Corporate Tai Chi For Adults & Kids

balance at work

How would you like to be free to work creatively, school creatively, free of the doctrines of government, religion, society? Would you be lost because we were raised within these fences? Do our laws and our mores bind us or give us freedom? Fortunately for most of us who could not write a new body of laws or create a new society, we do not have to abandon what we have built. We can add to it.

Does the reflection mirror the reality?

Much as this photo shows a mirror inside a mirror inside a mirror, where light is free to reflect multiple times, corporate tai chi can allow our stress, boredom, lethargy, burn-out to become freedom, power and focus through five-minutes of training at our desk (more…)

Carlos Salgado, the Dedicated

Carlos Salgado, my loyal student and friend, understood the meaning of Corporate Tai Chi. He knew that when the individual is balanced, the work flows. And that when the work flows, both the employer and the employee profit.

Carlos, a much-loved Sales Executive and Mentor at Microsoft, loving husband, father, son and friend, spent a good deal of his time studying the human condition. Whether he was studying his tiger claw (Fu-Jow Pai) kung fu, examining how the adversary advances, always finding the latest internet video arrivals in kung fu, tai chi, ultimate fighting OR whether he was teaching the relationship-building piece of the sales process at Microsoft; Carlos had a true understanding of how balance was at the heart of the matter. (more…)

Jaren Levitt, sales leader extraordinaire, had the innate ability to turn opportunity into gold on many occasions. With the vision of an eagle, he began with an idea and made it a successful machine. He molded what could only have been a one-deal-sale into rehab clinics, a medical consulting firm, a time-share organization, a consulting relationship with IBM, political friends, professional athletic friends, a granite company and a framework from which LED lighting can be offered and implemented.

Jaren’s spirit was that of a tiger, tenacious, willing, determined and ready to succeed, whether it involved his responsible role as a caring and mentoring father, as the creative force behind a stable sales organization, as an upstanding citizen in his current community of Sarasota, or as a friend to many of us across the globe.

Along with this true ability to be proactive, to keep going and produce results in the shortest length of time was Jaren’s nurturing side.  Not only was he the King of Providers for his family, he was able to nurture his team by mentoring them in skills that would take them to their own level of independent success. On so many occasions, this writer watched him groom his people to flourish, never doing the job in place of teaching the job, always seeing the big picture, rather than falling pray to the trite.

Let me explain how Jaren was a pure example of Corporate Tai Chi, even though he had never done it. When someone has a smooth and easy understanding as Jaren did (as was characterized by a nickname of his,  Easy Exec) about how to get the job done, effortlessly and directly, you see tai chi in action. Corporate tai chi. When you see instant recognition without flaw or stumble, such as Jaren embodied, this is tai chi. The purpose of the physical martial art is to transcend the physical. Few people do it.  Jaren was one.

Some, and I include myself until several weeks ago, believed that Corporate Tai Chi was a methodology of taking tai chi-like exercise into the corporate world to change employee productivity level through motivation and chi. This is not the big picture. In looking from a broader perspective, in the manner Jaren used to teach by example, Corporate Tai Chi is a concept. Aside from its being a method, the Corporate Tai Chi concept consists of the ability to translate the five-minute physical session (born from the corporate need for work/life balance) into becoming supple in decision making, commanding in execution of task, charismatic in speech delivery, in the way you move and breathe. Corporate Tai Chi, like regular tai chi, is a way of being. Jaren Levitt was this way of being.

Although he never ended up studying the tai chi movement, though he said he would be willing to try when time permitted, he was the corporate tai chi concept. One of the rare individuals who, I can say, understood tai chi flow without knowing tai chi, Jaren took an overview of life and executed his insight and foresight in the most direct, trouble-free, waste-free, good-natured manner, as he would want his children, Jaden and Janna, the loves of his life, to do.

Much love and much respect for a true Corporate Tai Chi practitioner of spirit and hero in my eyes, Jaren Mark Levitt, who came onto this earth on March 19, 1946, and has left it on June 27, 2009. You have made a positive difference in all who have spent time with you. Anyone we encounter will benefit from the growth we have experienced because of you. You are and will be missed.

Please contact us at truehero{at}dianegold.com for further information about Jaren Levitt.

I feel fortunate to be in the same profession that David Carradine made mainstream when he acted in a TV series “Kung Fu,” from 1972-1975. For years, many of us watched reruns of this TV show, dear to my heart, where David portrayed a young Shaolin monk with kung fu prowess who was a gentle soul, raised in a Chinese temple, who had learned temperance, patience, tolerance and the way of compassion in a man’s world of the 1800s that did not act with such dignity. These qualities are rarely portrayed in one person, to this day, even in a single cinematic presentation; David was a master at portraying them and was available acting in “Kung Fu” every week.

He went on to continue  educating the next generation with similar human attributes portrayed when he played in “Kung Fu, The Legend Continues,” in 1996.

Of course, David gave us over 200 movies, produced a myriad of  works, performed music, wrote for film and TV throughout his long career.  Whenever he appeared onscreen, it was tremendous lift for this writer.

My heart goes out to the family of this great man. His departure is very much noticed, and we are grateful for his gifts.

You can read more about him at http://www.david-carradine.com.

Corporate wellness is a super fantastic method of increasing Return On Investment (ROI). With its addition, employee productivity has been measured to double or triple; people in every job title become more, creative, positive, meaningful, proactive when they are fit, happy and enjoy their time at work. Here are two statistics of the many I have collected as proof:

1. According to a study done for a NJ firm in 2005 by ProQuest Information and Learning, for every $1 they  invested in corporate wellness, they got  back $3-$4. This means that, if you invest a million, you get back $4,000,000.

2. Another research giant has done a study indicating that $1 turns into $3.50 within three years, invested in corporate wellness.

These figures document proof of 300%+ Return On Investment in three years, measuring the results of thousands of people in diverse companies. That’s a lot stronger than the investments most companies make in real estate. And it is a much faster return than money invested in research and development or technology.

When a corporation spends marketing dollars, their ROI is expected to increase, but there is no guarantee. Some campaigns win; some crash. But there is never a question as to whether this department will exist.

With corporate wellness, some companies install it; some don’t. They all know that it would be a “good addition.” But they don’t focus on the numbers that are available, which they do in every other aspect of the company. So it is important to measure and publicize results on a regular basis.

If a human resources VP spends $5,000,000 on corporate wellness in one year, the Board of Directors looks at the expenditure. Up until now, most companies do not track the ROI on the $5,000,000. Everyone “thinks” the program is good, but was it worth $5,000,000? It is mandatory to track and report the results.

I am reminded of something my good friend, Perry Marshall, internet marketing guru, said to me last week, ” Fantasy is more fun than reality, but reality is the only thing that pays the bills.” So, rather than “everyone’s” knowing that corporate wellness programs “feel good in a touchy-feely sort of way,” why doesn’t every company use a standard of measurement of ROI in corporate wellness? There are templates for this tracking that prove that, not only is the original outlay of $5,000,000 recovered in increased employee productivity, presenteeism, employee longevity; sick time reduction which impacts insurance premiums to the company, overall positive attitude, better public image, health care cost reduction; but, according to reality, not fantasy, real statistics; the $5,000,000 becomes $15,000,000 or more within three years.

So, why isn’t it mainstream thinking that corporate wellness is a necessary, rather than an elective, training piece to install in every entity? The numbers say that corporate wellness pays. It is crucial that the evidence be brought to the forefront, that the installation of corporate wellness programs be known to be an equitable option for investing for the company.  That corporate wellness is basic, not luxury. Money stream is basic, not an elective. So, this corporate wellness piece as dramatic Return On Investment must become mainstream.

Corporate Tai Chi is a method of improving our personal motivation and tempering our spirit at the corporate, governmental, institutional, organizational, educational levels. It comes from a vision that using the power of the slow martial art form of tai chi chuan as a tool can generate prosperity, balance and motivation in the organizations in which we spend a good part of our day.

Although tai chi has not yet become popular in the mainstream, it is coming. For those of us who have discovered it, it is practiced without want for this popularity. It is a haven for self-renewal much like your best vacation, your last chiropractic adjustment, a day off from school or a deadline change on an assignment that you had not completed.

If tai chi is all this, why not take this method of Chinese kung fu, that is based upon the movements of the snake and the crane, to the corporate level. Use it to fill the corporate culture with what it lacks: a method of producing peaceful, renewable human energy on a regular basis, that will not disrupt scheduling, will not require building a training hall, does not need location or clothing change, that will accomplish (more…)

INTRODUCTION

It is very much a fact that some of us move through our day without consideration for the peace of mind we leave behind. It is also true that working without tempering the spirit can lead to stress, imbalance, inefficient productivity, decline in motivation and dissatisfaction.

It is also true that tai chi floods our nervous system with stimulation, enlivens the body, mind and spirit and is known to bring creativity, inspiration, strength and clarity.

CORPORATE

In the corporate sphere, I have introduced the sales meeting for Microsoft using tai chi. The results were (more…)

In the words of the Doobie Brothers in Long Train Runnin’, “where would you be now” without your life energy, the life that courses through your veins which is your chi? The Doobie song talks about love, but chi, like love, is impactful, huge, forceful, without which we would be worthless and weak.

So, it is my responsibility to touch upon CORPORATE TAI CHI, which raises company chi, personal chi, economy. If every CEO knew s/he would increase revenue by doing corporate tai chi at 8:00 am, how many would do it? The ones who are listening and proactive. If every non-CEO knew that work would be more fun, more meaningful, more substantial with corporate tai chi at 8:00 am, who would partake of it? A big majority would do it and wait (without waiting) for the results.

The idea I am professing is that Corporate Tai Chi is a valid modality worthy of being public knowledge. It can heavily impact the corporate, organizational or government environment in a positive fashion and should be noted in the currently favorite encyclopedic entity. It can increase return on investment (ROI), whether you have invested time or money, and, therefore, is of interest to everyone who has invested either.

The more vitality you have, the better your work, leadership, ability, success, health and life.  Corporate Tai Chi creates vitality and is a methodology that uses tai chi (the very slow mind/body martial exercise that removes stress, heals the spirit and supercharges the practitioner) at work that builds, maintains and invigorates work life. Install it in any business, and you’re walking into the success dome with your team.

Here’s the Wiki connection. Because there are no physically publishes books on Corporate Tai Chi and few documented studies, I am having trouble meeting the criteria of Wikipedia (which I respect). I will be able to use one of the other wikis to post information but aim, one day soon, to list on Wikipedia.

If you would like to share your corporate tai chi experiences, they are most welcome. In the meantime, keep the chi going at work. Corporate tai chi is one of the ways.

On January 5, 2009, you can get access to a FREE REPORT on Corporate Tai Chi, There will be a limited supply at CORPORATE TAI CHI REPORT on that Monday.

If you are a leader, your chi will impress your team. If you are in a non-leaderhip position, your chi will influence your colleagues and your leadership. You are part of the answer. Comment below or learn more at Corporate Tai Chi Email.

Every day is chiday until it’s not! … Diane Gold

Corporate Chi is a natural conclusion to some simple facts. Because every corporation is made up of individuals, the energy of the individual affects the energy of the whole, and vice versa this holistic or organicistic approach.

Given: The corporation is made up of a HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE that ultimately connects everyone.

Given: The CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, the CEO or other VITO (very important top officer) acts as the leader and mentor of the successful corporation.

Given: The CORPORATION is a sum of what its EMPLOYEES contribute, and EMPLOYEES develop in direct relation to their contributions to the CORPORATION.

Given: CORPORATE CULTURE develops based upon mentorship, vision, charisma, policy, belief and spirit.

Given: The HARMONY within a corporation is directly related to the relationship the leaders have with the EMPLOYEES.

Given: The life force of the corporation is made up of the life energy, called CHI, of each individual employee. Therefore, the CORPORATION has CHI. (more…)