The FINANCIAL -- Dubai, United Arab Emirates,
June 28 2011: The multitude of natural, economic and social occurrences
sweeping the world are demand indicators signalling that it is time for
‘the new normal’, according to change master, Ian Berry.
“Normal is out. The call I am hearing is for all-round change in the way we conduct business, manage finances, handle relationships and indeed, appreciate ourselves," said Berry, the Adelaide-based author of Changing What’s Normal.
The title, Berry’s fourth, ‘hit the shelves’ (this month, June 2011) igniting great acclaim from numerous corners, not least for its offering of a new vocabulary. Berry suggests a good handful of new words for consideration, among them ‘sparkenation’.
“If we are really going to embrace 180-degree change then we need to first change the double-barrelled energies of attitude and application. I define sparkenation as the spark that ignites passion that leads to an action that changes what is normal," said Berry.
He pens no less than 58 sparkenations in the 200-page book, interestingly spread across three ‘bubbles’ - one each to represent the individual, personal relationships, and business colleagues.
Right up front, Berry’s Prologue is fast to stress something that we may have all heard before - change starts from within. He swiftly spices up the script with a touch of guilt by reminding the reader that promises made must be fulfilled.
“Making a promise is quite easy but keeping one requires commitment, especially those we make to ourselves," he stated.
“Changing what’s normal is about changing our intention or purpose to one where everyone can win – and about fulfilling that intention. I call this ‘doing your work’.
In a no-holds-barred global viewpoint, Berry mooted that success depends on where intention is, suggesting that most political intentions worldwide are currently in the wrong place.
“We have the solutions to most of the problems facing humankind from embracing sustainable living to cutting child mortality. Currently, we are failing to solve these two problems - and many more - because the intention of most is about ‘I’ rather than ‘we’. If we stay on this track, there will continue to be a handful of winners and many more losers," he warned.
Berry has gathered his sparkenations over more than two decades working with organisations, worldwide.
“This book highlights insight gleaned from my interactions with many enlightened and passionate business leaders who thrive on the challenges of change.”
He is quick to stress that he never attempts to tell the reader what to do.
“My desire is to plant seeds of thought that encourage you have a say in what the new normal is going to be and actively change what’s normal in a more positive way.”
Berry begins each sparkenation by inviting consideration of what is currently normal and then the rest of the sparkenation suggests ways to move what’s normal to become the ‘new normal’, ending with possible actions for the individual to embrace as they ponder what is normal to them.
He shares stories of several defining moments in his life. “We each have milestone moments and when we live the lessons we learn through these moments we can change what’s normal and inspire others to do the same, The best stories we tell are those other people recognise themselves in – using new eyes," he mooted.
Changing What’s Normal comes with an online learning vault designed as a companion to the book. The vault contains downloadable files, references, links, tools, tips, techniques and templates.
“The world needs the best of us all, right now, today. Changing What’s Normal is my small attempt to encourage as many people as possible to look at normal with new eyes, so that collectively we can create ‘what is next," Berry concluded.
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