The Four Agreements, authored by don Miguel Ruiz, are powerful tools to unleash one of the greatest assets in any organization: Your Energy! And by extension, the energy of all the others in the enterprise can also be sent soaring. What is possible is not simply an increase in performance (although you will certainly enjoy those) but rather an entire new point-of-view that connects the creative potential of the individual to the mission and goals of the business. And the creative potential I’m pointing to is the profound flowering of an individual that comes from a process of increasing mindfulness and self-understanding in relation to others. Multiply this individual transformation across many people in an organization, and you have a world-class organization.
Whether you are a systems-oriented thinker along the lines of W. Edwards Deming or a fan of The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss, The Four Agreements provide a simple-to-learn, lifetime-to-master set of principles that can create amazing leverage for today’s small business owners, entrepreneurs and professional managers.
When I say “leverage,” I mean greater results with relatively less effort. Another way of saying this is “working smarter not harder.” These days with increasing global competition in all markets, we all need to enjoy greater leverage. Also for individuals, leverage is the way to come back to work-life balance. As we create more results in our work lives more efficiently, we have more time and energy for our non-work pursuits.
The Four Agreements are:
1. Be Impeccable with Your Word
2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
3. Don’t Make Assumptions
4. Always Do Your Best
So where to begin? How about almost at the beginning with #2?
The next installment will be about:
Don’t Take Anything Personally
When we first engage The Four Agreements to shift our energy in our workplaces, the first place to look is: where are we using our energy now? One of the places we invest so much energy is in: Taking Things Personally…. To be continued….
If you are ready to make a dramatic shift in your energy and engagement as a Leader in the Workplace, consider joining us for a Conscious Entrepreneur Spiritual Retreat to the Sacred City of Pyramids in Teotihuacan, Mexico. Join Rita Rivera, who has traveled to sacred sites around the world with don Miguel and led many such journeys. I will be joining Rita in leading this adventure/retreat, which includes an additional 60 days of follow-on programs when we return. Follow this link for more information
Kevin F. Murray is an author, Business Advisor, Mentor Coach and Toltec guide in the lineage of don Miguel Ruiz. He is the Creator of Energize Your Business Programs. Kevin is a lifetime entrepreneur and has practiced sacred traditions for over 25 years. He is a husband and father living in Connecticut.