E6: Bargains

What does Lao Tzu have to say about war?  Looking from the eyes of the aggressor, the attacked, and of course from a wider angle. You can find the book, as always, at https://leanpub.com/agiletao And the beautiful music is still played by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz and can be found here. 

This time, two poems from part 2  - We talked about the role of a leader. what makes a leader one? - We also talked about the constant attention required from a craftsperson of any kind to attend to its material. Here are the poems, hope you enjoy them! And a special thanks to Hekselman, Klampanis & Ravitz for the beautiful music I never get tired of. 29. The Captain (xxvi)  A great captain tirelessly guides his ship at sea  So that, safe in port, he may lose it in sleep.  So calm is the master of haste  And care the path to ease.  The captain of a great ship  Does not treat it like a pleasure boat  Acting carelessly or hastily.  Without care he loses his bearings at sea;  Without calm he loses the trust of the crew.  The great captain doesn’t lead his ship like a jade figurehead  But steadies her like a stone keel. Shaping Wood (xxvii)  A great explorer leaves no trail unmapped;  A great teacher no question unanswered;  A great detective no fact unexplained;  A great watchman no threat unchecked;  A great tailor no thread unravelled.  So the agile account for everyone  And neglect no one.  Accepting all, neglecting none,  They account for the weakest.  The strong must guide the weak  For the weak are the source of their strength.  If the strong are careless and neglect the weak,  Chaos results no matter how clever they are.  This is their method of adaptation:  As wood is shaped, it becomes a tool;  As a person is served, they become a servant;  So a great carpenter leaves no wood uncarved.

Last time, we started reading Flow - the first part of the Agile Tao, we are back with the second part. Join Peter and me, and connect to the Agile Tao.

We are back, after a long break. To start our second season, and as Flow, the first part of the book, reached a stable version, we are reading thru it, letting it unfold like a story. This episode contains the first poems of the Flow part, and was a joy to record (as always) The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here. You can send us any questions to [email protected] And the book can be found at LeanPub by pressing the link.

Today's episode is about the power of collaboration, about how being a part of something bigger allows you to do magic. Join us to hear about how starlings and dolphins cooperate, and what can you do to unleash the power of collaboration. 22. Collaboration (xii/iii) Agility builds collaboration, not competition; Feeds interdependence, not dependence; Empties peoples’ mouths to fill their bellies; Softens their hearts to strengthen their bones. It controls politics by not privileging responsibility; Bureaucracy by not delegating management; Scarcity by not allocating roles. Agility decentralizes ownership and leadership So those who provide them can’t exploit them; When no one can take advantage, Harmony remains. - The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here. You can send us any questions to [email protected] And the book can be found at LeanPub by pressing the link.

What is an ecosystem? what makes it flow, or be blocked?  Today's poem (from the Flow part) examines the source of its benefits and interactions that make (or break) it. 4. Ecosystem (iv/vi/vii/v) Evolving and revolving, Life can’t be cut, knotted, dimmed or stilled; Nor the source of thought Be plumbed by thought. Reflecting and responding, Mind adapts all flesh. Rippling and refracting, None breach its shining surface. Splitting and merging, Nature follows all paths. Ranging beyond reach, None span its winding delta. Pulsing at root and lung, Harmony connects all needs; For what one treats as waste Another thirsts and breathes. - The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here. You can send us any questions to [email protected] And the book can be found at LeanPub by pressing the link.

Where does fear come from? how can it be addressed? And has does all this to do with the Great Law of Peace, the Iroquois tribes, the game of GO or the XSCALE alliance?  Today's poem talks about fear, and our talk covers so much more... 45. Fear (xxxviii/liv a) Disrupt nature and harmony remains. Lose harmony and trust remains. Break trust and justice remains. Corrupt justice and fear remains. Harmony doesn’t inspire fear; But those without it do. It doesn’t serve or compromise itself; But those without it will. As trust serves harmony without compromise, Justice compromises it to serve it, And fear compromises it to serve itself. - You can find out more about the Great Law of Peace here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Law_of_Peace The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here. You can send us any questions to [email protected] And the book can be found at LeanPub by pressing the link.

How can one test one's agility? when is it gone and what happens when it is? Today's poem talks about all this, and our talk covers so much more... 21. The End Of Agility (lxvii) People love to talk about agility. Often that’s all there is to it. But there are three values The agile express and represent: Compassion, openness, and discipline. Compassion generates courage, Openness, learning, And discipline, flexibility, Courage without a warm heart, Learning without an open mind, Or flexibility without a coiled spine, Spell the end of agility. - The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here. You can send us any questions to [email protected] And the book can be found at LeanPub by pressing the link.

This time, we are talking about functionality, and about the form that supports it. about what happens when one is missing or doesn't match the other. We also talk about product ownership and team awareness. Here it is: 3. Form and Function (xi/x)  Thirty spokes meet at a hub; About its axis we turn the wheel. Clay is spun into a vessel; At its lip we sip the cup. Bricks are stacked into a chimney; By its hearth we warm the house.  Every form that encloses Functions by opening. Agility opens the self To serve, not command, And sustain, not control The form of harmony. -- The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here. You can send us any questions to [email protected] You can find the book at LeanPub by pressing the link.

This time we talk about bargains and their cost. 44. Bargains (xliv)  Some die for an idea,  Some for a payday,  Some to win a game.  Noble causes come at great cost,  And glorious victories, terrible suffering.  Only peace comes for free.  To stop when you have enough,  And retire before battle begins,  Incurs neither debt nor dishonour  But wins a long life. --- The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here.