It has been four years since I had the privilege of waking up every day with a goat at my door. Rest assured, it was not my Hipster pet in Amsterdam-West or cuddle project imposed by my life coach. Because this goat really exists and is in all likelihood still lying in front of the same door in Kofi Pare, Ghana (see photo). In fact, this Ghanaian goat symbolizes one of the biggest turning points in my life.
A person at the craziest moments gets an insight that will determine the course of his life. Unfortunately, such an insight does not come about from behind an office desk or on your mother-in-law's coffee. They are the moments when you feel vulnerable or alone and at a completely unexpected moment you come to a new insight: “this is it! Now I know what I'm going to do differently!"A German / American professor named Otto Schamer has written the well-known ‘theory U’ about this.
Four years ago I worked for an American company that had a worldwide interest in the production of cocoa by selling chocolate and biscuit, among other things. The company had set up an extensive development program to support the local cocoa farmers in (mainly) Ghana from the root of their local existence. I wanted to know more about this. After a big fundraiser at home, I flew to Ghana to volunteer at a local cocoa farm. My intention was to learn about Ghanaian cocoa production, to teach and to take pictures for Commerce. But when I came back I changed my life and started working as a consultant in the field of leadership and cooperation. Thanks to my Ghanaian goat. Why? I myself only found out later.
Otto Scharmer's theory U explains in many words that entering into a challenge or difficult situation does not start with the answers that are already known to you. But by opening yourself to other perspectives, you give yourself the opportunity to create new insights. You can only receive these new insights if you manage to postpone your inner beliefs of fear, judgment or cynicism. With this you not only tackle a problem with your head, but also connect with your feelings. Connecting more with yourself is difficult from behind your desk, so it helps to disconnect from daily practice. This can be achieved by going into nature, meditating, during an interesting dialogue with your coach or – in my case – looking for a Ghanaian hut with a goat at the door.
In Ghana, I was far away from home, work, expectations, internet connection and other unnecessary distractions. The simplistic life of washing outside under a tree with sleeping chickens above my head gave me something humble. I was equally displaced from all Western privileges and at the mercy of simple Ghanaian peasant life. Without realizing it, I found myself in a world without burdensome internal beliefs and was able to open up to new perspectives. This phase is described by Scharmer as “Presencing”; or living in the ‘here and now’. Without being too floaty, I could easily connect with my feelings and where my heart would lie for the future. And one morning, when I was having breakfast next to my little goat, the insight came. And so it happened.
Niek van Droffelaar, The Transformation Group
