Do Men and Women See Leadership Differently? Generalization is risky. But we humans cannot resist searching for patterns. And there are interesting patterns around women and leadership and gender and leadership. Gender Some of you have already noticed that I said “men and women” in one paragraph and gender in the next. Gendered perspectives and […]
The Dream As a child, I dreamed of owning a horse. But those dreams went dormant with the realities of life: making a living, raising children, feeling trapped in a city. I set the dream aside. But I also lived frugally and craved a life where I could hear frog and bird songs, and see […]
Is focus always a good thing? Middle managers focus on success in their slices of the organization chart. Researchers focus on patterns and themes in their data. In quantitative research, we look for statistically significant patterns and themes. In our society, we are pushed to narrow and clearly define our boundaries. In research, this is […]
When I hear the word “diversity” in organizations, it is usually about gender, ethnicity and disability. Are there enough women in senior leadership positions? Do we hire visible minorities? Are there wheelchair ramps? (This is an answer to that question of: “people with disabilities.”) There are two variations on the theme. Have we met targets? […]
From a Tweet to a the Writing of this Post What prompted me to write this post? I had one of those emotional kicks-in-the-butt that pushed me to write this blog post. The kick came from two sources. Each source of inspiration was about writing. But they were different enough to create adaptive tension in […]
Horse Rescue Centers Need Support! I just held a quiet contest (rare cousin to the silent auction) for my book Riding Horseback in Purple. It was to benefit a horse rescue organization. When I got my 300th “like” on the Facebook Page I would contact that person and ask if they would recommend a rescue […]
On Being Authentic We often hear that leaders should be authentic. One key element of authenticity is voice. When we know ourselves, our strengths and our values, we become stronger. When we learn to translate that self into our writing and speaking, our voices become stronger. This is true in our professional and personal lives. […]
“Social” as Learning, Improving and Celebrating Some time ago, I sent out invitations to join an asynchronous five-day conversation about “Do it Yourself” (DIY) learning and how to support it. The event was in the CPsquare community: one of my online “homes.” Like all CPsquare activities, this event emerged from intersecting member interests; not from […]
I recall a curriculum re-development meeting several years ago in which the head of Aboriginal Education held up a piece of paper and attached a post-it note to the corner. He said something like: “You’re trying to take an existing system and tack on a bit of something new to make it all relevant to […]
Have you ever observed people watching old, working machinery at a fall fair or antique museum? It doesn’t seem to matter what it is: an antique tractor or steam engine or oil derrick or stone-ground flour mill: people are intrigued. Why? My guess is that in our modern world, we almost never see how things work; it […]
Should leadership for pro football, preschool, and open source software development look the same? Of course not. And leadership for knowledge-intensive work shouldn’t look like leadership for assembly lines. The Ark Group has just-published a new report: Successful Knowledge Leadership: Principles and Practice in which I authored the chapter: Knowledge Leadership on the Edge. The executive […]
On April 12, I (@4KM) was guest facilitator for an online twitter chat about boundaries. Specifically, we looked at whether the topic of boundaries is underplayed in leadership development and what that might mean for organizations, communities and the world. If you care about the nature and implications of boundaries. The chat was hosted by […]
Yes, it is a weighty title, but I have searched for a term for years, and this is the best I’ve come up with. Most of us design learning opportunities. They might span an hour in a boardroom, months in a university environment, or years with children. Almost all workplace training I have seen for […]
Are you a systems thinker? Do you regularly encounter pressure to fragment? Do you get questions like “But what is your area of specialization?” Or comments like “But that project was never intended to include THAT.” I do. So–even though I rarely write blog posts–I started a new blog: www.IslandHealth.Info It’s explicitly about things like […]
In organizations, we strive for specificity and certainty. Set a goal, carve into objectives, document metrics, and watch for progress. We know what we find, but what do we miss? Since moving to the country, I have adopted a different approach in my personal life (or perhaps I’m simply more aware of it now). For […]
I help people in organizations and communities gain new insights, adapt to changing environments, lead and learn.
