Circling back to PSL

It is funny how things circle back on themselves when you least expect it.

Today I actually read the weekly LinkedIn update I receive, and noticed that one of my connections had added a book to their recommended reading list.  I had no idea LinkedIn had an application for that!  Very cool.  This will save me some time by not having to track all my books on this site, which I had intended to do (yes, that means you need check out my LinkedIn profile for books for the time being).   So, the first thing I did was throw up a number of books I’m reading right now – admittedly there are a few others I’m in the middle of as well, but those will wait for another time.

From there, I wondered if there was anything of interest in any of the groups I was a member of.  I noticed that I had a group for PSL (Problem Solving Leadership, a course I took with Jerry Weinberg, Johanna Rothman, and Esther Derby about 1.5 years ago).  I had completely forgotten there was a group for it, never mind that I had joined it!  I felt like I had found $20 I had hidden in a pocket months ago – what a great feeling!

Clicking on the link, I found a message on the PSL news list titled ‘A Profound Learning Experience in PSL’.   Given my experience with PSL, I had to agree that it was an incredibly profound experience.  I was curious to read about this person’s experience.  It turns out that the author, David Barnholdt, had recently taken the course, and had learned more in one week at PSL than he had in months.  His debrief of his experience at PSL is worth reading, so be sure to check it out.

At some point, I will summarize my experiences, insights, and outcomes of my own experience at PSL.  As soon as I’m ready to share the very personal nature of the week with the world wide web.  That is pretty scary to think about, but I think I’m nearly there.  :)

I have recently found myself in a bit of a slump.  There are a lot of things I want to do, but I’ve been having difficulty focusing in on one at a time – both at work and personally.  After some reflection, I have discovered that this stems in part from being frustrated in my seeming inability to empower and enhance the environment with colleagues at work recently.  To put it bluntly, some people are annoying the heck out of me, and I’m having trouble getting past that to be at my best.

David’s post was a really great grounding agent for me, reminding me of what I had personally experienced and learned while at PSL.  It also brought to light how effective I can really be in shaping a positive environment around me with only a slight change in how I approach each day and in interactions with other people.  I really needed this!  I am looking forward to seeing how I improve through the rest of the week with people around me.

My final thought for today:  The Problem Solving Leadership course is a wonderful, and life-altering experience.  It will challenge you in ways you could never expect, but also help you find parts of yourself you didn’t know you could ever find.  There is another offering being held in March of 2009.  Please do attend if you can find a way to make it happen.  I can guarantee that you won’t regret it!