Walter Berkowicz, from Allstate, who is a Forum graduate, sponsor, speaker,and facilitator. will lead us in a great dialogue about complexity, innovation, ethics/morals, sweeping change ,and finally family and balance… all based on his personal leadership derived career. If you are a Forum graduate/speaker/sponsor, and have not recieved the appropiate advance material & link, email me @ < dick@thedooleygroup.com>
May 31
Some version of the below 8 trends/focus points seems to be in every interaction I have today with clients or LLF graduates. Does this loose, macro view, resonate, in part, with your sense of things??
The Unique Potential [Overwhelming??] Impact of Eight, Current, tightly Integrating “Horizontal” Organizational Processes Four traditionally based or driven by I.T., or deeply impacted by I.T. Initiatives Two [#5 & 6] are often independently started there, and the last two [#7 & 8] are basically not indigenous, likely even “strange” to many I.T. groups
1. Overall Technical Architecture [OTA]- long standing quest, still elusive
2. Project Management Office – discipline/processes – a few are corporate wide
3. Enterprise Wide System[s] & business process redesign – primarily I.t. driven often owned or lead by a senior line executive
4. Mobile-handheld-APP based development-cloud residence- multiple function devices[ BYO]- Hardly well in hand anywhere –not seen as I.T.’s especially by the “younger generations”
5. Security- fullest sense- sometimes I.T. located
6. Leadership Development – needed desperately in I.T., then in concert corporately – My work has been with I.T. groups who wanted this as a priority, largely because of the whole 8!!
7. Ownership & Accountability Expectations –very uneven approaches
8. Organizational Culture and Change – Human Recourse “Should”, almost never “is”
Richard E. Dooley 5-29-12
Jan 07
As we shift now with increasing momentum into the new year, I am reminded how much about this site I neglected to update, as I promised myself I would. We’ll see if I can improve to meet my self set goals. Hopefully that’ll be useful [entertaining??] for you!!
Oct 17
Barbara and I spent the weekend @ The College of the Holy Cross, attending the President’s Council with many other leaders. 6 special Classmates there. And lots of memories……. a wonderful time and process!! I was provoked to recall how huge an impact Holy Cross had on me in those four years [i.e., in addition to shaping my character & value set, & training my thinking habits, I had my eye removed because of cancer…… I learned how to lead/run all kinds of groups and meetings….. etc., etc.]
So I’ve been more broadly examining how the perspectives and imprints of that period of growth in my life, and the near term years after it, applies today, here on Cape Cod, with 5 Children ,8 grandchildren, many friends, and multiple clients, all over the country, and how will it shape me in the coming years…….
Very provocative
Aug 12
Risa Mish, a very accomplished Professor @ Cornell University, spoke @ the SmithBucklin Leadership Learning Forum last week and helped me understand more about my Forum “Magic Quest” . She posited that to get there [she generates her own magic], one needs courage, then faith, then the ability to let go, then the capacity to own your own gifts! This resonates quite well for me, and I consider it a profound insight!
I’d be happy to ponder you own thoughtful reactions. Please send them along.
Aug 03
On Thursday 7/28, c.34 of us benefited hugely from interacting, virtually, with Dr. Carl Hammerschlag who has spoken scores of time to LLF forums and SIM audiences. A few of those referenced in the extensively positive feedback that I received………The very large “Cost” of attempting to multiprocess…. and the guilt that often drives that attempt….and the pervasiveness of “Continuous partial attention ” in out leadership activities…several books recommended, including Dr.Carl’s latest book,which is available on-line now, “The Kindling Spirit: Healing from Within”… the importance of dinner time with children, and offered examples thereof from the participants…. The powerful statement that “those who tell the Stories define the culture” and how that plays out in today’s world…. and the resulting growing need for many of us to tell our positive, more hopeful, personal stories to provide a counterbalance…and of course the focus on continual learning and connecting to others besides ourselves!! All very special!!
On the next LLF 2.0, on Thursday 8/25 @ 12:30 pm ET, Patricia Skarulis VP & CIO of Sloan Kettering Medical Center in NYC will share her extensive experience in leadership and in developing it in others. Dial in for sure!! These are all excellent refresher/learning moments!!
Jul 23
On 7/15 in our regular LLF 2.0 virtual call, I had asked three panelists, representing three generations, to speak with all those engaged on the call about the huge topic of “Networking”, which had been the thread of 4 previous calls. The use of various social systems got a lot of comment/coverage! In particular, LinkedIn. A wide range of opinions/use/experiences/beliefs were shared
Some deep into it and asthonised that all weren’t!
I got perhaps 1/2 dozen long comments in the session feedback forms to me, afterwards, saying that the session motivated them to get more engaged. Right now. Not latter!
And…it had the same impact on me……..moving me further along the curve from passive use, to more active aggressive use . I thought I was already @ a high level of use effective use! A very real lesson & benifit from our networking via LLF 2.0. It’s very esay these days to allow yourself to be left behind!!
Sign on 7/28 for Dr.Hammerschlag.
Jul 09
Barbara and I attended this spectacular, community festival. We have before, but it was much larger this year,and attracted participants/attendees from all over, all happily connecting thoughout the grounds! It’s always over the July 4th holiday. [Interesting reference]. The Wampanoags are the tribe native to Cape Cod. First to meet the “white man”, on “First Encouter Beach” on the outer Cape. Beautiful new, or carefully preserved costumes. Many children, Many “elders” [my senior by a lot seemingly!!]. A huge & long Grand Entrance dance/walk [traditional]. which we were never early enough to see before. Many stalls for crafts. Quite unusual selections. Yes, the usual tourist stuff, but also tons of authenic looking, expensive, certified made by American Indians, superb quality, tent fulls of clothes, trinkets, pottery,wall-hangings, furniture etc., etc. Great for a 2nd home on the Cape. Clearly was selling!! We ,as an obviously non-indigenous couple, were by far in the minority! [My eye patch drew fast attention…pirate implications??] Maybe later more of current Cap Coders showed up?
I was struck by the value of preserving history and customs. My Leadership Learning Forums are based as much on reviewing, reflecting on the past, as much as preparing for the future. No doubt the best, deepest learning is a combinaton of both…..to combine the available wisdom of actions/history, with the potential insight for future possibilities. Surely in leadership development, a review of growth to date, must be integrated with a focus on the continual learning and change, that is there for us all. Whatever our heritage!
A very provocative several hours. Productive of “HOPE”. Unusual!
Jun 28
Some time ago , in helping design an internal Leadership Learning Forum in The University of Kentucky’s I.T organization, we choose five excellent themes, one of which was the title above. It’s certainly needed everywhere. Especially you might argue in a large University. It turned out, of course, to be a very important focus. And with some real results.
Since then in almost every other organization I’m in, it’ s a key area of emphasis. Perhaps having become sensitive to it, I’m noticing more often, how much the planning/executing/communicating necessary for today’s work., requires more of it than has been the case! Few things can be effectively accomplished in 2011, because of the extensive “fish-netting” required . Everywhere. Much more than a few years ago, when we also knew it such cooperation was useful.
Pay attention to how you can increase cross-functional collaboration. It can be done. Others are!! It’s an imperative!! And also is divergent [ i.e., we’re never finished]
Jun 19
Having just returned from my 55th @ The College of The Holy Cross, I was impressed by the frequency, commonality, intensity of both feelings and perspectives about our Country today: – Very little if any real leadership in either [Any?] political party – Very worrisome lack of jobs or their creation – Deep concern about the lack of debt management & its implications – The number of home towns/cities/states where Classmates live, that are facing serious $ deficits right now – The growing gap between the “Haves” and the “Have nots” – Major industries in huge turmoil/change, e.g. Real Estate, Health Care, Finance, Retail, Higher Education, – Focus on much less relevant concerns, for too long, e.g., scandals by several male leaders, rather enough effective focus on the difficult challenges just referenced.
And not a lot of “Hope”
Was that ever so in such past gatherings?? I don’t think so. Maybe just age. Maybe just my own concerns finding like others to feel validated against. As I said I was surprised, but did feel validted. We’ll see. The next year or two seem crucial.
May 29
This has been an oft requested short presentation to my retainer clients. The perspective being that I was in 20-30 organizations ever year and running sessions with hundreds attending. So…. even if I didn’t know the answers, I knew what leaders were worrying/asking/pondering about.
I am traveling less now, but interacting more, either by phone or electronically. Here is my current list. Each point sometimes takes an hour or more of intense dialogue when used as a discussion framework. I plan to do a video on my website for each one, overtime- two minutes or so long, i.e.,-crisp & relevant- every other week or so!
Do come to interact….leaving a comment, suggestion, or alternate view!
May 27
The first experimental video we did, was a message on my 76th birthday. It’s stored with others now on this website, but it’s success connecting with many in my personal and in my professional network, prompted the work leading to this new website!
So I’ve just done another. Very short..here is a still shot, taken on the National Seashore by Barbara ,as we walked there on my birthday just now. Such walks are a favorite thing of ours, & one of the strong reasons for moving to Cape Cod 7 years ago.
I hope to be doing this, as happily as today, for 25 more years. And all that while, learning to connect with you all in different ways, like these videos, on this website. Or in ways none of us can imagine yet!!
