Executive Work-Based Learning
I have been writing about smart working - what it is, why it matters, exploring first wave smart working methods, and suggesting that this knowledge can be re-interpreted and applied in a second, social computing-fuelled wave. Nothing New Under The Sun Much of what I read from the big business schools and consultancies is repetitive. My own blogs have become repetitive. A lot has been said before and is frequently nothing more than the same old stuff re-branded. See for example Freedom-based management (my doctoral thesis explored how to optimise local autonomy, self-determination and self management with simultaneous, centralised co-ordination). Time to ...
The Smart Work Learning Place
For the past four years I have been co-facilitating a research and learning network for senior IT, HR and Facilities Managers, the Global Moblity Network, which has been exploring global workplace trends. For example, these are the topics for a series of meetings in September.
Smart Work Company Manifesto Re-visited
Social Environment And Health Skimming articles in a futile attempt to keep up with workplace trends, I discovered a gem of a paper by Professor Sir Michael Marmot. Published in the Lancet in 2006, the article is entitled 'Health In An Unequal World' and is the text of a lecture given to the Royal College of Physicians. In the article, Professor Marmot is clear that social environment is a crucial influencer and determinant of health. He says: "The unnecessary disease and suffering of disadvantaged people, whether in poor countries or rich, is a result of the way we organise our affairs in ...
Critical Thinking In Practice
A recent article in the New York Times claims that the idea that business education should be about how to think critically and creatively was “radical” when Roger Martin, the dean of the Rotman School of Management had an ‘aha’ insight on patterns of thinking a decade ago. According to the article, critical thinking skills include how to frame questions, how to question assumptions,... [Read more]
Collaboration By Design
I was listening to someone on the radio talking about the attempted bombing of the Detroit-bound aircraft. Commenting on the failure to integrate intelligence, the speaker said that the culture in the CIA prior to 9/11 was “need to know” and that the agency had not made the transition to “need to share”. Have Wiki, Will Collaborate? Some people at the CIA are already well... [Read more]
Getting On With It In 2010
Well, that it is once I have delivered the text of my first book to the publishers, Gower, at the end of March. For me 2010 will be the year of intensive doing, helping businesses develop management and learning environments that enable them to do what they do better or differently. This sounds insultingly simple. Of course it is not, otherwise we would not be reading about so many failures of governance... [Read more]
Honouring Shadow Conversations
Dr Marie Puybaraud and I co-facilitate an informal learning network on the changing workplace, the Global Mobility Network, for IT, HR and Facilities Management people. We were recently very fortunate to have Alistair Moffat from Nokia speak to the group about his experience and involvement with a set of interventions intended to create the conditions for a new culture to emerge within NSN, a new entity... [Read more]
The Taylorist Stranglehold
The Global Mobility Network, a learning network I co-facilitate, discusses a range of topics around global workplace trends. Our most recent session Workplace To Zero? explored why we still need the expensive overhead of offices. Dr Frank Duffy, founder of DEGW, set the scene for the conversation. Taylorist Buildings He made the fascinating observation that Taylorist offices influenced by Scientific... [Read more]
Second Wave Smart Working: What Role HRM?
This is my first blog post in well over a month. September was a busy, fascinating month of organised conversations: Changing World, Changing Workplace? for my own business, and three others for the Global Mobility Network, which I co‐facilitate with Dr Marie Puybaraud, Surviving The Global Cultural Mash‐up, Using Place To Breach Cultural Boundaries and Workplace To Zero? But my big news is that... [Read more]