Karl Edwards presents Working Matters

Tag: lifelong learning

  • Favorite Authors: Peter Block

    This week’s author favorite is Peter Block.

    Much of his attraction to me is our shared confidence in the intrinsic value and, I would even say, genius of every individual person.

    What any given person has to offer comes from the depths of who they are, not from what has been added to them from outside sources such as schools and seminars and workshops.

    While people can be trained in skills, informed of required procedures, and be given aggressive goals to achieve, nothing can replace tapping into and empowering their core passions, values and dreams.

    When he writes of professional development, he writes of getting to know yourself and building from the inside out.

    When he writes of leadership, he writes of empowering those who work for you.

    We are reading one of his books, The Answer to How Is Yes: Acting on What Matters, chapter by chapter in our Thought Leaders Unpacked™ series.

    You can find Peter Block on the web at: http://www.peterblock.com/

    Must Read Books

    The Answer to How Is Yes: Acting on What Matters

    Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self Interest

    Community: The Structure of Belonging

    Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used

    Pick anyone of these gems to start with. But, please don’t put off getting to know Peter Block.

    Favorite Authors are those unique writers whom I believe are worth reading everything they have written. Explore all my favorites here.

  • Loving Learning. Or… Learning, Like It or Not

    The new school year is well underway. Midterms to take, papers to write, projects to complete.

    School is the realm of learning, standards, and grades. The place where improving is the name of the game.

    For those of us not in a structured learning environment like a school, we need a way to keep learning: improve, deepen, and broaden ourselves, our capabilities, and our relationships.

    There’s a myth out there in our culture of the strong competent leader. This myth would have us believe that to be effective and/or in charge we need to be (or pretend to be) beyond learning and training.

    We know everything we need to know already. We can do everything we need to do already. We teach, evaluate and correct others. We don’t have anything else (more…)

  • Thought Leaders Unpacked -> The Answer to How is Yes by Peter Block

    thought-leadersWe start a new Thought Leaders Unpackedâ„¢ series this week with Peter Block’s The Answer to How is Yes: Acting On What Matters.

    As you are familiar by now, the chief criteria for book selection is that I have to be willing to learn, stretch and grow myself in the topic area.

    Block’s premise is that we end up asking the wrong questions when we believe that life, work, and/or relationships are things about which we simply need to master certain techniques and do the “right” way.

    He challenges the assumption that the answers to life and success are all out there somewhere outside of ourselves, and that we need to go discover them, acquire them, and apply them to ourselves.

    Life, though, is not something that one can learn to do “correctly”.

    He points out that we actually doubt our own abilities and unwisely invalidate our own unique giftedness by buying into the “how” questions.

    These themes resonate deeply with me.

    I am one of those people who inadvertently subject my dreams to the practical limitations imposed by those who pretend to know the answers. I also hesitate when the means to making a living are not readily apparent.

    I am looking forward to taking a more probing look at what is most core to who I am and what I want to be about.

    I hope you will join me on the journey and share your journeys as well. Get a copy of the book now and read along.

    The Answer to How is Yes: Acting On What Matters

    Part 1: The Question
    1. How is the Wrong Question
    2. Yes is the Right Answer
    3. Defenses Against Acting

    Part 2: Three Qualities
    4. Recapturing the Idealism of Youth
    5. Sustaining the Touch of Intimacy
    6. Enduring the Depth of Philosophy

    Part 3: The Requirements
    7. Claiming Full Citizenship
    8. Home School Yourself
    9. Your Boss Doesn’t Have What You Want
    10. Oh, by the Way… You Have to Give Up Your Ambition
    11. Care for the Whole (Whether It Deserves It or Not)

    Part 4: Social Architecture
    12. The Instrumental Imperative
    13. The Archetypes of Instrumentality and Desire
    14. The Role of the Social Architect
    15. It’s a Mystery to Me

    Each week I will post my reflections from one chapter of The Answer to How is Yes by Peter Block. My reflections are my own and are intended to generate conversation, catalyze additional thinking and encourage mutual learning.
    Welcome to the discussion!

  • Listen In -> Bridging the Work-Faith Divide #3: Character Formation and Lifelong Learning

    We have in the past discussed what we have called, “The Hard Facts of Working with People”.

    One of the “hard facts” is that people are learning, developing, maturing beings. You and I grow and change over time. It’s a fact.

    Bridging the Work-Faith DivideThis fact has important implications to the workplace, team-building, motivation, empowerment, and accountability.

    This fact bears directly on career development, setting goals, and professional development.

    In this week’s show, Claudia and I discuss how to show up at work both fully authentic to who you are, and grow into who you need to become to fulfill your job responsibilities.

    As persons of faith, we do not need to compartmentalize our faith at work into issues of superficial behavioral morality. Don’t steal pencils. Work hard. Don’t tell lies.

    At a deeper, more fundamental level God-designed people need to contribute and make a difference; learn and develop; and connect and belong.

    Incorporate these three opportunities into your workplace culture and watch your team come alive on the job!

    Listen in.

    Just now joining the conversation? Catch up on the entire series here.
    Interested in how we can resource your church or organization? Get more information here.

  • Loving Monday: Overwhelmed Meet Obsessed

    loving_mondayThis morning I’d like to introduce Overwhelmed to Obsessed.

    You know who you are.

    Overwhelmed, you come back to work on Monday and are dizzy before you have even started. All the tasks and messages, piles and people are a fuzzy blur, and you have a difficult time choosing where to begin.

    Obsessed, you come back to work with only one thing on your mind. That one project that has captured your imagination and consumed your attention. You don’t even see the tasks and messages, piles and people waiting for you.

    Overwhelmed meet Obsessed.

    I want to introduce you because I believe you have something to learn from each other.

    Instead of merely being annoyed by the weaknesses and pitfalls the other brings to the table, what if we could pick up a tip or two from their strengths?!

    Overwhelmed, notice the determined focus Obsessed brings to their efforts.

    Obsessed, notice the alert awareness that Overwhelmed brings to the process.

    You need both sets of skills… an alert awareness of the dynamics and issues unfolding and changing around you at all times, AND a determined focus to make real progress toward real results on real projects.

    We tend to major in one style or perspective more than the other. Some of us are more sensitive to the dynamics around us, while others of us are more sensitive to the task at hand.

    Why not take advantage of the differences with which we approach work? Instead of surrounding ourselves with people like us in temperament and style, why not befriend someone with a different approach?

    Not only will you benefit from the strengths the other brings to the working relationship, you will be well-positioned to see and experiment with those approaches as part of expanding your own repertoire of work skills.

    Overwhelmed meet Obsessed.

    On your side,

    – Karl Edwards

    Loving Monday is a weekly column designed to encourage us to step into our weeks with an intention to show up authentically, engage fully, and choose to make it a good week for ourselves. Explore past columns here.

  • Listen In -> Tangible Accountability #3: Relationships That Build In Support

    What if accountability were a means of support instead of a means of blame?

    What if leadership meant ensuring the success of your team instead of punishing the failures of your team?

    This week Claudia and I discuss how accountability can be a powerful means to build in the support relationships that check in occasionally, provide needed resources, are available for questions, and are committed to the project’s success.

    Isolation can be a real danger when a lot is going on and people are busy with multiple priorities. Situations can change in ways that affect others or have implications to the schedule or budget. The sooner such changes are communicated, the sooner appropriate and timely adjustments can be made.

    That’s when we’d be better off if those relationships were already in place and built right into the system.

    Listen in.

    If you are joining the conversation mid-topic, you can find the entire series on Tangible Accountability here.

  • Lifelong Learning… Visually

    Always making a case for lifelong learning.

    Indexed

    The entire Indexed site is a must-visit.

  • Idea Link: To-Learn Lists

    You know how I’m always pushing the value of lifelong learning. I came across a fun (even useful) idea that I thought you’d enjoy checking out.

    Scott Young suggests having a “To-Learn” list. More intentional and less haphazard than casual reading, so you’re more likely to make progress in more areas. But still simple and doable, so you’re less likely to put it off as you might a degree program or developing a long-term plan.

    Check it out. Give it a try. Don’t be surprised if it turns up in one of my coaching assignments.

  • PodcastPost! “Enterprising Teams 4: Learning to Learn”

    The final characteristic of enterprising teams that we explore is lifelong learning. Enterprising teams are always learning. Competence isn’t marked by the end of learning, but the beginning.

    powered by ODEO

    A learning stance removes the need for posturing. It’s a waste of energy to pretend to possess a level of knowledge that you don’t have in order to impress or substantiate your rank.