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 […]
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. […]
In the twitter-based group that explores knowledge management topics (#KMers), John Bordeaux made some comments that piqued others’ interest. For example, he wrote that organizations pull for repeatability; people pull for creativity; and conflict can lead to novel approaches for both. This statement speaks to the heart of my interests as a reflective practitioner. In […]
Art Schlussel posted his views on knowledge management (KM) certification in a LinkedIn conversation here: This was my reply: It’s interesting how some KM questions–including certification–keep cycling around year after year. Statements such as “rigorous standards to be considered true ‘certification’ programs” frequently come up. We might make some progress by digging into these statements […]
The latest notable milestone in the open access journal movement is the announcement by Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, and U of C Berkeley that they have formed an open access journal compact in order to share research more widely. Most peer-reviewed journals are not available to the general public (or even the thoughtful public). Annual […]
My PhD is from Fielding Graduate University, which is well known and respected in some spheres, and largely invisible in others. Its model is quite unusual, so it isn’t surprising that conventional measures do not always highlight its strengths. Recently, work by Associate Dean Katrina Rogers and others led to some interesting recognition. As Dean […]
A comment in twitter by Luis Suarez got me thinking about the fact that some communities of practice spend a lot of time in dialogue or debate about definitions. Sometimes I value the deep dives in which theoreticians work to solidify a discipline. At other times I am irritated by the balance between these discussions […]
News and conversations are filled with challenges that cross disciplinary divides: climate change, poverty and effective education to name a few. In my consulting practice, I work with leaders who are struggling with complex, knowledge-related challenges. As a researcher, my scholarship hovers around the intersections of leadership, complexity theory and knowledge management. Increasingly, I appreciate […]
We’re trained—as Rupert Sheldrake points out—to treat what we might call synchronicity (or coherence, or connection and alignment, or the power of the mind as something larger than the brain, or the power of attraction) as coincidence. That may be true. Yet I have had that experience that many of us have had, where if […]
I help people in organizations and communities gain new insights, adapt to changing environments, lead and learn.
