Nov 06

Just a month or so ago I blogged [below] my view re. this book’s importance and ordered a copy to mark up….a”learning technique” that works for me———underlining… using arrows from one thought/expression to another…bending pages in several ways for quick reference….. making my own marginal notations. etc., etc. Am now doing so happily…and also proud that I was “early”, publicly, pushing that evaluation….for all the reasons stated below. But now, because IT IS worth every bit of my time/energy, reading fully…carefully. I am clear already about the value to me of re-reading it several more times. I will add it to my “core book” list – covered as part of the Master Book List for Leadership Learning Forums, on this website.  Max Tegmark is very optimistic, while being deeply aware of the challenges and un -certaincy we face. His last sentence says it all…..”Our future isn’t written in stone, just waiting to happen to us—-it’s ours to create. Let’s create an inspiring one together”

I hope using the protected part of this website will help some do that!!

Oct 09

“Life 3.0   Being Human in the Age of Artificial   Intelligence”      Max Tegmark       9781101946596

The title an the tag line caught my attention. As did people whom I respect giving it high praise [ Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, Ray Kurzweil]. The author’s background and current position/work  environment. The tale of contents, with a short summary @ the end of each chapter, and many teaching graphs/illustrations of key ideas/perspectives. My full skimming and selective reading, found tons of leadership capacities/maturities. It’s not an easy read. Only a piece @ a time…so I’ve returned the library copy and have ordered my own to mark up/reread carefully

Sep 28

Garry Kasparov, the legendary Russian chess master , who will be remembered for losing to IBM’s Deep Blue [ more than anything else he’s done, as he acknowledges in this book], shares with us a remarkable life dedicated to chess. And then moving beyond its highest levels, to understanding a lot about Artificial Intelligence & where it could/should go. In fact, it may be, against the background of his life…and chess champion dominance, interspersed with the history of computers in chess,  and interacting now with advanced AI, I’ve learned more from his writing, than from any other source. AI /Advanced AI/both futures/the ultimate  capacity/role of  the Human race are all much in the literature today

“Deep Thinking” – Where Machine Intelligence Ends and Human Creativity Begins    Garry Kasparov         978-1-61039-786-5

Enjoy it.

Sep 14

Always a struggle. Usually a tendency to change too much or too fast…to keep up with all the disrupting events, or new opportunities seemingly easily absorb-able in any organization. Poster 218 Geodesic Selection process [click here] is a framework for such consideration…Actually it’s an ongoing, every day management technique when running a LLF, since by design it shifts with the need and future of the actual participants. but in great moderation. AND I argue strongly, ONLY by a practiced, superbly alert, facilitator. Even these few facilitators must study the list, it’s implications, and the possible “magic” lost. Like
“Trust”, once lost, the “magic is very hard, perhaps impossible to regain!! Of the handful [ c. 4 of c. 250-300 I have run or helped run]. I have yet ever seen it “regained”. Only stopped. Thus the great care!!

Sep 05

Alan Alda’s new book [ yes, he’s from the  TV show M*A*S*H], “If I Understood You, Would I have this Book in my Face – My adventures in the Art & Science of Relating and Communicating” ...especially the part just italicized, is fundamental today for all existing  & aspiring I.T leaders. When he was acting [ now writing & teaching], he learned a lot about “Improv”,and shares that  professional journey, its deep impact and broad applicability, for us all to benefit from. I’m on my 2nd careful read! Its relevance is essential, and often missing, in our currently fast changing set of I.T roles.Brace yourself for tons of insight, from voices not heard much in our profession. I will incorporate this in my Leadership Learning Forum Process. It adds clarity to needed shifts in every I.T. organization I am aware of!!

Aug 13

I’ve been think/talking about this for years. Remembering my father’s experience, crafting my own…How? When?  even Why? Interestingly, perhaps because of that talk/thought, others, both friends…and clients and network members, have been asking me for counsel in their own exploration of the topic. It’s surely not as black and white as it was in our father’s day.  Many more options, permutations. Organizations seem to be focused on retaining some of the wisdom/insight which often [not always] accompanies long experience. And the next two generations, now in or seeking organizational power, are more open to dialogue ,once they discover its usefulness…..even generating opportunities for “round table discussions”,or dialogue with leaders who are partially or soon to be more fully retired.. [They’re safer?!?!?]. Skip the rationale, and it’s depth……….when it’s done authentically, huge value moves in both directions

Phenomenal to part of.

And it spreads

Jul 26

A very crucial organizational theme, in mt mind. Comes from another book about leadership and change…..”The Art of Change Leadership: Driving Transformation in a Fast Paced world” Cheryl Cran 4.8 of 5 multiple ranking comments in Amazon. I’d strongly suggest getting it for your own reading/reference/making it come alive. I am. Am also recommending it, quoting it, discussing the full meaning of the book title, in it’s macro implications, especially in micro/specific situations with clients, and graduates of my Leadership Learning Forum programs [perhaps 300 or more such groups now!!]

Jul 15

Answer in the “fullest sense”….. of your total input…. talk shows, magazines, newspapers, confidants, TV news, books, research papers etc., etc. This is more important than ever, with so many choices, “fake news”, endless opinions driven by deadlines, a requirement in most walks of life now, to “know more…understand well beyond your immediate chore list.
Some suggested guidelines: MULTIPLE – rely on more than several..push your search boundaries, as much as you can effectively…….. ROTATE – don’t get stuck in any channel, author, or viewpoint., w/o checking other views/sources……SETTLE on some respected /trusted “Readers” with different connections, who would easily discuss/explore together……ACCESS/EVALUATE periodically and carefully,for match up to your needs/ desires
Managing your input flow is one of every mature human’s most precious responsibilities!!

Jun 30

Gallup provides the “StrengthsFinders” profiling/assessment process. It’s one of the, if not THE, best such tool available, in my opinion. This leads them to other interesting perspectives, as in a recent article in their Business Journal, “The End of the Traditional Manager”,where they make the important point that the most powerful tool a manager has,is meaningful conversations. Conversations that become performance focused,using a person’s strengths, and the application of those strengths to the tasks @ hand. This is especially true ,now, they point out, that so many staff positions [ 74%] have the ability to locate elsewhere to work, and even more [84%] are matrixed into many work directions.
Though most of us believe we are adequate if not good conversationalists, using that simple leadership capacity, consistently as useful in organizations. Can you be a superb conversationalist and lead those conversations to appropriate ends!Think of bringing an easy, everyday conversation, along, to make a business point,when necessary…try it…….

Jun 17

This book “How Today’s Market Leaders can beat Disruptive Competitors @ their own Game” is a must study, and branch out from, book, for everyone, in my opinion. If you’re a leader, or in technology , or surely in the increasingly wide intersection of those two professions, it’s mandatory to absorb and keep expanding your grasp of it’s views/ideas.
By Loucks, Macaulay, Noronha and Wade ISBN-10: 1-945010-01-0
It covers the technology Trends Converging Today, refernced in Poster 444 below, in the blog on June 10th. And a lot more!!. I’ll post several “book reports” from clients who are focused on it, in the section of this website, under the tab “Magic”, on the first page, and then under the tab “Book Summaries”….. in a few days [when we recover from “Father’s day- today!!!]

Jun 10

Can you do both?…and switch back and forth w/o losing your game? Few have that capacity naturally. Most of us need to work @ it/learn more about How?/Why?/When? Especially today in Information Technology. It’s not enough to be skilled at/fully understanding of, the disruptive technologies [Post 444 Tech Trends] happening in all professions. Neither is it enough to just attend the responsibilities of that level. Increasingly, competence is required in both.
Well….. how do you get there? As starters…carefully constructed reading/communication work habits early in your life…..relationships built on connections where you will be coached/mentored, actually “pushed”some…..with an overall personal attitude of humility laced with confidence and action….
Or don’t reach very far into any form of leadership!!
More soon. It’s a huge focus.

May 27

Recently while establishing several new customized cycles of the Leadership Learning Forum Process, in specific organizational settings, the 8 selection processes/discussion points [Post 280] modating increasing requirements to adjust. Hopefully that will continue amidst all the disruption/competitive pressure abound today.

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