The research confirms what I myself—and hundreds of my fasting course participants over the years—have experienced in our own bodies: that just one week of fasting opens up an extraordinary and deeply well-being–enhancing space, where the body is given the best possible conditions to heal, recover, cleanse, and strengthen our energy levels, gut flora, brain health—and overall well-being.
Just imagine if our municipalities were organized as an organismic rather than a hierarchical entity. And imagine what that would mean for the well-being of our municipal employees and leaders—and not least for their ability to truly place the citizen at the center, to a degree that many deeply wish for.
We thrive when we have influence and the opportunity to make a difference. It fuels our creativity, energy, adaptability, and productivity—benefiting ourselves, the organizations we belong to, and society as a whole. So why not replace organizational habits with new, visionary approaches to leadership and structure that support all this—and so much more?
If you're a middle manager, you probably know this question from your everyday life. Perhaps you've heard your employees pose it, maybe to such an extent that you sometimes catch yourself thinking, 'Why should so many decisions actually go through me?' Perhaps you've also posed the question upward in your organization to ensure you're on track with the management's KPIs and expectations.
We thrive best when, as individuals, employees, and leaders, we have the opportunity to give while also growing from it. However, we can only do that when we remember to recover and occasionally take the time for a self-loving 'give-while-I-grow' check. That's why breaks and mental breathing spaces are so crucial for our well-being, to the extent that they can actually be equated with fundamental needs like sleep and nutrition.
"Imagine if..." Those three words in context are one of my favorite expressions because they inspire me to wonder. I often wonder, especially if the growth paradigm, its dogmas, and ideals have actually led us away from a much more cohesive way of understanding ourselves in the world, which would make much more sense for individuals.
There has been an election in Denmark, and regardless of the government's color and composition, action needs to be taken. My greatest hope and heartfelt urging for the new government is that, through action, reforms, and human responsibility, it confronts the "sick" structures and endless exercises in cost-cutting and efficiency that, for far too many years, have contributed to the decline of meaning, values, and purpose — and to employees, leaders, professionals, and citizens who have simply had enough!
Fortunately, the fog of the pandemic is lifting, and we now find ourselves in a place where, by listening to our own experiences, well-being research, and making room for presence, tranquility, self-compassion, constructive conversations, and shared exchanges of experiences, we can pave the way for more well-being, meaning, and greater job satisfaction.
Just 20 years ago, it was believed that the brain's capacity was limited to the cells we are born with. That one had a brain with a certain number of nerve cells that remained constant throughout life. Since then, research has made us wiser, and today there is agreement that the human brain develops throughout life – provided, of course, that we give it the opportunity to do so.
I would like to share something with you. Something that has meant a lot to me and has made much more possible for me than if I hadn't experienced it and discovered it. And perhaps, it may also come to mean something for you? Who knows. Here it comes.
I have repeatedly confirmed how dedicated, skilled, loyal, and hardworking public leaders we have in Denmark – but at the same time, I see a group of public leaders who feel tremendously pressured because they lack time for personnel management.
With a wish for more humanity and a well-being fostering new year January is a suitable time for reflections on the past year and the 365 days that the new year holds. So, I have decided to start the year by sharing some of my biggest wishes and hopes for the new year with you. And those wishes and hopes contain echoes of both major and minor keys.
We have created an entire population group that doesn't feel they can do well enough. We have now streamlined and squeezed the lemon so much – and for so long – that we have created a huge population group struggling to find meaning in their professional lives. And we really need to take that seriously – now.
The alarming figures clearly indicate that we have now reached a point where the prevailing growth paradigm is beginning to manifest in well-being measurements. In other words, we see how efficiency measures, cost-cutting exercises, and the pursuit of target management are starting to impact individual employees both mentally and physically. And my guess is that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg.
That it marks the beginning of a new chapter. Or at least, it provides an opportunity to reflect on what happened in the past year.
What are you looking forward to?
What would you like to leave behind?
In our calendar, we have just entered a new year. For many of us, this means reflecting on the past year and perhaps considering what we want from 2017 – the new year. Some think in terms of New Year's resolutions – what do I want to change, do differently, quit, let go of, add, start, do better?
I believe that friendships are among the most precious things we have. People in whose company you don't need to change anything about yourself, be different, smarter, richer, have better-paying jobs, or
have recently been to the Maldives to deserve a seat at the table.
I have written heaps of columns. This is my first blog.
But I think I'll continue where my columns left off. Namely, by subjecting various phenomena in this life to my wonder, curiosity, joy, and enthusiasm.
Hvad har jordbær, Klods Hans og Peter Plys til fælles?
Jordbær overrasker ved deres sødme og jernindhold – uden at vide det.
Klods Hans er vittig, spontan og original – uden at prale af det.
Peter Plys er ganske enkelt storslået i sin tilsyneladende enfoldighed.
De overrasker hver især på en behagelig lærende måde.
De spejler én selv på en måde,
så man næsten kun kan lære af den refleksion,
der gives én.
Fordi måden,
hvorpå de hver især spejler én selv,
virker befriende.
Købte pind-is i går.
En hel pakke af favorit isen,
så man ikke skal helt over til ismutter
HVER GANG.
For naturligvis skal vi også støtte ismutter!
Købte pind-is i går.
Fordi jeg har lagt mærke til
at uanset alder bliver mine børn SÅ glade,
når der er sørget for deres yndlingsis i fryseren.
Husker det stadig.
Jeg løb henimod den blå rullemåtte med fuld fart på mine løbetrin.
Mine lidt korte ben bevægede sig som de ivrigste trommestikker
på et optimalt udspændt trommeskind
– gymnastikgulvet i gymnastiksalen på Augustenborg skole.
Duften af gymnastiksal var umiskendelig.
Smagen af målbevidsthed i hver en celle i min krop var intensiv og utvetydig:
Jeg skulle have det flik-flik flak til at fungere efter araberspringet.
Skulle engang babysitte.
I Glasgow.
Et barn af nogle af mine bedste venner.
De skulle ud på en alene-aften i byen
Det er vigtigt!
Frodigt forår var det.
Haven bugnede af store grønne blade og strå og blomster.
Og så var der Angus.
3 år gammel skotsk dreng med mange generationer skotsk accent på læben. Endnu uvidende om
den skotske whiskey’s magi
og det nærmest abstrakt store antal pubber i bylivet omkring ham.
Slår man op i Brøndums encyklopædi, under videnledelse, så er der ikke lige nogen, der har skrevet
om det. Til gengæld står der noget om vimpel og vinterbadning, som jeg her vil tillade mig at
gengive, da det ved nærmere gennemlæsning rent faktisk viser sig at kunne indeholde en
gevaldig overførselsværdi i forhold til temaet i dette Kubus nyt – nemlig videnledelse.
De sad dér.
Lige for øjnene af mig.
Med ryggen til mig og behageligt tilbagelænet opad et henkastet halmknippe. Optaget af deres samtale, havde de ikke hørt mig komme op af trappen.
Og skal jeg være ærlig,
var jeg også meget tidligere på den end vanligt.
Da min søn Hagbard gik i børnehave ville han vældig gerne prøve at gå til trompet. På det tidspunkt havde han ”spillet” er måske lige lidt for meget sagt, men truttet da, i en trompet i 1½ års tid. Den eneste ledige spilletid der var hos Århus kommunale musikskoles trompetlærer Knud Albert var timen lige efter børnehavens lukketid.
Da én af mine venner i Schweiz på et tidspunkt grundet en fejlsatsning måtte ”lukke biksen” – et igennem årene innovativt og velrenommeret reklamebureau i Zürich, kom han op til Danmark og besøgte mig. Vi sad på en Café inde i Århus midtby, hvor vi på min anbefaling drak Hyldeblomstdrik fra ovennævnte producent. Jeg benyttede lejligheden til at spørge, om han ville høre noget klogt og sjovt, som stod på etiketten.
Det var midnat og det var det. Jeg skulle sove for længst. Trængte til det. Pulsen var generelt for høj. Meget arbejde. For lidt søvn. Anspændthed. Havde vel egentlig på det sidste haft lidt svært ved at falde i søvn. Var nok lige lidt overophængt. Og havde vel egentlig været det over vel lang tid.
“Goddag jeg hedder Vims, jeg er Georg Gearløs, jeg er Tarzan, hej jeg er Peter Pan.” Var til forældredag for et par dage siden. På min datters efterskole. Havde meldt mig til et fem timers forløb i drama, hvor vi skulle undervises af to af eleverne på skolens dramahold. Jeg havde været i udlandet på et projekt og kom derfor lige en tre kvarter ind i forløbet.
Danish