Copyright Water The Bamboo Center For Leadership

2. contents
W
elcome to the Water The Bamboo Personal Development Workbook 1
Plan Your Crop
one Dig Deeper – Unearth Your Values 5
two Create a Vivid Vision 11
three No Goals, No Bamboo 15
Don’t Farm Alone
four Tend Your Relationships 21
five Create or Join a Bamboo Circle 37
Use the Bamboo Farmer’s Tools
six Belief 43
seven Self-Discipline 49
eight Language 55
nine Courage 61
ten Appreciation 67
eleven Lighten Up 71
twelve Optimism 75
Prepare the Soil
thirteen Learn How to Learn 79
fourteen Practice Deliberately 83
fifteen It’s Messy in the Garden 89

3. Plant the Seed
sixteen Take Risks 93
seventeen Commit to Your Bamboo 97
eighteen Decisions, Decisions and More Decisions 101
Survive the Storm
nineteen Patience, Persistence and Perseverance 107
twenty Change Happens 111
twenty-one Busy But Balanced 119
Now
now It’s Harvest Time 123
About the Author 129
Don’t Farm Alone – Stay Connected 130

4. one
Dig Deeper – Unearth Your Values
Harvest
Time
Survive
Objective the
Storm
I know what my values are and I follow them.
Plant
r I read this chapter in Water The Bamboo. the
Seed
r I watched the videos for this chapter.
r I listened to the audio for this chapter.
Prepare
the
“Things which matter most must never be at the Soil
mercy of things which matter least.” ~ Goethe
What does the above quote mean to you? How can you apply it to your
current situation? Bamboo
Farmer’s
Tools
Don’t
Farm
Alone
Plan
Your
Crop
© 2013 Water The Bamboo Center For Leadership 5

5. Stage I: Build Trust
Review the skills and behaviors needed to build trust, and answer the questions on the following
page.
STAGE I STAGE II STAGE III STAGE IV
Skills Behaviors
ƒƒ Respect ƒƒ Attend (show up)
ƒƒ Open-ended questions ƒƒ Observe
ƒƒ Listening ƒƒ Suspend judgment
24 WATER THE BAMBOO PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKBOOK
© 2013 Water The Bamboo Center For Leadership

6. The 21-Day Self-Discipline Challenge
Some suggest it takes 21 days to create a habit. Identify a self-discipline challenge that you will
commit to for 21 days.
Examples:
ƒƒ I will be on time for 21 straight days.
ƒƒ I will exercise for 21 days.
For the next 21 days I will commit to:
Use the chart below to keep track of each day you achieve your commitment by crossing off the
days. You can also use your personal calendar to keep track of your progress.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
USE THE BAMBOO FARMER’S TOOLS Seven: Self-Discipline 51
© 2013 Water The Bamboo Center For Leadership

7. It’s Messy in the Garden Checklist:
❑❑ Accept that beginnings are messy.
❑❑ Expect messiness – it’s inevitable.
❑❑ Adopt a messy garden mindset.
❑❑ Don’t be discouraged when things start messy.
Adopt a Messy Garden Mindset
Expect the messiness – it’s inevitable. Don’t be discouraged by things not going smoothly.
What challenges and setbacks have you experienced and overcome with respect to your
Bamboo Vision?
PREPARE THE SOIL Fifteen: It’s Messy in the Garden 91
© 2013 Water The Bamboo Center For Leadership

8. Ten Potential Pitfalls in Decision Making
We’ve all made bad decisions. By learning from your own mistakes, as well as those other
people and organizations have made, you can look for these signs of a decision pitfall and avoid
them.
1. False hopes.
2. Waiting for a miracle.
3. Following the money.
4. Avoidance.
5. Searching for confirming information.
6. Being overconfident.
7. Being too cautious.
8. Passing the decision-making responsibility on to someone else.
9. Holding on to old ways.
10. Waiting too long.
When Not to Make a Decision
Although most decisions have time constraints, you should never make a serious or
important decision when you’re:
ƒƒ Hungry (whether physically or just wanting something too
much to think clearly)
ƒƒ Angry
ƒƒ Lonely
ƒƒ Tired
You should HALT and take care of your needs, then regroup to make the decision; you’ll
be glad you did.
PLANT THE SEED Eighteen: Decisions, Decisions and More Decisions 103
© 2013 Water The Bamboo Center For Leadership

9. now It’s Harvest Time
Harvest
Time
Survive
Objective the
Storm
I acknowledge myself and those who have helped me on my
journey.
Plant
the
Seed
r I read this chapter in Water The Bamboo.
r I watched the videos for this chapter.
r I listened to the audio for this chapter. Prepare
the
Soil
Reflect on Your Journey
1. What was the activity that helped you grow the most?
Bamboo
Farmer’s
Tools
Don’t
2. What was the most challenging activity?
Farm
Alone
Plan
Your
Crop
© 2013 Water The Bamboo Center For Leadership 123