ONE: The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership - Discussion Group
A Guide for Setting up a Discussion Group
Setting up Your Book Discussion Group
There are two central themes running through ONE: The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership :
Whenever we experience pain or sadness, it is because we have become separated from what, or whom, we love. And whenever we are inspired or joyful, it is because we are one with what, or whom, we love. All human challenges and successes can be explained through this awareness. After the need to love and be loved, the next greatest need of humans is to inspire and be inspired;
The pathway to achieving oneness—personally, organizationally and globally—is through living the CASTLE Principles.
This Book Discussion Outline covers all of these key ideas and more.
Many book discussion groups are designed to thrive on debate, argument, and heated discourse, which lead to a discussion based on conflict, polemics, power, and ego. This is not aligned with the message and teaching of ONE: The Art and Practice of Conscious Leadership. We therefore suggest two ways to engage in an inspiring dialogue about the book:
1. Choose from one of the main topics in the book;
2. Follow the Six CASTLE Principles of the Higher Ground Leader to build a greater understanding of this process. So, it is appropriate to invite participants in your Book Discussion Group to model these Principles as you work together in a soulful way, to ask questions rather than assert that any one person has the answer, and to share your time together in a loving, learning partnership.
1. CHOOSE A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION
Choose a free-style discussion or allow your discussion to be inspired by the questions suggested for this format. Be sure to complete the exercises together at the end of Chapters 5-10.
2. FOLLOW A STRUCTURED DISCUSSION GROUP BASED ON THE SIX CASTLE PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSCIOUS LEADER
What does the “shrimp metaphor mean to you? (pages 9-12)
What is “Separateness Thinking”, and why is separateness an illusion? How did we become addicted to separateness thinking? (Chapter 1)
What is Oneness and why is it important? How did we lose it? (Chapters 1 and 2)
What do we mean by Myth, Mystery and Magic? (Chapter 2). Discuss the Walt Whitman poem on page 34. How does this relate?
How do we regain Oneness? (Chapter 3)
How does Frank Stronach model the CASTLE Principles? (Chapter 4)
Courage: How do we lose it? What do we learn from the story of Adele and Jim Rucquoi? (Chapter 5)
Authenticity: What is it? What is the “Whitewater Rule” and how do we live it? Will we become more authentic if we do so? (Chapter 6)
Service: What is a Servant-leader? Will you choose to be a warrior or a servant? What’s the difference? Can we be competitive and loving and serving all at the same time? (Chapter 7)
Truthfulness: Was Bernie Bredschneider right? If so, how do we act like this all the time?
Love: How do we compare to the “Pathology Scale”? What is the definition of love? Why do we have such a hard time with intimacy and vulnerability? Why can’t we tell people we love them? How will we become courageous enough to love others? (Chapter 9)
Effectiveness: What is it? How would you define it? Why is it important? What is a “data sandwich”? What is “economic permission”?
On Having New Eyes:What does this mean? How does it inform us about living the CASTLE Principles to Oneness?
1. CHOOSE A TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION
