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Synchronicity: The Inner Path of Leadership
Using his own story, the international bestselling author shows readers how 3 changes in mindset can help them shape their future.Synchronicity is an inspirational guide to developing the most essential leadership capacity for our how we can collectively shape our future. Through the telling of his life story, Jaworski posits that a real leader sets the stage on which “predictable miracles,” seemingly synchronistic in nature, can—and do—occur. He shows that this capacity has more to do with our being—our total orientation of character and consciousness—than with what we do. Leadership, he explains, is about creating—day by day—a domain in which human beings continually deepen their understanding of reality and are able to participate in shaping the future. He describes three basic shifts of mind required if we are to create and discover an unfolding future—shifts in how we see the world, how we understand relationships, and how we make commitments—and offers a new definition of leadership that applies to all types of leaders.“A deeply personal and moving narrative that opens up new vistas on compassion, commitment, and connectedness—and hence on leadership.” —James MacGregor Burns, Pulitzer Prize–winning presidential biographer and Woodrow Wilson Professor of Government, Emeritus, Williams College“An insightful, profound, and readable contribution to understanding the personal side of leadership.” —Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, and author of SuperCorp“An unusually thoughtful exploration of the “inner” aspects of leadership, particularly in the business arena…. Eschewing easy answers and ten-point plans to success, presenting the insights he has garnered from forward-looking thinkers including David Bohm and Rupert Sheldrake, Jaworski offers a searching and wise brief that deserves to be read in boardrooms everywhere.” —Publishers Weekly
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1996
163 people are currently reading
1441 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
September 12, 2018
I could subtitle this book "a hero's journey for the 1%". It's an interesting read on how the author reacted to a lot of the challenges of his life. That said, was hard for me to be enthusiastic about how he got there, because this is obviously a person born into privilege, who can have immediate access to important people whenever he wants. I was laughing out loud when he wrote about how he "ran into" Fran Tarkington, who immediately shared personal details with him. This book is full of anecdotes like this - the average person doesn't just "run into" the rich and famous, and engage in intimate conversation with them.
September 25, 2011
Joseph Jaworsky - Synchronicity, The Inner Path of Leadership
Well, ehm, I just earlier tonight wrote about how I might sometimes come to read a book by a strange incident or the way I happen to come across it. My choice to read Synchronicity had a direct relation with one of the destinations on my trip to France, Chartres and its medival cathedral. I wanted to visit the cathedral ever since 2001 and once even had already booked a hotel in the town when I had to cancel two years ago. My finances simply didn't allow me to go away. (Maybe I should be more careful about the books I buy).
When before the Summer break I told a colleague of mine that I was going to visit Chartres he told me about the book by Jaworsky, telling me as well that he wants to visit the cathedral ever since reading the book. So at night at home I set about trying to find a copy without have to spend too much money on it. So I found it second hand on Amazon. Determined to read it before coming to Chartres I spend the trip to Paris finishing the book. Now, the book may sound like a self help book, to get all you want without having to work too hard. Well, that's not the case. Jaworsky describes how he came to found the course for the American Leadership Forum, believing that the world needed a new kind of leadership, where personal responsibility and collaboration go together. New leaders aren't dictators, but servants to the people they lead. Drawing on interviews with numerous people, his own pittfalls and challenges he makes a case for new leadership, also writing that when people do something that's in flow, then the next steps and help will show themselves. But don't expect an indepth description of the cathedral, his description only takes up half a page.
Mentally getting ready to go back to teaching, it's was a good book to help me thinking about the things I find important in my work. Without the get rich in thirty seconds it was an exercise in the challenges I will face and what would really be the thing to get my 'flow' going.
http://whattoreadandwhatnot.blogspot....
Well, ehm, I just earlier tonight wrote about how I might sometimes come to read a book by a strange incident or the way I happen to come across it. My choice to read Synchronicity had a direct relation with one of the destinations on my trip to France, Chartres and its medival cathedral. I wanted to visit the cathedral ever since 2001 and once even had already booked a hotel in the town when I had to cancel two years ago. My finances simply didn't allow me to go away. (Maybe I should be more careful about the books I buy).
When before the Summer break I told a colleague of mine that I was going to visit Chartres he told me about the book by Jaworsky, telling me as well that he wants to visit the cathedral ever since reading the book. So at night at home I set about trying to find a copy without have to spend too much money on it. So I found it second hand on Amazon. Determined to read it before coming to Chartres I spend the trip to Paris finishing the book. Now, the book may sound like a self help book, to get all you want without having to work too hard. Well, that's not the case. Jaworsky describes how he came to found the course for the American Leadership Forum, believing that the world needed a new kind of leadership, where personal responsibility and collaboration go together. New leaders aren't dictators, but servants to the people they lead. Drawing on interviews with numerous people, his own pittfalls and challenges he makes a case for new leadership, also writing that when people do something that's in flow, then the next steps and help will show themselves. But don't expect an indepth description of the cathedral, his description only takes up half a page.
Mentally getting ready to go back to teaching, it's was a good book to help me thinking about the things I find important in my work. Without the get rich in thirty seconds it was an exercise in the challenges I will face and what would really be the thing to get my 'flow' going.
http://whattoreadandwhatnot.blogspot....
July 6, 2018
I am trying to reserve 5 Stars for books that were not only written well, but really influenced my perspective — this book sets the bar pretty high.
For those that know me, you have likely heard me talk about the concept of Synchronicity for many years. It has been something that I have become increasingly aware.
In this book, the author does a great job of sharing his life journey, illustrating along the way the moments where things “seemed to line up” — things that make you say, “wow, what are the chances of that....I was just thinking about XXX and I get a call from XXX.”
Perhaps even more interesting than the chronology of synchronistic moments, are the contacts with whom the author met and how they influenced him. Being a huge fan of Peter Senge (5th Discipline), that contact really jumped out.
Additionally, my curiosity for learning and leadership made this book especially significant as well, as the Jaworski walks through his vision and execution for a leadership “school” - American Leadership Forum.
In the final few chapters, Jaworski goes deep into the philosophy of synchronicity - for me, I had to really slow down the read.
Finally, my paperback is filled with blue ink, underlining passages, scribbled stars, and 18 “letter B’s” circled in the margins - 1 for every book recommendation from the author. There are others as well, but these are the ones that I have yet to read.
I recommend this book to anyone with an open mind who is interested in the topics of Synchronicity, Learning or Leadership. If you are a conventional thinker, you will hate this book, so don’t bother.
Last point - if you like this book, I would highly recommend Deepak Chopra’s The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire.
For those that know me, you have likely heard me talk about the concept of Synchronicity for many years. It has been something that I have become increasingly aware.
In this book, the author does a great job of sharing his life journey, illustrating along the way the moments where things “seemed to line up” — things that make you say, “wow, what are the chances of that....I was just thinking about XXX and I get a call from XXX.”
Perhaps even more interesting than the chronology of synchronistic moments, are the contacts with whom the author met and how they influenced him. Being a huge fan of Peter Senge (5th Discipline), that contact really jumped out.
Additionally, my curiosity for learning and leadership made this book especially significant as well, as the Jaworski walks through his vision and execution for a leadership “school” - American Leadership Forum.
In the final few chapters, Jaworski goes deep into the philosophy of synchronicity - for me, I had to really slow down the read.
Finally, my paperback is filled with blue ink, underlining passages, scribbled stars, and 18 “letter B’s” circled in the margins - 1 for every book recommendation from the author. There are others as well, but these are the ones that I have yet to read.
I recommend this book to anyone with an open mind who is interested in the topics of Synchronicity, Learning or Leadership. If you are a conventional thinker, you will hate this book, so don’t bother.
Last point - if you like this book, I would highly recommend Deepak Chopra’s The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire.
February 17, 2019
I love Jaworski's application of meaningful coincidences to organizations.
May 7, 2012
I have probably read this book about three times now and each time I gain something different from it. While some will struggle with the writers journey to self actualization and see it as a narcissistic rant (I did have one client tell me this), I personally found it aspirational. If a successful lawyer living a life of desirable consumerism (he drove one of my favourite cars, a DB9) can give all that up for something more meaningful in life....then there's hope for the rest of us!
August 15, 2021
Inspirerend boek over dienend leiderschap en samen regie nemen. Hoewel het boek uit 2000 is, kunnen heel veel leiders hier nog een voorbeeld aan nemen.
January 16, 2021
At times, reads like a transcript of some college kids' conversation while on [insert favorite hallucinogen here], but an interesting view on how to live life. It didn't seem particularly leadership-oriented, which can be refreshing if you are reading book after book on the topic. I like the idea of awakening to our interconnectedness to all things, and Jaworski mentions numerous other books I am now interested in reading.
September 8, 2018
Why this book: I met David Winkelman, a fascinating man who is a ‘Visual Problem Solver’ at a recent networking event. During our discussion, I mentioned that I had just read The Alchemist. He told me that if I liked The Alchemist, I’d like Synchronicity. It is almost a business leader’s handbook to The Alchemist. So I ordered it that day and began to read it.
My Impressions: Synchronicity is an autobiographical account of the evolution of Joe Jaworski’s beliefs about himself and the world we live in. He began life as the son of world renowned Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski, then became a successful attorney and partner in a very successful law firm,. Then his life fell apart, and in his recovery, he evolved into something of a guru and change-agent in the world of leadership, and business.
I can imagine that some people, especially pragmatic business people, will find Jaworski’s Synchronicity a bit too ‘woo-woo’ for their tastes. Jaworski describes for us a metaphysics which says that with our attitude and openness, we shape the world we live in and create our own lives and opportunities. He gives numerous examples from his own life and regularly calls on insights from his discussions with David Bohm, renowned Quantum theory physicist and colleague of Einstein’s. Bohm’s research and theories point to an inter-dependence of all of us as thinking beings. Bohm argued that our thoughts do not occur independently from others. Rather, our thoughts are connected to other people’s thoughts, influence and are influenced by others people’s thoughts, influence our reality and are part of a ‘system’ of thoughts and thinking. In other words, we are not independent conscious beings, but our consciousnesses are inter-dependent and connected in ways most of us don’t realize. Jaworski then seems to argue not only that we have a destiny, but also that we create our own destiny – there is a path we are on, but we can shape or create our path. There is almost a freedom vs determinism tension in this view, similar to what one finds in Stoicism and other philosophies.
Jaworski says that life is really all about our ‘relationships.’ Our lives are defined by our relationships to people, things, our environment, and our society. He takes this idea and expands on its implications for how we live and how we should lead – ourselves, our colleagues, our organizations, and our society. It is an expansion on the theme of The Alchemist –that whatever our heart truly desires and believes in fully, the whole universe conspires to help us achieve it. He makes the case that we attract the events that affect our lives, by ‘tuning in’ to our environment, paying attention to ourselves and what is happening around us, and consciously or unconsciously, sending out the right signals. Many will argue with this, and I could argue against this as well, but I find that in fact, I believe in his views – they seem to fit with my own experience.
To read the rest of my review, go to: https://bobsbeenreading.wordpress.com...
My Impressions: Synchronicity is an autobiographical account of the evolution of Joe Jaworski’s beliefs about himself and the world we live in. He began life as the son of world renowned Watergate prosecutor Leon Jaworski, then became a successful attorney and partner in a very successful law firm,. Then his life fell apart, and in his recovery, he evolved into something of a guru and change-agent in the world of leadership, and business.
I can imagine that some people, especially pragmatic business people, will find Jaworski’s Synchronicity a bit too ‘woo-woo’ for their tastes. Jaworski describes for us a metaphysics which says that with our attitude and openness, we shape the world we live in and create our own lives and opportunities. He gives numerous examples from his own life and regularly calls on insights from his discussions with David Bohm, renowned Quantum theory physicist and colleague of Einstein’s. Bohm’s research and theories point to an inter-dependence of all of us as thinking beings. Bohm argued that our thoughts do not occur independently from others. Rather, our thoughts are connected to other people’s thoughts, influence and are influenced by others people’s thoughts, influence our reality and are part of a ‘system’ of thoughts and thinking. In other words, we are not independent conscious beings, but our consciousnesses are inter-dependent and connected in ways most of us don’t realize. Jaworski then seems to argue not only that we have a destiny, but also that we create our own destiny – there is a path we are on, but we can shape or create our path. There is almost a freedom vs determinism tension in this view, similar to what one finds in Stoicism and other philosophies.
Jaworski says that life is really all about our ‘relationships.’ Our lives are defined by our relationships to people, things, our environment, and our society. He takes this idea and expands on its implications for how we live and how we should lead – ourselves, our colleagues, our organizations, and our society. It is an expansion on the theme of The Alchemist –that whatever our heart truly desires and believes in fully, the whole universe conspires to help us achieve it. He makes the case that we attract the events that affect our lives, by ‘tuning in’ to our environment, paying attention to ourselves and what is happening around us, and consciously or unconsciously, sending out the right signals. Many will argue with this, and I could argue against this as well, but I find that in fact, I believe in his views – they seem to fit with my own experience.
To read the rest of my review, go to: https://bobsbeenreading.wordpress.com...
June 9, 2014
Jaworski has had some interesting experiences that have helped to shape his philosophy. He focuses upon "predictable miracles" and attracting people who think differently, thereby creating solutions and innovation.
I've had similar experiences, only I have called them miracles and divine appointments. Throughout the book, I expected him to come to the conclusion that God was orchestrating his life. However, he has given the credit to the Source, teasing the reader to read his next book, "The Source."
I read reviews of "The Source," and he writes of God, but according to the reviews never really accepts God as the Creator of the Universe.
I pray that Jaworski comes to know the True Source, Almighty God.
I've had similar experiences, only I have called them miracles and divine appointments. Throughout the book, I expected him to come to the conclusion that God was orchestrating his life. However, he has given the credit to the Source, teasing the reader to read his next book, "The Source."
I read reviews of "The Source," and he writes of God, but according to the reviews never really accepts God as the Creator of the Universe.
I pray that Jaworski comes to know the True Source, Almighty God.
September 10, 2023
Het (her)lezen van dit boek was een merkwaardige ervaring waar ik nog niet helemaal uit ben. Ik las het boek eerder al, zo ongeveer 25 jaar geleden. Toen maakte het diepe indruk op me, minstens vier sterren waard. Maar nu viel het boek me zwaar tegen en had ik moeite er doorheen te komen. Ik vond het allemaal oude koek en zeer met zichzelf ingenomen.
Waar kwam dit enorme verschil in ervaring vandaan? Zoals gezegd, ik ben er nog niet uit. Ik vermoed dat de verandering in mij zelf zit want het boek is, op twee laatste hoofdstukken na, hetzelfde gebleven. Maar dat geldt niet voor mij: ik ben veranderd en op een andere plek in mijn levensverhaal terecht gekomen. Op deze plek gekomen geef ik het boek met verbazing toch slechts twee sterren.
Waar kwam dit enorme verschil in ervaring vandaan? Zoals gezegd, ik ben er nog niet uit. Ik vermoed dat de verandering in mij zelf zit want het boek is, op twee laatste hoofdstukken na, hetzelfde gebleven. Maar dat geldt niet voor mij: ik ben veranderd en op een andere plek in mijn levensverhaal terecht gekomen. Op deze plek gekomen geef ik het boek met verbazing toch slechts twee sterren.
June 3, 2007
Synchronicity is meaningful coincidences that cannot be explained by cause and effect. This is a very inspiring book. You should read it before embarking on a journey to achieve your dream. It is about importance of finding your true self, listening to your gut and seizing opportunities. It is not one of those teacher meets pupils kind of books where the guru tells you how to live, it is much more than that. The author tells his life story and wonders about life on the way. If you read "Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho where he wrote "if you really want something, all the universe will conspire with you", now you will understand what it means.
November 17, 2016
I chose this book for a college leadership class. It is very focused on following your inner path and listening to your intuition. Attracting people into your circle that will help you grow into your full potential. I liken Joe's story to the epitome of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. He is a successful lawyer proceeding to look for his higher purpose. For this reason it is hard for me to relate to, as he travels back and forth across the world seemingly on a whim.
July 16, 2012
Love, love, love this book. Anyone who is in leadership and who is into the law of attraction will be attracted to this book. Easy read.
October 14, 2025
Beautiful book. Story of Joseph is so good and very inspiring. 5 stars.
January 11, 2020
This is an excellent book, but I would call it a business memoir of sorts as it follows the personal path of the author. If the last name is familiar to you, it's because the author's dad was Leon Jaworski, the special prosecutor during Watergate. There are some fabulous books to read and you can find those in the notes at the end of the book. I've already ordered a bunch.
Synchronicity is a meaningful coincidence of two or more events, where something other than the probability of chance is involved.
We start off with Watergate, 1973, Houston, where the author is from. His dad is from a big law firm and they're well to do. The author follows in his dad's footsteps, becomes a trial lawyer, owns some businesses, his marriage dissolves, and he travels to find himself. He's pretty aggressive and works his way into the Grand Prix, among other things. During his journey he reads seminal books from the likes of Robert Greenleaf, David Bohm, Richard Bach, Eric Fromm, Joseph Campbell, and John Gardner (see end notes for titles). From the elements of love to oneness and connecting with the universe we move to servant leadership. The idea is born to create the American Leadership Forum (ALF), which is the author's goal and dream, which he eventually leaves the practice of law for.
Part 2 takes us from the law firm to meeting with David Bohm, a huge influence. Now the author is open to all sorts of events in his life and he meets his future wife. Part 3 takes us into the hero's journey and how connections matter and how they happen. All sorts of doors open for Joseph and we're talking big names, influential people in society. He travels a great deal, relocates to London for a few years, and incorporates outward bound/wilderness training into his program. It's about 1981, and he is able to get top dogs to be on the board of ALF, no easy task.
Some of the principles in the book or at ALF include: dialogue, collective thinking, being in the flow, the power of commitment, generative order, and implicate order (Bohm). The author ran into traps of course, but he pressed on. Part 4 is the gift and moving forth again. He goes to work with the Shell Group, gets into scenario planning, runs into barricades, develops new frontiers, creating the future, predictable miracles. We need to be open and shift in how we see the world. Be intuitive.
Part 5 continues the journey. There are excerpts from letters about the book. Very good stuff. Then there's a chapter on shifting the prevailing belief system. The U Theory, open and emergent, the universe is a domain of undivided wholeness, etc., eastern philosophy takes over here, meditation, mindfulness, and being present. Humans can learn to draw from the infinite potential of the Source by choosing to follow a disciplined path toward self-realization and love, the most powerful energy in the universe. We close with "Invoked or not, God is present." Carl Jung.
As I said, there are at least 10 books to read from here. We're dealing with out of the box thinking, global service, how to be the best leader, a servant leader. For regular folks, it may be tough finding connections like the author. It's nice to be in the 1%. However, there are some great concepts here and if you're in a leadership role, I highly recommend this book to you and your team. Your CEO needs to read it too.
Synchronicity is a meaningful coincidence of two or more events, where something other than the probability of chance is involved.
We start off with Watergate, 1973, Houston, where the author is from. His dad is from a big law firm and they're well to do. The author follows in his dad's footsteps, becomes a trial lawyer, owns some businesses, his marriage dissolves, and he travels to find himself. He's pretty aggressive and works his way into the Grand Prix, among other things. During his journey he reads seminal books from the likes of Robert Greenleaf, David Bohm, Richard Bach, Eric Fromm, Joseph Campbell, and John Gardner (see end notes for titles). From the elements of love to oneness and connecting with the universe we move to servant leadership. The idea is born to create the American Leadership Forum (ALF), which is the author's goal and dream, which he eventually leaves the practice of law for.
Part 2 takes us from the law firm to meeting with David Bohm, a huge influence. Now the author is open to all sorts of events in his life and he meets his future wife. Part 3 takes us into the hero's journey and how connections matter and how they happen. All sorts of doors open for Joseph and we're talking big names, influential people in society. He travels a great deal, relocates to London for a few years, and incorporates outward bound/wilderness training into his program. It's about 1981, and he is able to get top dogs to be on the board of ALF, no easy task.
Some of the principles in the book or at ALF include: dialogue, collective thinking, being in the flow, the power of commitment, generative order, and implicate order (Bohm). The author ran into traps of course, but he pressed on. Part 4 is the gift and moving forth again. He goes to work with the Shell Group, gets into scenario planning, runs into barricades, develops new frontiers, creating the future, predictable miracles. We need to be open and shift in how we see the world. Be intuitive.
Part 5 continues the journey. There are excerpts from letters about the book. Very good stuff. Then there's a chapter on shifting the prevailing belief system. The U Theory, open and emergent, the universe is a domain of undivided wholeness, etc., eastern philosophy takes over here, meditation, mindfulness, and being present. Humans can learn to draw from the infinite potential of the Source by choosing to follow a disciplined path toward self-realization and love, the most powerful energy in the universe. We close with "Invoked or not, God is present." Carl Jung.
As I said, there are at least 10 books to read from here. We're dealing with out of the box thinking, global service, how to be the best leader, a servant leader. For regular folks, it may be tough finding connections like the author. It's nice to be in the 1%. However, there are some great concepts here and if you're in a leadership role, I highly recommend this book to you and your team. Your CEO needs to read it too.
September 10, 2022
This book offers some incredible insights about the mind shift of seeing ourselves participating in the design of the universe, but they are couched in a lot of rambling stories about the author's interactions with the corporate world and powerful people that I didn't find relatable. My experience of reading this book illustrated its principles as I did feel a synchronicity in coming across this book at a time when I was interested in moving away from a mindset of trying to control others in my life (or having set ideas about what they should be doing) to accepting them as they are and focusing on my emerging path and influencing them through who I am (becoming). I have been drawn to understanding the application of principles from physics to consciousness and social organization - moving from seeing individuals as atomistic, self-contained entities involved in linear causal reactions to seeing their relation to the whole. Jaworkski's interaction with physicist David Bohm about these ideas and his applications of them in his work developing the American Leadership Forum was very useful in expanding my practical understanding of what it means to move beyond the fragmented view of reality that gives us the illusion of being separate. Bohm explains that "individual" units are local, temporary manifestations of the whole - each containing the whole within and to a small degree influencing the whole. He illustrated this with the de-assembly and reassembly of the particles that make up matter. In designing the experience for participants in the Leadership Forum, one of Jaworski's challenges was how to break the individualistic perception of separateness. Experiences of dialogue in working through challenges enabled tuning into a collective mind that drew on the strengths and contributions of the individuals. The great creative power of the collective mind and collective leadership was illustrated in how the leaders assembled were later able to trust in and draw on each other in resolving problems in their own work to reach solutions that they would not have been able to reach on their own. My biggest takeaway from this book was that while each person maintains an individual awareness, we are part of one mind and we have the capacity to tune into our essential place in the unfolding universe. Maybe because I was not as interested in the organizational leadership aspect of what this book offers or maybe because I find the oil companies' role in blocking efforts to combat climate change unconscionable, I found the last chapters focusing on Jaworski's being called to facilitate scenario planning for Shell Oil Company unbearable. It seemed like the tone of him singing his own praises and name dropping overshadowed the message of the book towards the end. But overall the book brought me good things and I am glad I read it.
November 11, 2018
The author describes his personal path of spiritual awakening. Through his awakening, he discovered how to use leadership while serving others. The book is written from a personal perspective, starting from the days when he was just a lawyer, married to his high school sweetheart and up to the days when serendipity brought him in touch with a higher aim.
Some quotes I liked:
-Leadership is about creating a domain in which human beings continually deepen their understanding of reality and become more capable of participating in the unfolding of the world. Ultimately, leadership is about creating new realities.
-But if we are to participate in the unfolding process of the universe, we must let life flow through us, rather than attempt to control life.
-Later in his remarks Dr. Ball mentioned that human life, according to the scriptures, is not a matter of having arrived somewhere, but it’s a matter of being on the road, being on the way, a matter of becoming.
-In the Implicate Order, the totality of existence is enfolded within each “fragment” of space and time—whether it be a single object, thought or event. Thus everything in the universe affects everything else because they are all part of the same unbroken whole.
-I had a sense of destiny as though my life was assigned to me by fate and had to be fulfilled. This gave me an inner security. . . . Often I had the feeling that in all decisive matters, I was no longer among men, but was alone with God.
-All matter and the universe are continually in motion. At a level we cannot see, there is an unbroken wholeness, an “implicate order” out of which seemingly discrete events arise. All human beings are part of that unbroken whole which is continually unfolding. One of our responsibilities in life is to be open and learn, thereby becoming more capable of sensing and actualizing emerging new realities.
-The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained.
Some quotes I liked:
-Leadership is about creating a domain in which human beings continually deepen their understanding of reality and become more capable of participating in the unfolding of the world. Ultimately, leadership is about creating new realities.
-But if we are to participate in the unfolding process of the universe, we must let life flow through us, rather than attempt to control life.
-Later in his remarks Dr. Ball mentioned that human life, according to the scriptures, is not a matter of having arrived somewhere, but it’s a matter of being on the road, being on the way, a matter of becoming.
-In the Implicate Order, the totality of existence is enfolded within each “fragment” of space and time—whether it be a single object, thought or event. Thus everything in the universe affects everything else because they are all part of the same unbroken whole.
-I had a sense of destiny as though my life was assigned to me by fate and had to be fulfilled. This gave me an inner security. . . . Often I had the feeling that in all decisive matters, I was no longer among men, but was alone with God.
-All matter and the universe are continually in motion. At a level we cannot see, there is an unbroken wholeness, an “implicate order” out of which seemingly discrete events arise. All human beings are part of that unbroken whole which is continually unfolding. One of our responsibilities in life is to be open and learn, thereby becoming more capable of sensing and actualizing emerging new realities.
-The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained.
November 16, 2025
Still trying to figure out why this book was written.
Is it a business book? Nope, I would not put it in that category.
Perhaps memoir? Much more so, yes. Though some of the stories are so fantastical that they come off as fiction.
Perhaps self-help? Yes again, though perhaps that is like kryptonite for the suit-set that the producers were attempting to aim for?
There were a lot of invaluable nuggets of insight into mindset and how it can stand in our way, particularly in this current age of empty suits (and souls) shouting out bombast with the aim to dominate others. This book points to an important aspect of leadership that is far too often lost or ignored.
But the hardest part was a presentation of a life that was amazingly successful and, by association, was so due to the sage advice that you could potentially distill from the various stories looking back on the author's life. That was hard because, completely unexamined anywhere in the text was the HUGE privilege that came from being the son of someone well placed and highly regarded in the top circles of the elite that lead a global hegemon.
So, this book is absolutely worth the nuggets and perhaps could serve as an antidote to the bullying, baleful, bombast that has metastasized into our culture, but it would have been so much easier a pill to swallow if the author had reflected more on some of the dimensions of advantage he was born into.
Is it a business book? Nope, I would not put it in that category.
Perhaps memoir? Much more so, yes. Though some of the stories are so fantastical that they come off as fiction.
Perhaps self-help? Yes again, though perhaps that is like kryptonite for the suit-set that the producers were attempting to aim for?
There were a lot of invaluable nuggets of insight into mindset and how it can stand in our way, particularly in this current age of empty suits (and souls) shouting out bombast with the aim to dominate others. This book points to an important aspect of leadership that is far too often lost or ignored.
But the hardest part was a presentation of a life that was amazingly successful and, by association, was so due to the sage advice that you could potentially distill from the various stories looking back on the author's life. That was hard because, completely unexamined anywhere in the text was the HUGE privilege that came from being the son of someone well placed and highly regarded in the top circles of the elite that lead a global hegemon.
So, this book is absolutely worth the nuggets and perhaps could serve as an antidote to the bullying, baleful, bombast that has metastasized into our culture, but it would have been so much easier a pill to swallow if the author had reflected more on some of the dimensions of advantage he was born into.
February 20, 2019
This book details the author's journey to discover synchronicity in the world and apply it to his leadership roles. Several times in the book, the author states that we as humans do not have the language to describe the feeling, the connectivity of a group in dialogue or the oneness of all things. I agree, the author still did not have the right language and many times feel into phrases more common to a hippy spiritual awakening than a book on business leadership.
In general, the writing is very difficult to read because the words do not flow. I read some of the book out loud to try to hear if there was a flow when read aloud and there was not.
I have felt synchronicity within a group and the book tried to explain how to maintain that feeling but by focusing on only the author and how he was either in or out, it did not help with how you can keep the group connected.
In general, the writing is very difficult to read because the words do not flow. I read some of the book out loud to try to hear if there was a flow when read aloud and there was not.
I have felt synchronicity within a group and the book tried to explain how to maintain that feeling but by focusing on only the author and how he was either in or out, it did not help with how you can keep the group connected.
July 2, 2025
What is above knows what is below but what is below does not know what is above
Some notes:
- This book is about guiding people towards the shift in consciousness from a leadership perspective in your organization and society as a whole
- Your capacity as a leader is in your capacity to allow life to unfold through you
- Leadership is about the true and deep understanding of how the universe works then altering it
- Many people have a sense of self importance but some special people have it as a reality they’re seeing AROUND. Instead of letting things inside them impact that. Artists and visionaries can see things as they are. They accurately observe the current state of their reality. MOST people are impacted and shaped by the baggage and internal experiences they have of what they invoke in us.
- True artists observe the reality around without judgement of what’s within
Some notes:
- This book is about guiding people towards the shift in consciousness from a leadership perspective in your organization and society as a whole
- Your capacity as a leader is in your capacity to allow life to unfold through you
- Leadership is about the true and deep understanding of how the universe works then altering it
- Many people have a sense of self importance but some special people have it as a reality they’re seeing AROUND. Instead of letting things inside them impact that. Artists and visionaries can see things as they are. They accurately observe the current state of their reality. MOST people are impacted and shaped by the baggage and internal experiences they have of what they invoke in us.
- True artists observe the reality around without judgement of what’s within
April 16, 2021
This book (#synchronicity the inner path of leadership) consists of different contents and can be reviewed from different aspects. The main themes of the book are: personal life of Mr. Jaworski and how he reacted to the challenges of his life, his journey to self-actualization (giving up his carrier and establishing American Leadership Forum), his spiritual and mental finding and understandings and ..... Though he is born to the privilege to access easily to the important and prominent people like David Bohm, I believe his main massage is applicable for ordinary people as well. Joseph Jaworski is trying to explain his inner and moral experience in his words. We can also apply his experience by concentrating more and listening to our inner voice.
October 23, 2021
Thought provoking, heartwarming, relatable in many ways.
The book carries Insightful views about everything being one and interconnected, the necessity of being open and to surrender in order to really connect with others. As we as the use of scenario planning to shape the future rather than to react to it.
This book tells the story about the journey of the author that led to the discovery that life and leadership is about "being" rather than "doing".
The book ends with : "Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come to the world."
"We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring. Will be to arrive where we started. And know the place for the first time." - T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets
The book carries Insightful views about everything being one and interconnected, the necessity of being open and to surrender in order to really connect with others. As we as the use of scenario planning to shape the future rather than to react to it.
This book tells the story about the journey of the author that led to the discovery that life and leadership is about "being" rather than "doing".
The book ends with : "Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come to the world."
"We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring. Will be to arrive where we started. And know the place for the first time." - T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets
January 30, 2022
Dit is geen boek voor managers, wel voor mensen. Volgens mij is de kern van dit boek dat je naar je gevoel moet luisteren en dat je moet openstaan voor 'de dingen'. Je moet je vooral niet laten leiden door meningen van anderen. Van jezelf houden dus.
Op een gegeven moment weet je het wel en het feit dat hij zo lyrisch is over Shell is natuurlijk wel discutabel. Vooral als je het over de diepere bron, het universum en eenheid hebt. Over de misstanden van onze voormalige olietrots rept hij niet. En of Shell de toekomst nu vormt door de aandeelhouder, dus de kortetermijnwinst, als heilig te beschouwen...Hmmm. Ik denk maar dat Jaworski ook zijn wenkbrauwen fronst.
Toch goed dat dit soort mensen ook in het bedrijfsleven zit.
Op een gegeven moment weet je het wel en het feit dat hij zo lyrisch is over Shell is natuurlijk wel discutabel. Vooral als je het over de diepere bron, het universum en eenheid hebt. Over de misstanden van onze voormalige olietrots rept hij niet. En of Shell de toekomst nu vormt door de aandeelhouder, dus de kortetermijnwinst, als heilig te beschouwen...Hmmm. Ik denk maar dat Jaworski ook zijn wenkbrauwen fronst.
Toch goed dat dit soort mensen ook in het bedrijfsleven zit.
June 8, 2023
This gives me several key "life changing" insights. It's hard to describe, because this book is written so well. In a simple way, this gave me a completely different way to sharpen my kokorozashi, critically looking at it, how I build and expand relationships, and how I look at the world. As I continue my life's journey, I will come back to this book from time to time.
Just a small win for me was that I had great moment - a cubic centimeter of chance - with the most difficult subordinate. Conversation opened the tightly-closed mind, relieved the person from personal struggle, gain trust, and felt we became better partners. I'm sure the person felt the same way as I saw in the eyes.
Just a small win for me was that I had great moment - a cubic centimeter of chance - with the most difficult subordinate. Conversation opened the tightly-closed mind, relieved the person from personal struggle, gain trust, and felt we became better partners. I'm sure the person felt the same way as I saw in the eyes.
September 6, 2020
For whoever has already explored the concept of the "leader as a servant" this is not going to rock your world, rather makes it stronger. Through the writer own story we revisits in portant concept on synchronicity, purpose, listening to one 's own heart. Now synchronicity is good when you take action, if you do not have an active role, do not expect things to come tour way. The actions create the space for the opportunity to happen. Enjoy the reading... And the synchronicity.
October 29, 2018
This is the personal story of how the author moved from going through the motions of life to living fully alive and with purpose. I have some differences on the philosophical worldview that he ends up choosing, but I agree with the big ideas of stopping and evaluating your life, of living on purpose and the fundamental role of relationships for even physical matter.
January 28, 2020
Synchronicity is an intensely personal and compelling book. Jaworski's life demonstrates that the immense cultural and institutional change that a possible future demand can begin anytime, anywhere, in anyone, even those who have benefited greatly from the old order of things. I'm was grateful that Joe Jaworski let us travel with him on this 'the inner path journey of leadership.
March 22, 2020
A book that talks about relationships and the unfolding of life through them. Among them the coincidences that make us believe in some kind of Synchronicity, well described in the book through the author's personal experiences.
My notes on the book are on this website: https://esselivroeuli.blogspot.com/20...
My notes on the book are on this website: https://esselivroeuli.blogspot.com/20...
July 24, 2022
Een mooi boek over leiderschap, dienend leiderschap en hoe synchronicities hier een rol in speelt. Meer moed om open te staan voor nieuwe ontwikkelingen en leider vanuit het zijn en niet vanuit het doen. Hoewel dit boek al 20 jaar geleden geschreven is, is het nog steeds actueel. Misschien nu meer dan ooit. Aan de slag, dienende leiders!
June 22, 2017
This is one of my favorite books on leadership. It approaches it both from the inside out and the outside in. Highly recommended for anyone who has a vision they want to put on the ground, entrepreneurs, authors and those feeling a stirring inside for change.
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