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The Leadership Sanctuary

Anytime you do something creative, you must enter the desert where you stop and wait for the spirit of what you are doing to meet you.    -- Carolyn Myss, Anatomy of the Spirit

Refuge (noun)  A safe house which protects from danger, distress, trouble, or
unhappiness; a strong hold which protects by its strength.

Sanctuary (noun) A sacred or holy place.  A place of inviolable refuge, asylum,
shelter, immunity or protection, especially for someone or something being chased or
hunted.  A place to be safe from hunters…

Retreat  (verb) To withdraw into a place of privacy, safety, solitude; to move back
and relinquish a position, at least temporarily.

You can take refuge anytime you choose -- with a person, in a sacred place, or
simply with your Self -- in order to stop and wait to hear the voice of Spirit within
and around you. You need only step back for a moment, enter a safe and private place
of solitude – leaving roles, cell phones, and familiar routine behind – and dare to venture
into the new and uncharted territory of inner space.

Why do leaders seek refuge?  Here is what leaders from the US and Canada say about
why they act on the call, the dream, the desire for something more:

I'm striving for a life where I don't awaken anxious about my leadership challenges and how I can turn my organization around.   I have had to make some very difficult decisions that have estranged from me people who I care deeply about.  It makes me really doubt myself.  I need to know if there is something wrong with me -- can I trust myself?    I sense that I am much more than I allow myself to see, but I am afraid to look inside for fear of what I will find.

If you want to know more about executives seeking refuge and what
happens when they do click on Toward Leadership Balance for findings
from a Series of Leadership Retreats.

"The Leadership Sanctuary is a very special place that must be visited to
be appreciated -- a place where self-selected association executives come
together to experience the freedom of learning about oneself.  Marybeth is the
ideal coach for this session -- she brings an air of relaxation and instills in each
of us a freedom to be oneself."
     -- Beverly I. Levy, CEBS, CAE, Vice President, Management Solutions Plus, Inc.

"Sanctuary is exactly what it says -- respite from the conventional business
perspective to allow time and space for renewal, revitalization, and inspiration. 
The most worthwhile personal or professional program I have ever experienced."
      -- Danna L. McDonough, CAE, Executive Director,
          Los Angeles City Employees Association

If you are interested in seeking refuge or sanctuary on Maui or elsewhere write
marybeth@marybethfidler.com or call 717.290.1667

Thought to Ponder
Sanctuary Definition 2: (noun) The most retired part of the temple into which no
person was permitted to enter except the high priest once a year in order to intercede
for the people.

I am intrigued to find this obscure definition of sanctuary.  What would it be like if
leaders annually entered the most retired part of the “temple” to intercede – to
pray – for the organization and its people?  Could it be that this notion of seeking
sanctuary or refuge is not only an opportunity for the executive to renew and grow,
but is also a necessary and powerful way for the executive to serve or intercede on
behalf of those led?