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Give thanks for abundance...
"He is a wise man who does not grieve
for the things which he has not,
but rejoices for those which he has."
- Epictetus
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A New Look For CEL
When we work with groups of people, we frequently ask them to define what they think the common good looks like. We hear many thoughtful and creative definitions, all of which would create a more just and beneficial world to live in. One of the characteristics that many of the definitions have in common is their attempt to find that perfect balance between collective compassion on the one hand, and individual creativity on the other.
 Our new logo, introduced in March of this year, depicts some aspects of this balancing act. Some of you have already seen it, but for others, this may be the first time. We like it because it illustrates how ethical leadership requires us to connect with others, recognize our overlapping interests and values, and remain true to our unique self.
We believe this logo feels alive, provocative, engaging, and compelling, which describes the work we do with individuals and organizations around leadership development and advancing the common good. Of course, a central theme in our work is helping people be whole by connecting heart, mind, and spirit in all that they do.
We are excited to announce the next stage in our development, a new web site. The new site updates our look to match the new logo, and provides a platform from which we can grow our ability to interact more with our friends and the community of ethical leaders. Besides a fresh look, the site has: updated descriptions of our work; a new philosophies section describing some of the common terms we use; more publications available for free download; a place for people to login and post comments in certain sections; and much more.
We are hopeful that this new site is both more informative and an initial step in being more interactive. Please come visit us at www.ethicalleadership.org.
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Bill J. Grace Legacy Award
When CEL Founder Bill Grace retired in 2005, the Board of Trustees created the Bill Grace Leadership Legacy Award in his honor. The award is given each year to celebrate and recognize leaders in the Puget Sound region whose vision, commitments and unceasing efforts are significantly advancing social, economic, and environmental justice. The Center for Ethical Leadership is particularly interested in brining attention to those who recognize the importance of collective work and who are often out of the traditional spotlight.
The award will be presented during our annual Legacy Event in March of 2008.
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Living Into Collective Leadership
For the past six months, the Board and staff of CEL have been trying to fully live into collective leadership. The Board and staff are leading together in a manner that is at once more open and forgiving, while being more willing to have hard conversations and not step over difficulties and conflict. As a result we are clearer about vision, strategy and priorities.
What it took to get there:
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Really understanding that no one person has the answer or the truth - in fact, no one on board and staff knew how to reach the collective vision that is emerging for CEL.
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Letting go of our traditional models of governance and Board/staff relationships and embracing a new collective culture that honors and utilizes the gifts and resources represented around the table.
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Listening deeply to the leadership "in the center of the room."
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A willingness to create the rigor and structure that supports collective emergence.
What remains? To execute on our vision for CEL to be a leader in the application and development of collective leadership in order to meet the pressing needs of this bioregion, and developing the capacity for collective governance at CEL.
Interested in learning more about collective leadership or our Board members? Visit our website at www.ethicalleadership.org.
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Cascadia Convergence caps off Green October
The culmination of more than a year of work came to a head on October 26 & 27, 2007. The Cascadia Convergence was planned and facilitated by a small core of dedicated volunteers and their many, many friends, a work of love that transformed those involved.
The Convergence was planned by Sustainable Cascadia, and co-sponsored by many local groups, including the Center for Ethical Leadership. It grew out of conversations Sandra Poulson had with friends concerning issues such as the climate crisis and what might be done to reach a sustainable way of life. How would we do that? What leverage points are available? What scope are we capable of handling? The questions kept coming and changing, leading to the idea of “Sustainability in One Generation.”
The urgency of this phrase stayed with the planners, even as they began to understand that they wanted a flourishing as well as a sustainable way of life. Participants came and went, and the group struggled for funding until the Seattle Biotech Legacy Foundation offered a grant that would allow the work to progress. Even with the funding source, some volunteers dropped out, and then the whole project was nearly abandoned.
Finally, with only four months to put plans in motion, the members of Sustainable Cascadia decided to fully commit to the Cascadia Convergence. Accessing all of their contacts and fully tapping into their passion, the new effort released a wave of creativity and resourcefulness. The questions became more open: Who needs to be part of this now? What assumptions do we need to recognize and release? How can we be of service to everything that is already going on? Keeping these questions in mind, Sustainable Cascasdia reached out to other organizations and uncovered a myriad of sustainable/green events occuring in October. From these connections, Green October was formed, with the Convergence marking the end of an extraordinary month of shared goals and resources.
To learn more about the Convergence and about Friday evening’s keynote speaker, Dr. David Suzuki, visit Sustainable Cascadia’s website: http://sustainablecascadia.org.
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Born to a family of renowned educators in Brazil, Melanie Wyffels has worked in international education most of her professional life. From childhood, she has been exposed to the challenges and the resulting creative solutions derived from the countless educational and political reforms in Brazil. She is fluent in Portuguese and English and has extensive experience in intercultural communication. She has been involved in cultural projects in Brazil and ESL exchange programs in the US for the last fifteen years.
 As Assistant Curator of Acervo Fernando e Catherine Silva, in São Paulo, Brazil, Melanie organized Arte na 9 de Julho, events promoting the work of young, contemporary Brazilian artists. These bi-monthly events were open to the public and included theater, street art, performances, media, music and literature.
As Executive Director of the Brazilian Center of Philosophy for Children, Melanie and a team of 63 teacher educators traveled around the country to the promote Philosophy for Children program. This program develops critical and caring thinking skills in children from K-12 through philosophical dialogue. As Vice-President of the International Council for the Advancement of Philosophical Inquiry with Children, she organized international seminars in Australia, Spain, Brazil and the US.
Melanie moved to the US in 1999 with her family to work at Internexus, a network of schools specializing in International Education and exchange programs. She was the marketing manager and international internship coordinator for the Latin American and Asian markets until 2006.
Melanie is a member of the Board of Directors of Yazigi International, a network of language schools in Brazil and is a dedicated promoter of community projects related to fairtrade, ethics in business and social responsibility. She holds degrees in Business Administration and Philosophy of Education from the University of São Paulo, Brazil.
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Charlotte Hill is a junior in high school and attends University Preparatory Academy. Charlotte was born near Seattle and has lived in Washington her entire life. She loves to rock climb and has competed in rock climbing competitions throughout the United States. She also enjoys skiing, hiking, writing, and spending time with friends and family. She has learned that effort is often the key to success.
For several years I have been pursuing my passion of climbing. Whether it be mountaineering, hiking, or rock climbing I have been climbing most of my life. Through the years I have come to associate climbing with responsibility and leadership.
When climbing outside it is too common for rock climbers to be disrespectful. Rock climbers often litter the ground with their trash or disobey other simple rules, like parking in restricted areas. Due to this, many climbing areas have been closed and it seems silly. It is too easy to clean up after yourself. If a trashcan is not in sight you can just stuff the trash in your bag.. When performing any activity outside I always take responsibility for my belongings and never litter.
 Climbers are often responsible for other people. When belaying another climber, it is important to be ready to catch them if they fall. Having a clear state of mind, having adequate knowledge of what to do, and being attentive are essential. When rock climbing outside last weekend I was shocked to see a man who continuously drank while belaying another climber. This is reckless behavior and this sort of behavior can result in deaths. I have made mistakes when belaying others a few times and they have been some of the most humiliating moments in my life. Luckily, those mistakes scared people I belayed more than they harmed them. I am cautious when I belay today because I know the possible consequences are too great to act otherwise.
The hardest part of climbing can be choosing between what is morally right and what you want to do. This is an obstacle present in various aspects of life. My dad, some of his friends, and I attempted to summit Mt. Rainer together when I was thirteen years old. On the day of the summit push it became apparent that it was unlikely we were going to summit. At 13,000 feet we stopped and could see an ice cliff about fifteen to twenty feet high ahead of us. The only person who knew how to ice climb in our group was my dad. His experience was uncomfortably limited. Additionally, many people in our group were feeling tired and unwell. It is never wise to push others beyond their limits when they are tired, and on Mt. Rainer there are various hazards like crevasses (large holes in the ice) that can pose a looming threat to tired climbers. Even though we were close to the summit my dad, the leader of our group, decided it was best if we gave up our summit bid. Our group could have left a few people behind and kept plodding ahead. Some groups do that but that often causes the people left behind trouble. At the time I pleaded with my dad to let us go on. I was feeling great. However, later I understood and respected my dad’s decision. He used his role as a leader to influence our entire group in a positive way.
Responsibility should be a requirement for climbers. However, I know that is unreasonable. Climbing often forces leadership upon its participants. I believe I am handling that leadership increasingly well as my experience increases too. I am finding that ethical leadership can be present in the most unexpected places in our lives.
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The next gathering of the Stewards Council will on Wednesday, December 5, from 5:30-8:30P in Community Room B of the 2100 Building. The meeting will be centered around Gracious Space. If you are interested in attending, please contact us at center@ethicalleadership.org.
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