discoveries, notes, links

Dec 29

Transformation occurs when we are willing to ask the question "How have I contributed to the current reality?"

Quotes by Peter Block on transformation - source: http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/id/contributed-to-the-current-reality

Wanting measurable outcomes - now! - prevents change

"My belief is that the way we create conversations that overcome the fragmented nature of our communities is what creates an alternative future.

This can be a difficult stance to take for we have a deeply held belief that the way to make a difference in the world is to define problems and needs and then recommend actions to solve those needs.

We are all problem solvers, action oriented and results minded. It is illegal in this culture to leave a meeting without a to-do list.

We want measurable outcomes and we want them now.

What is hard to grasp is that it is this very mindset which prevents anything fundamental from changing.

We cannot problem solve our way into fundamental change, or transformation.

This is not an argument against problem solving; it is an intention to shift the context and language within which problem solving takes place.

Authentic transformation is about a shift in context and a shift in language and conversation. It is about changing our idea of what constitutes action."

- Peter Block (Civic Engagement and the Restoration of Community)

Community will be created the moment we decide to act as creators

"Accountabilty is the willingness to acknowledge that we have participated in creating, through comission or ommision, the conditions that we wish to see changed.

Without this capacity to see ourselves as cause, our efforts become either coercive or wishfully dependent on the transformation of others.

Community will be created the moment we decide to act as creators of what it can become.

This requires us to believe that this organization, neighborhood, community is mine or ours to create.

This will occur when we are willing to ask the question "How have I contributed to the current reality?"

Confusion, blame and waiting for someone else to change are a defense against ownership and personal power."

- Peter Block

Sep 3

Toward #SomeTime2012

Today's Being Bruce:

"If you're open, allowing, and filled with positive expectation, wondrous people, thoughts and opportunities appear." - Being Bruce

Bruce always shares how he gets to the point of the day - today:

1) “You give before you get.” - Napolean Hill (that doesn't mean give TO get, btw, it means GIVE TO GIVE and if you do you'll get --bb)

2) “Action conquers fear.” - Peter NIvio Zarlenga

I create this post for #SomeTime2010 and #SomeTime2011 participants. Our conductor Heikki Hallantie set a motto for us as follows:

2010: "Give more than you take. You'll get more than you give."

2011: "Recognize your dreams. Get rid of your fears."

Today's Thought for the Day by Being Bruce both crystallizes the SomeTime process so far and also flashes a glimpse of some of our next steps.

Thanks for Being Bruce!

In the pic Heikki Hallantie explains the 5T hat theory for innovation:

Mar 15

“A bilingualist is a mental juggler"

Source of the quote: Science Grows on Acquiring New Language

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/10/22/09window_ep.h30.html

A random Collection of interesting Blogs

I need to do some clearance on my sites & profiles and some focusing on which of them to keep on using... Here's a collection from the blogroll I had @ http://connectirmeli.wordpress.com/ & would like to share with you. That blog of mine itself remains & becomes active again - it's just time to refresh the selection of the widgets a bit... Please read and enjoy:

http://clausvistesen.squarespace.com/ "Alpha.Sources.CV"

http://kimcofino.com/blog/ "Always Learning"

http://philosophyofbrains.com/ "Brains - On Philosophy of Mind and Related Matters"

http://mikeg.typepad.com/perceptions/ "Collaborative Thinking"

http://davecormier.com/edblog/ "Dave's Educational Blog"

http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/ "Learning, Networks, Knowledge, Technology, Community"

http://www.greenchameleon.com/ "Green Chameleon and Straits Knowledge"

http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/ "Half an Hour"

http://howtosavetheworld.ca/ "How to Save the World"

http://www.insideview.ie/ "Inside View"

http://www.zylstra.org/blog/ "Interdependent Thoughts"

http://tarina.blogging.fi/blog/ "Teemu Arina"

http://www.zengestrom.com/ "Zengestrom"

(Photo: Find a Grid by Irmeli Aro)

Filed under // bloggers to follow

Nov 24

Bingo Game for lecturing Introduction to Social Media

I translated the following "social media check list" from Finnish from blogs SOMUS (Social media for citizens and public sector collaboration) and Social Media Web Tools YLE. Researcher Arttu Silvast has collected the list for a lecture on how to begin to utilize social web in administration / public sector in Finland tomorrow at HAUS Finnish Institute of Public Management. Participants pick up nine points / numbers from the list in the beginning of the lecture. Bingo numbers appear on slides during the lecture...

I think this comprehensive list offers material for many other kinds of approaches as well - when we need to consider what everything is included in Creating Social Web You:

1) You don’t either need to be involved in or react to everything.

2) You can improve your personal time management by focusing on true communication instead distributing overall information.

3) Reply openly to questions and critique. E.g. in case you got spammed or an overload of comments: Give credit to someone who asked a good question and publish your reply.

4) Do your part. It consists of small contributions – questions, answers and comments.

5) Share in web what you produce – what you write, your presentation slides, podcasts or video streams of your presentations. Distribute other people’s contributions in your own social web network.

6) Write in web only what may remain there for good.

7) Be honest. Use your own name. Stand behind your words.

8) Listen. Put effort in understanding others.

9) Apologize if you fail.

10) Thank for favours and promote others in a way that includes small initiatives for new chains.

11) Make limits for your openness. Respect limits of others.

12) If you wish to become listened in a community – truly become an active member. Don’t try to “hit and run”.

13) Refrain from talking only. Listen. Take time to familiarize with new communities.

14) Discuss. If you wish to influence – be ready to be impressed yourself as well.

15) Be your true self.

16) Know and be open about the limits of your competence. Your own contributions must be related with fields you really know of. Link your postings to additional sources of information.

17) Make experiments in the social web. They don’t need to have any crystal clear aim in the beginning.

18) Consider invitations to discussion. Sometimes it’s efficient to include half sentences or spelling errors or be poetic or provocative to wake attention.

19) Network – help people to get acquainted with each other and each other’s ideas.

20) Utilize freedom of speech in cases of which “the traditional media remains silent of”.

21) Put effort in finding out interesting things.

22) Ask tips from people who are more experienced in social web than you.

23) Quantity does not replace quality. Concentrate in services / communities you feel comfortable with. Be open minded to try others as well (how can you otherwise know which ones are useful for you?).

24) Don’t spam. If a matter is interesting it will either be distributed automatically or people who are interested in it will find their way to the genuine source.

25) Give encouraging attention to newcomers.

26) Have fun! Don’t always be so serious with everything.

27) Forget too much matter-of-factness.

28) Consider what either sounds too self-evident or on the other hand like too much wanting to save the world. Comment without always reading the whole discussion chain.

29) Respect other people’s world views and widen your own. If you disagree, be honest about it and give your reasoning.

30) Be consistent and logical.

31) When the discussion gets lame, feed it.

32) Bring something innovative to the core of discussion. If you feel you don’t know what it would be, put effort in searching and finding.

33) Learn to recover from getting beaten.

34) Be curious to learn of what else the others would be interested in.

35) Tell only things you are allowed to tell. Don’t be overcautious though.

36) Don’t attack, play games of your own or cause tangle.