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Written by John W. Gardner, then president of the Carnegie Foundation, this book is about the individual and the innovative society, and is based on the premise that capacity for renewal depends upon the energy, purpose and creativity of its individual members.
What I find fascinating is that this book was published in 1963, the year that witnessed the end of “Camelot” with the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy.
Dr. Gardner presents the characteristics of the self-renewing individual, which sound like the characteristics of an effective coach:
- Flexibility
- Independence
- Motivation
- Capacity for self-development and self-knowledge
He goes on to say that these are also the same characteristics of a self-renewing organization and/or society. He explores individual commitment, hunger for meaning, and purpose – all key concepts within coaching and society today.
If we look at the current socioeconomic environment through the eyes of Dr. Gardner and the perspective of self-renewal, we might see that what is happening globally is a form of self-renewal. The ‘reset’ button has been pushed and we are at choice between optimism and pessimism, decay and growth, immobility and movement.
What do you choose? How might the concept of self-renewal influence how you coach your clients and how you show up in the world?
Vikki G. Brock, Ph.D., MCC
Director, History and Archive Division
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