Deepening Engagement

Diane M. Millis, PhD, is a leadership consultant, educator, spiritual director and author of Conversation—The Sacred Art: Practicing Presence in an Age of Distraction and Deepening Engagement: Essential Wisdom for Listening and Leading with Purpose, Meaning and Joy. She brings over twenty-five years of teaching experience in the fields of spirituality, communication studies, family studies and human development. As a leadership consultant, she coaches leaders in corporate, education, health care, ministry, non-profit and philanthropic settings. She is the founder of the Journey Conversations Project, an educational initiative devoted to developing deep listening and increasing self-awareness, mutual understanding and candor in communities. To learn more about her work, visit www.dianemillis.com.Rob Lehman chairs the board of trustees and is the former president of the Fetzer Institute, which operates under a "deep engagement" model of governance. Under his leadership as president, the Institute developed a mission in support of mind-body-spirit health, which culminated in the Institute-funded, Emmy award-winning PBS series Healing and the Mind with Bill Moyers.

"Deeply engaging! It gets to the heart of engagement by seeing it as an inside-out, holistic dynamic of engaging oneself, others and the community to contribute on-purpose and in-service."—Kevin Cashman, senior partner, Korn Ferry; best-selling author, Leadership from the Inside Out and The Pause Principle"A magnificent soul-searching resource…. A true treasure for both individuals and small groups that I will make great use of."—The Rt. Rev. Brian N. Prior, bishop, Episcopal Church in Minnesota"Wise [and] luminous, Millis trains [our] ear to listen and [our] heart to be still…. Plant the wisdom of this book into your daily engagements and harvest the bounty.”—Dr. Marty Stortz, Bernhard M. Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota“Whether read alone or in groups (I'd recommend groups!), this book is a marvelous guide to all who seek to venture into the self-renewing spiritual depths awaiting us.”—John Wimmer, program director, Religion, Lilly Endowment, Inc.“A fine book with a brilliant ... structure that provides us with a rhythm of application that we can carry with us long after the reading is done.”—Robert R. Stains, Jr., senior vice president for training, Public Conversations Project“Gentle, invitational and useful …. The simple, profound practices could be transformational. An important guide for almost anyone!”—Judy Brown, leadership educator, poet; author, A Leader's Guide to Reflective Practice and The Art and Spirit of Leadership“This beautiful gem of a book sparkles with clarity, gently inviting the reader to open-heartedly engage self, other and community. A must-read for anyone wanting to listen and/or lead authentically and effectively.”—Margaret Benefiel, author, Soul at Work and The Soul of a Leader

• Foreword ixIntroduction xiiiPart One Engaging Our True SelfBe Who You Are 3Make Use of Everything 7Cultivate Stillness 12Heed the Whispers 16Shift Your Vision 22Notice What Nourishes 27Clean Your Compass Often 32Honor Your Grief 39Part Two Engaging One AnotherAbandon Your Hat 47Open to What Is Unfolding 52Turn to Wonder 57Polish the Mirror 62Keep It Fresh 67Listen Generously 72Ask Heart-Awakening Questions 77Speak about Growth and Possibility 83Part Three Cultivating Engaging CommunitiesLearn from Everyone 91Act on What Matters 95Fan the Flame 101Scan for Joy 106Hold the Tension 113Mine the Meaning 119Improvise Often 126Concentrate on the Relationships 132Acknowledgments 138Notes 141For Further Reading 145Credits 149