The Art of Giving a Bear Hug
by Linda ~ February 6th, 2008The Feb 6th, 2008 New York Times business section reported about a Wall Street “tradition” (or in my lingo a “ritual”) of giving a “bear hug” letter before a hostile takeover. As reported in the article, the bear hug letter is sent before mounting a hostile bid takeover of a company. This particular bear hug letter was sent to Yahoo by Microsoft.
Now although this is a ritual of the corporate raider type, it is still a ritual - in the world of big business. There are rituals in every arena: military, sports, education, hospitality, technology, and on and on. There are personal rituals and rituals specific to the industry such as the Wall Street “Bear Hug” letter.
Rituals bring meaning, substance and ceremony to what otherwise could be a mundane, ordinary experience, or in the case of Microsoft and Yahoo-a hostile takeover. We as human beings, live and die by our rituals. Without them our lives would lack the luster and vibrancy that makes us get up in the morning and charge into the day.
What are your rituals for charging into the day? How do you celebrate your victories, losses, relationships? How does your family connect after a long time apart. What is your bedtime ritual for your children. Take a few minutes and think of the rituals that enrich your life so when you perform them again you will recognize the signifigance of them in your life.
Linda Ann Smith
Speaker, Author, Ritual Expert
Power of Rituals for Women
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