Cooperation And Shared Values
In 2016, I was invited to speak at The Rothko Chapel Houston, a space open to the community, every day, to inspire people to action through art and contemplation, to nurture reverence for the highest aspirations of humanity, and to provide a forum for global concerns.
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On November 21, 2016, The Rothko Chapel hosted their annual Houston Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, bringing together leaders and members of different faith organizations, serving as a milestone in the development of interfaith dialogue in Houston. The 2016 theme of the service was “Building Relationships,” inspired by Mayor Sylvester Turner, who said of Houston, "In this city, we build relationships. We recognize that in our diversity is our strength."
Exert “How do we build relationships, especially in times of uncertainty and challenges” by Barbara Homann, November 2016
Good evening, we came here together tonight, members and speakers from different faiths, those who do not follow a religion, people from all backgrounds and paths of life.
In the spirit of “Building Relationships,” we listened to chants on loving kindness. Loving-kindness is the antidote to ill will, animosity, and hatred. It generates feelings of friendliness and compassionate concern.
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Two paragraphs of the chant stand out tonight:
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“May no one deceive or look down on anyone anywhere, for any reason. Whether through feeling angry or through reacting to someone else, may no one want another to suffer.”
“Develop an unlimited heart of friendliness for the entire universe, sending loving-kindness above, below, and all around, beyond all narrowness, beyond all rivalry, beyond all hatred.
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How do we build relationships, especially in times of uncertainty and challenges? The most important thing is our love for each other and remembering to express it and avoid the temptation to get caught in negative and aggressive thinking and its verbal and written expressions. We certainly don’t have to agree with everyone, but let’s reach through differences, listen deeply and give No to fear, build bridges to others.
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We have the freedom in ourselves to choose love, dignity and respect. In every circumstance, we want to embody respect and cultivate compassion for all. Let yourself become a beacon of this mindset and shine with courage and trust. Love people. This is your planet; this is our world. Plant seeds of goodness in whatever peaceful form of action you feel is appropriate, water them everywhere and stand up for them. Then blessings will grow for yourself and for all.
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Barbara Homann, November 21, 2016
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Team Building Workshop on Cooperation and Communication
In December of 2018, I met with a group of 7 call center employees in the manufacturing industry for an engaging, fun, and informative #teambuilding workshop. Our goal was to recognize our own and coworker's unique communication preference and personality type to better appreciate and interact with coworkers who share our preferred styles as well as those who don’t. Participants learned how styles and types manifest in our professional lives, and how we can work with our individual personality styles to be as effective as possible in the workplace and increase the efficiency of a team.
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A group of self-identified introverts showed off their individual
differences in one of the many group exercises, The Pig Personality Assessment. Draw a pig, and I show you who I am!
Curious? Send me an e-mail via the Contact Us page, and we can schedule a workshop to foster collaboration, communication, and cooperation among your team members.
