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The Seeker
Organizational Change Personal Transformation
(keynote by Vafa Akhavan)
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The Seeker
Organizational Change
Personal Transformation
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The Thesis
people can improve organizations by becoming Seekers
Seekers will create organizations that foster seekership
seekership is the organizational genome
organizations will transform when there’s a seeker genome
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The Journey
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The Learningsthe world is but one country
and mankind its citizens
my world changes when I change
a bird can only fly when both wings
work in unity
justice is the foundation for unity
i am nothing i am everything
who i am what i believe
prejudice is a virus
change management
organizational development
strategy
brandmanagement
systems
technology
finance
p&l
diversity & inclusion
hrprocess P
P
P
P
P
P
PP
PP
P
complexity
back-biting is cancer
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The Quest
the one thing
the magic bullet
the golden nugget
the silver bullet
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DOES NOT EXIST
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or does it?
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Human Capital• The greatest asset • The most important part of our business • The greatest resource in the organization • Our strategic imperative • It’s what sets us apart • Drives our culture
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Human Capital Has Multiple Relationships• Organizational structure • Systems • Processes • Performance
management • Resource allocation • Strategy
• Technology • Market conditions • Customer experience • Owner requirements • Leadership • Product
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the person
what is the most common denominator in all things?
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i am the center of the universe
i’m not even a spec of dust in the grand scheme of things
The Struggle
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Learnings And Insight Tracks• from personal life experience • from career and professional experience • from the Baha’i Writings and participation in Baha’i activities
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Seminal Experiences1971
Leeds Junior Youth Weekend
1976
Counsels Of Perfection (foundation for being human)
1980s – 2015 Serving in various capacities and life as a Baha’i
1970s, 1990s, 2002 (transformative)
Tablet Of The True Seeker
2002 – 2013 (icing on the cake)
The Seven Valleys & The Four Valleys
The Valley of Search – what is before and after
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The Fusion
every learning every insight
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The Insight
change me, change my world
people change, the world changes
THE INDIVIDUAL
THE COLLECTIVE
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The Logic• People are the most common denominators in all things • Human capital is the organizations, and the world’s, greatest
asset • If enough people transform • Then the organization and the world changes
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The Challenge
Transforming who I am is complicated because I’m complicated
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The Quest Continues
is there a single quality or attribute you can change in a person to impact everything?
is there something I can drop in the ocean to cause an eternal ripple?
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YES
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Qualities & Attributes of a Seeker
s e e k
s e
e k
s e e k
s e
e k
s e
e ks e
e k
s e e k s e e k
s e e k
s e e k s e e k s e e k
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The Seven Valleys1. THE VALEEY OF SEARCH 2. THE VALLEY OF LOVE 3. THE VALLEY OF KNOWLEDGE 4. THE VALLEY OF UNITY 5. THE VALLEY OF CONTENTMENT 6. THE VALLEY OF WONDERMENT 7. THE VALLEY OF TRUE POVERTY AND ABSOLUTE NOTHINGNESS
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what do you see?
why is he covering his face?
what do you see?
what is she feeling?
The Test
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The Valley Of SearchThe steed of this Valley is patience; without patience the wayfarer on this journey will reach nowhere and attain no goal. Nor should he ever be downhearted; if he strive for a hundred thousand years and yet fail to behold the beauty of the Friend, he should not falter.
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The Seven ValleysIt is incumbent on these servants that they cleanse the heart—which is the wellspring of divine treasures—from every marking, and that they turn away from imitation, which is following the traces of their forefathers and sires, and shut the door of friendliness and enmity upon all the people of the earth.
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The Seven ValleysOne must judge of search by the standard of the Majnún of Love. It is related that one day they came upon Majnún sifting the dust, and his tears flowing down. They said, “What doest thou?” He said, “I seek for Laylí.” They cried, “Alas for thee! Laylí is of pure spirit, and thou seekest her in the dust!” He said, “I seek her everywhere; haply somewhere I shall find her.”
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The Seven ValleysThe true seeker hunteth naught but the object of his quest, and the lover hath no desire save union with his beloved. Nor shall the seeker reach his goal unless he sacrifice all things. That is, whatever he hath seen, and heard, and understood, all must he set at naught, that he may enter the realm of the spirit, which is the City of God. Labor is needed, if we are to seek Him; ardor is needed, if we are to drink of the honey of reunion with Him; and if we taste of this cup, we shall cast away the world.
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The Seven ValleysOn this journey the traveler abideth in every land and dwelleth in every region. In every face, he seeketh the beauty of the Friend; in every country he looketh for the Beloved. He joineth every company, and seeketh fellowship with every soul, that haply in some mind he may uncover the secret of the Friend, or in some face he may behold the beauty of the Loved One. And if, by the help of God, he findeth on this journey a trace of the traceless Friend, and inhaleth the fragrance of the long-lost Joseph from the heavenly messenger, he shall straightway step into THE VALLEY OF LOVE
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We Always Seeklove
new worlds
justice
fame
approval
honor
attention
status
integrity
perfection
dominance
excellence
moneypeace
PP
P
PP
PP
P
trust
explanations
justification
P
answers
truth
possibility
right
fair
equity
rest
tranquility
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The Divine Genius
Tablet Of The True Seeker is the catalyst that impacts every aspect of life
•study ancillary and adjacent Writings •qualities we must have
•how to apply them
•what we will achieve
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The Ideal Qualities • Rely upon and trust in God • Detachment from the world of
dust • No trace of love or hate • Never seek to exalt self above
others • Don’t promise what you can’t
deliver • Cleanse the channel of human soul
• Perfect cleanliness of heart • Poor in material wealth • Rich in spiritual wellbeing • Eliminate pride and vainglory • Patience and resignation • Silence and refrain from idle talk
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The Promise• Gems of divine knowledge • Fragrance of mystic Flower • Blossom of ancient wisdom • Plants spring forth abundantly • The knowledge of Ancient of
Days • Mysteries unravelled
• Protection against error • Closer to the truth • Doubts and misgivings
dissipated • Enveloped with knowledge • A new eye, a new ear, a new
heart, and a new mind
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People & OrganizationsSeeker
Team Work
Decision Making
Production
Innovation
Leadership Structure Solutions Marriage Family Communi
ty
Seeker
Purpose Structure Relations Comp Leadership
Development Clarity
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Yin Yang
the person transforms
the organization fosters the transformation
Fostering transformation, transforms the person
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My Impact world
continent
nation
organization
community
family
1
One Seeker can change the world
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Conclusion
grow the number of seekers
change the world