Ison, R. (2008). Systems Thinking and Practice for Action Research. In P. Reason & H. Bradbury (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Action Research: Participative Inquiry and Practice (Second ed.). London: Sage Publications., Ltd. My masters work is in systems management, and Ison’s work struck a chord with me as well. His mind map of the […]
Category: Teaching
Fear of failure? Failure is the state of nature; success is what’s surprising
Why do we fear failure? Why do so many things fail? What can we learn about failure that protects us from the shock of actual failure? Why do we persist as a species knowing the odds are stacked against us so badly in just about anything we do? I have been reading some commentary and […]
A reflection on Problem-solving vs Decision-making
I see an important distinction between problem-solving as a method and decision making as a process. I see problem solving as an important component of decision-making but I see this distinction: decision-making seems to be the ultimate act of convergent thinking as a prelude to action. I see problem-solving as an analytical or intuitive process […]
Responsible skepticism in action
maybe the best description of skepticism in action I have read lately, from Robert Burton, M.D. at Salon, describing the questions he’s ask of candidates for President and why. A longish quote, but it’s that good. …Ideally, …(t)he candidates would be given questions, including a variety of “thought experiments” for which they could not be […]
Military officers: superstitious?
A new blog friend, Konrad Talmont-Kaminski, a naturalist philosopher in Poland, shares an interest in bounded rationality. He is thinking hard about superstition and the question was posed to me: Given the connection between stress and superstition the army must be a good place to run tests. Do you think the military are among the […]
Creativity is not enough
Do you enjoy the sudden rush from having a new idea? Do your toes curl with excitement when you see new possibilities? Does your heart pound at the emergence of a new insight? So what? What do you do with the energy? It has to go someplace or it will quickly dissipate. Don’t get left […]
World Class Training: the After Action Review
There are many reasons why the US Army has developed such an excellent reputation as a training organization over the years. Excellent equipment, superb training areas, master trainers in the form of non-commissioned officers who have perfected their expertise in task training under all conditions. Success also comes from the knowledge that Army training may […]
5 Essential Qualities For Effective Managers
What does it take to manage a diverse group of creative individuals? An extensive review of management literature produces the following list of management qualities that are essential if you want to build and leverage high performance teams. Without these skills you run the risk of losing your most valuable business asset: the knowledge and energy […]
Reflections on TRADOC Pam 525-5-500: Commander’s Appreciation & Campaign Design (CACD)
Research Question: What is the theoretical basis for the US Army’s proposed modification to the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) and what are the issues of concern for practitioners of the art of military decision making? Introduction and background: The United States Army’s Military Decision-Making Process stands the test of time as a method […]
Reflections on competing theories of leadership
Any survey of leadership theory will acquaint you with concepts like: leadership traits, leadership behaviors, transactional leadership styles, transformational leadership styles and organizational culture. The interplay of these different schools of thought offer a rich source of insight into human behavior organizational performance. Here are some notes to get you started down this path from one […]