Brand new Book Encourages Openness in order to Thrive Through Change and Obstacles

Ann Van Eron's new book Open Stance: Thriving Amid Differences and Uncertainty convincingly shows us that the simplest way we can improve our relationships and cope with life's changes and obstacles is to be open-minded, or adopt an open stance.

The book opens with a powerful quote by Jim Collins, which perfectly sums up why this open stance is necessary: "If the first 2 decades of the twenty-first century have taught us anything, it really is that uncertainty is chronic, instability is permanent, disruption is common, and we can neither predict nor govern events. You will have no new normal. There will only be a continuous group of not normal episodes defying prediction and unforeseen by the majority of us until they happen." The response most of us might feel to the tumultuous change all around us would be to run and hide. Ann Van Eron realizes that. She describes a vacation she took to Santorini, Greece, which she thinks of as her oasis because there she learned to relax, quit stressing, and be open to what was around her.

Since being on a perpetual vacation isn't an option for most people, Ann encourages us to get our very own oases or pleasant memories of that time period whenever we felt open and relaxed and apply them to situations inside our lives which may be more difficult. When we approach our obstacles with the same openness we approach a secondary or other positive things, we are able to shift to being more open-minded and finding methods to appreciate even the most difficult situations or arrived at find common ground with people we previously felt were too different for us to see eye-to-eye with.

Of  openai history , being open or closed is all circumstances of mind. Ann teaches us how exactly to be aware of when we are closed-to be aware of our thoughts and how they might be sabotaging us or preventing us from taking an open stance which will bring us greater fulfillment or satisfaction. She reminds us that people each have an internal spin doctor who tells us stories about situations, other people, and ourselves. We must be aware of once the spin doctor is operating, twisting perspectives to create us look good and others less so. By paying attention to our thoughts and to other people, we can open a door to possibilities.

As a business consultant, Ann spent some time working with numerous organizations to instruct their members how to take such an open stance. She has witnessed firsthand how companies faced with diversity challenges experienced employees shift to being open so that they could co-create solutions. Now in Open Stance, she shares the tools and processes that have worked for the numerous people she has guided through the process. The book is divided into four sections. Part One argues the case to be open, Part Two supplies a process for shifting to being open, Part Three shares practices for embodying an open stance, and Part Four encourages us to do this from an open stance to help make the world an improved place, whether in simple ways or larger ones within our local or global community.

Throughout the book, Ann shares not merely her own experiences helping others to be more open, but she backs up her statements with research, showing, for example, how employees tend to be more engaged when they are open and experiencing wellbeing. The effect for companies is greater financial success and positive impact on their customers. By developing a workplace that is more open, people feel psychology safe, and they are more willing to share ideas, are more creative, and are better together.

While being open may appear easy, it requires understanding how to listen to other people to understand them. Ann discusses such topics as empathy and how exactly to be open to and interested in others. She also cautions us never to assume we can easily understand another. Can we really know very well what it's like to be in a wheelchair or even to be unable to get a cab because of the skin we have color? However, we are able to listen to others and come to understand why they contain the beliefs and opinions they achieve this we are able to find common ground.

We also can expand our emotional vocabulary to better listen to ourselves. For instance, rather than use basic descriptions of emotions like happy, sad, or angry, we are able to expand to pinpoint whether we are frustrated, irritated, afraid, or annoyed. By becoming more aware of our emotions, we can develop greater emotional intelligence. We will also then be better in a position to notice what emotions others are responding from so we can respond better to them.

Some of this may seem like good sense, but it is easy to forget these practices if we have been closed. Additionally it is easy to forget what long-lasting ripple effects we are able to create simply by having "compassionate curiosity" and connecting to one another. Open Stance's final section is a true tour-de-force vision of how good the world could be if we simply concentrate on being open, try to be optimistic, and express gratitude.