I have always been fascinated by situations where art imitates real life and here is a perfect example, linking Christmas and business and personal development.
If you want to read about dodgy people management (on the brink of potential litigation); a man adrift with the world and with himself; shown how to do it through three visionary experiences (and with a brilliant example of building support teams included); and then the last Christmas ‘change’? All of this is brilliantly described for your pleasure in a seasonal read from ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens.
Here, Dickens brings out all these wonderful examples and takes us through the life of Scrooge, ending in an exemplary and joyous outcome for a man whose life is changed for the better, forever (despite years and years of baggage). .
From an opening on how not to treat your ‘team’ (‘You’re going to want a whole (Christmas) day (off) tomorrow, I guess?’ – and I especially like the image of the poor clerk warming himself with a candle!); Through the lonely Christmas Eve meal; surviving the initial appearance of Jacob Marley as his knocker (what is the light emitted by a ‘bad lobster in a dark cellar’?), the reader then experiences Scrooge carried through great examples of visitation training from the three ‘ghosts’, in turn exploring his lost childhood, an example of how to truly motivate and celebrate with his team of employees (the wonderful ‘boss’ Fezziwig) – and an understanding of what you can miss out on in your life if you don’t. does. act now. He finds the analogies for yourself in a reading that will take you through a simple afternoon by a cozy fire, perhaps with some mulled wine!
And once you’ve considered this Dickens novel, how many other works of fiction could be considered part of the world of Coaches?
Over the years, through my love of reading, I have discovered that there are many issues related to people’s abilities that stand out or are interpreted from the world of fiction (not forgetting cinema: what metaphors so brilliant about management skills in ‘A bug’s life’ or how to motivate a rebel group like Mel Gibson did in ‘Brave heart’, to name just a couple). In almost every book you read or movie you watch, if you look at the larger context, there are riches to behold. Many of these are worth enjoying and, where appropriate, sharing with colleagues and friends, just to put another angle on a situation.
take a break and enjoy ‘A Christmas Carol’ this seasonal time of year, oh yeah, and have a great vacation too!
Enjoy the book and feel free to let me know of any other examples you’d like to share that I’d like to read myself!