Brian Herbert, son of science fiction author Frank Herbert and a prolific author of science fiction himself, once said: “The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice.” This is not only true for individuals but also for organizations. Organizations must learn and they must learn to learn, if they are to survive in a changing world. For this to occur, there has…
It happened during a workshop I was leading on creativity for a board of trustees at a small college. A suggestion came up—and I don’t even remember what it was—that was new. It was something this group had never contemplated. As the group discussed the idea, one could sense a growing enthusiasm. Then one of the senior members of the group hopped out of his chair and, through clenched teeth, declared, “I will NEVER go…
We have all heard the chorus of experts telling us that business success depends on our diversity policies. The champions of diversity tell us diversity must be central to our strategy and organizational culture. The reason given is that as companies become more global, we must reflect a more global perspective. While I agree with the basic concept of the value of diversity, I think there are dangers here that we should consider. But first,…
We’ve all heard it. It has become a slogan so common in conversation that most people don’t even realize the significance of what they are saying. We use it to end arguments that we’re otherwise unable to resolve. It is a useful tool for leaving a conversation when time demands we move on to other endeavors. It has become an acceptable way to deal with differences of opinion. But, as a way to deal with…
Metaphors are a powerful tool for conveying meaning to an audience. A simple metaphor can do more to communicate an idea than reams of literal verbiage. Metaphors not only help to communicate the content of an idea but they also help us remember that content. They serve as hooks upon which we can hang our mental data. One metaphor often used in the literature of organizational development is “architecture.” It is most often used to…
