This was my official schedule yesterday: Take a bus, then ferry, to Bainbridge Island to spend the bulk of the day brainstorming ideas with one of my own favorite self-organizing groups (my friend Doug and I, a forming consulting group) Have dinner with another favorite self-organizing group (my husband and I) Spend three evening hours in the park near my house rehearsing dance moves with … [Read More]
Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays are the three days each week that I consciously prioritize my family, my close friends, and my individual well-being over my work as a self-organizing groups researcher. I minimize my connection with the broader world on these three days each week—don’t use the internet (unless in service of my family, such as finding the perfect recipe for chocolate cake) and don’t … [Read More]
If a visitor from another galaxy landed on planet earth today—watched our news programs to learn about us and conducted an objective examination of the overall health of human institutions and state of our oceans, air, and planet from the outside—what would they say about us as human beings? There’s overwhelming evidence that we humans are arrogant, self-centered, and dangerous to ourselves and the planet … [Read More]
I’ve been noticing lately that I’m a bit jealous of Daniel’s blog. Photographers can say so much without words. So in this post I’m embracing my photographer self. We just got back from 9 days in Kauai, Hawaii. As I sorted and posted my photos into Facebook for my family, I noticed that I see amazing self-organization everywhere I go these days thanks to the … [Read More]
Check out these two 3-minute videos of Seattle’s umbrella/singing-in-the-rain flash mob from this Saturday. The first video is a spontaneous performance in which group members decided to head over to a downtown shopping center and spread some holiday joy: Umbrella/Singing-in-the-rain mob. This video captures their performance in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. As you share the experience, what can you say about these people? what can you … [Read More]
I attended a special, brief flash mob for Father “ROG” today on the Seattle University campus. I’ve never met him, but he inspired me today. I learned that Father Rog (aka, Fr. Gillis) is an SU jesuit and teacher who has cancer and has been in the hospital. He is apparently known for dancing a signature dance–not particularly well–to start teaching sessions. The impromptu flash … [Read More]
Three years ago when I was asked this question for the first time, off the top of my head I said something like “That with the right group of people, I can do anything.” Luckily for me, because I’m a researcher, that impromptu comment was recorded. I got to listen to it over and over for an entire year as I sought to understand what … [Read More]
One of my self-organizing work groups is talking about learning styles this morning. Here’s part of our discussion (and yes, as usual, the long-winded one is me). If you’re a learner, trainer, teacher, consultant, employee, manager, administrator, instructional designer, researcher, or self-org work group that has an opinion on this subject, let me know what you think. I’d love to share it with my group. Group member 1: “I … [Read More]
This question has been part of my work for five years, since the day I walked away from my first self-org work group determined never to work any other way but as part of these amazing groups. I’ve learned that individuals and self-organizing work groups can foster self-organizing work groups. Here’s how. How individuals foster self-organizing work groups In the 17 groups I’ve studied so … [Read More]
An interviewer asked me this question last year—you can still find my response on the Web if you look for it. I’m still fairly satisfied with what I said to him, with one glaring exception. In my three-paragraph answer (good Lord, will I ever be able to say anything concisely?!), I said “I think you have to be a human being to be in a … [Read More]
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