Alchemy

As you know if you've read about me here, I'm a avid member and fan of the world of barbershop harmony. I, along with 7 others, am in the process of starting a prospective chapter of Sweet Adelines International here in Fargo, North Dakota to offer a competitive, entertaining, challenging, exciting, mix of harmony, camaraderie, heart, soul and fun for women of all ages.

As we struggle with a name for our new group, some words keep rising to the surface - words that imply a mixture, an amalgamation, a fusion - an alchemy.

As I think more about the words we've kicked around as we're developing this chorus, I'm thinking about other words with similar meanings. Here are a few:

AMALGAMATION: A consolidation or merger

FUSION: The merging of different elements into a union

BLEND: To combine (varieties or grades) to obtain a mixture of a particular character, quality, or consistency

CONVERGENCE: The process of coming together or the state of having come together toward a common point.

CONFLUENCE: A gathering, flowing, or meeting together at one juncture or point

SYNERGY: Cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or merged parts of a corporation, that creates an enhanced combined effect

ALCHEMY: A medieval chemical philosophy having as its asserted aims the transmutation of base metals into gold, the discovery of the panacea, and the preparation of the elixir of longevity.
A seemingly magical power or process of transforming (emphasis is mine)

I'm sure it's no coincidence that my friend Christopher Bailey's beautiful blog is called "The Alchemy of Soulful Work: Exploring the connections between work, creativity, and the spirit."

Chris understands the importance, and apparently appreciates the magic, of the concept of alchemy within organizations. And he's committed to supporting individuals in creating that opportunity within their workplaces. Don't miss his blog or his website (www.imaginactivecoaching.com).

Here's to Chris' and my coaching clients getting to experience that magic - and to our new chorus finding the magic formula for our own brand of success.