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!!
Nov 23
This service, Fuze Meeting, will allow recording, video & audio, which many of you have asked for, if you miss a call. It also allows access from any device [ hand-helds, etc.], and has a simple one step sign-on process, using multiple methods. Also, more than one presenter can be shown live, via web-cams. Plus, most importantly, its much less expensive, so I’ve been able to lower the cost to participants significantly, to a token amount. Finally, it’s much more collaborative, supporting real dialogue, which is the way I’m now running these virtual calls [ c.30 so far].
Join us to contribute and gain, both personally/professionally. We [ i.e.,anyone knowledgeable of the Forum Process & its “Magic”] is growing and being re-energized together!!
Nov 16
Barbara and I just returned from the 44th annual Conference of the Society of Information Management [SIM]. As one of the 11 founders, I have attended 42 so far, and hope to make the 5oth!
It was very rewarding to be approached by scores of attendees, offering thanks for helping start the Society and especially for founding and guiding the development of The Regional Leadership[RLF] progam!
Having just finished choosing, & updating, for my clients, the 50 basic documents, in my prespective, of the Forum process, and it’s “Magic”, it is very powerful for me to see others absorbing this in their own way, and doing internal self- sustaining leadership development progams inside their organizations! It’s wonderful for them ….and surely so for me!!
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
Oct 10
Our LLF @ Cantigny 10/4-5/11 was spectacularly successful for every one of the 27 attendees/speakers/facilitators. Their feedback was extraordinarily positive, & appreciative. That’s always been the case@ Cantigny though every session is different. Go to the tab above for more detail. I’ll put up some of the attendees comments re. value.We plan to return next October 2-4, 2012. Pencil it in, please. And make your own comments please to this blog if you were there
The two photos below show some of the ongoing interaction there!
A break-out session of Cantigny LLF’ers
Henry Givray delivering the ending keynote talk on leadership @ Cantigny
Oct 09
Craig Allen, a Forum graduate, now with Total Wine, Inc., will speak of his work combining his passion which was & is a long standing hobby, and earning a living/following his career path. We can all learn from this perspective in today’s intense work environments. He will be joined by several others of the same persuasion,
And I’ll comment very briefly on the LLF just held @ Cantigny [ see the below post or the above tab]
Oct 01
After almost 30 virtual LLF 2.0 calls, I am returning to the “traditional” process of meeting on a special site, with a small very select, commonly interested, set of forum graduates or clients. General Hal Nelson and I have used these facilities before to help us all focus on new leadership perspectives and processes, in today ‘s more challenging situations. It’s stunning to me, through I’ve done this for 28 + years, how much care/preparation/speaker pre briefing/agenda placement, etc., it takes, to do it right. I think it will show. It’s clearly something I love doing
Click on “Cantigny” above, & then “materials” for some info. Come if you can. Or just connect with me one way or another, please!
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]
