All of the conversation, anxiety, and support around Simone Biles saying "no" to playing a game this week has me thinking about our societal relationship to sports again. It's something I think about a lot because of my experience with the price of playing games. When I was young, I repeatedly injured my knees and my ankles playing … Continue reading Thoughts on Sports
On the Debate Around Critical Race Theory
I like a lot of the points the author made in this NYT opinion piece about the dubious purpose and primary trends in the debate over Critical Race Theory. I, for one, have been quite guilty of being what she refers to as "anti-anti-CRT", because of how often I've seen tribally-aligned opponents use what I … Continue reading On the Debate Around Critical Race Theory
Grief in Motion, Day 1
We left our house on the Air Force Academy around noon on the 10th of June, 2021. We didn't have a strict or predetermined agenda for the journey other than a few required destinations. I'd taken 2 weeks off of work and we only knew we were headed first to the Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia, the first … Continue reading Grief in Motion, Day 1
Mapping Organizational Ecosystems: Artifacts & Rituals; Tribes & Institutions
This is an excerpt (Part 3) of an essay in progress to describe developing perspectives and practices for mapping organizational ecosystems. I recently facilitated a workshop with Agitare, the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum, and the Federal Innovation Network to explore how we view, create, and use maps of our massive, interconnected community, and how co-created and inter-subjective approaches … Continue reading Mapping Organizational Ecosystems: Artifacts & Rituals; Tribes & Institutions
Mapping Organizational Ecosystems: Introduction
This is an excerpt (part 1) from an essay I'm working on to describe developing perspectives and practices for mapping organizational ecosystems. I recently facilitated a workshop with Agitare, the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum, and the Federal Innovation Network to explore how we view, create, and use maps of our massive, interconnected community, and how co-created and inter-subjective … Continue reading Mapping Organizational Ecosystems: Introduction
Mapping Organizational Ecosystems: Predetermined vs Relational Roles
This is an excerpt from an essay I'm working on to describe developing perspectives and practices for mapping an organizational ecosystem. I recently ran a workshop with Agitare, the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum, and the Federal Innovation Network to explore how we view, create, and use maps of our massive, interconnected community, and how co-created and inter-subjective approaches … Continue reading Mapping Organizational Ecosystems: Predetermined vs Relational Roles
Innovation, Design, and the Adjacent-Possible
This is a simple depiction of this concept called the adjacent-possible. I'm going to use this visualization to describe a few thoughts about innovation strategy and practices that I hope you will find useful. The concept of the adjacent possible originated from Stuart Kauffman, who used it to describe evolutionary potential in biology. For any … Continue reading Innovation, Design, and the Adjacent-Possible
Grief at One Year
One year ago today, we said goodbye to our daughter Rebecca. We had spent our lives in orbit around that little girl for 14 years. For 14 years she was the center of our universe...and then one day, after a long, slow, painful decline, after countless times over the years proving that she wouldn't go … Continue reading Grief at One Year
Please Use More Emojis/Reactions in Digital Spaces
This is your occasional reminder to use more emojis and reactions in your digital spaces. Mash that 'like' button. Give things a thumbs up or a "thinking face" if you're feeling grumpy. Like that tweet, even if you only kinda like it. You might be wondering why you should use emojis and reactions. Here is … Continue reading Please Use More Emojis/Reactions in Digital Spaces
Expertise as Limiting; Uncertainty as Enabling
There's a common manifestation of "The Expert" in every field--one who has allowed the weight of their accumulated knowledge and experience to drag them down into an unfortunate state of certainty. The Expert has gained so much confidence in their field and craft that they see themselves as qualified, empowered, and even obligated to make … Continue reading Expertise as Limiting; Uncertainty as Enabling
