L'Essence d'une vie proactive
(French)

(English Version)

LIFE PLANNING, the first essay, helps readers build a life-worth-living and addresses such profound questions as "Who are we?" and "Who should we be?".

It invites us to a candid self-examination which results in discovering those moments when we rejoice in life and find sources of fulfillment. The essay covers the three prerequisites for a deep gratification in life. When these prerequisites are in harmony, we rejoice. "Life Planning"" establishes a basis for living a meaningful life. It develops the awareness that we are responsible for the quality of our lives and that living fully means investing thoroughly in the creation of our experiences. This investment involves risk and joy, two subjects thoroughly discussed in the last section of the essay.

HOW TO STAY ALIVE, the second essay, is an invaluable guide for change agents. It offers eight principles based on the author's experience in working with decision-makers and change agents. These principles range from avoiding self-sacrifice to building experiments for success. Other topics explored include retaining optimism, capturing the moment and recommending the ingredients for successful innovation.

HERB SHEPARD was a pioneering figure in the Organization Development movement. He held faculty posts at several universities including M.I.T. where he received his doctorate in Industrial Economics; Case Western Reserve, where he founded and directed the first doctoral program in Organization Development; and Yale, where he developed a residency in administrative psychiatry. He has published widely and was President of The Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and of the Professional Development Institute from 1977 to 1985. In management consulting, Prof. Shepard's clients included Bell-Northern Research, Syncrude, TRW, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Union Carbide and many government departments in both the U.S.A. and Canada.