

Monday June 27, 2005. Book signing at the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Bookstore at 11:30 AM CDT at the UUA General Assembly in Fort Worth, TX. Come to the 11th Street Exhibit Hall, Booth 142. Contact Rose Hanig, bookstore manager, at 617-948-6122 or RHanig@uua.org for information.

Thursday June 30, 2005. Lunchtime keynote address on “Turning Innovation into Income as the Pursuit of Passionate Purpose” for the Boulder Marketing Group in Boulder, CO. From 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM MDT at Texturemedia, One Boulder Plaza. Contact Allison Kent for information.

You can see more information and the latest event details at: www.pursuitofpassionatepurpose.com.

Follow-up from Chicago

‘Pursuit of Passionate Purpose’ workshop had over 600 attendees and standing room only on Monday June 20th at the Rotary International Convention. The convention brought over 42,000 attendees from 168 countries to Chicago for the centennial anniversary of Rotary. There was great interest in Pursuit of Passionate Purpose! Theresa sold out of her on-site books BEFORE the session began and took orders from Rotarians around the world.

Among numerous other media events, Theresa was interviewed on ABC-TV Ch 7 in Chicago on June 21st about “Mothers Transitioning back to the Workforce as a Pursuit of Passionate Purpose.”

Be the BUZZZZ

Be a BUZZ AGENT about Pursuit of Passionate Purpose. A grass roots effort is the best way to build momentum. Please keep me in mind for business and organizational events and media opportunities.

TAKE ACTION!

Don’t Just Wish for a Prosperous Year. Find and foster your passion, and the passion of the people in your organization. Let Technology and Management Solutions, the catalyst for your extraordinary results, help you and your organization thrive in these challenging times.

Thrive in 2005,
Theresa M. Szczurek, Ph.D.
CEO, entrepreneur, and author

P.S. Pass it on. Feel free to share this newsletter with your colleagues.