To the builders of fires, and the diggers of wells.

As graduation approaches for many of my students, I have had reason to reflect upon the blessing of education. I watch my students struggle, as I have struggled, to achieve their academic goals. I see their justifiable pride in their accomplishments, and I rejoice with them in their achievements. I have nothing but the greatest optimism about their future. As I think of my own educational journey, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for those who have helped me to get here. I speak of myself, but I invite you to reflect with me on your own journey, and those who have helped you on the way.

None of us could have arrived where we are on our own. Our life successes are the culmination of huge effort and many, many sacrifices by a great number of people. A well known proverb states, “Each of us is warmed by fires we did not build, and drinks from wells we did not dig.” I invite you to join with me in taking a moment to recognize those who built the fires and dug the wells for us.

We must recognize parents, who nurtured us, taught us, encouraged us and sacrificed for us.

We must recognize teachers who have dedicated their lives to giving us the preparation we need to succeed in life. They knew they would never get rich, but they still chose teaching as a career. In many cases they sacrificed some of their dreams to give us a chance to attain ours.

We must recognize that across our community and nation, many people contributed to our education. People with no children paid taxes to support the educational system that taught us, raised money for special programs, and cheered us at athletic and cultural events.

Albert Schweitzer said: “At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” For us, the lighters of flames may be spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings, religious leaders, teachers or friends. Many of us also acknowledge a great debt of gratitude the Almighty for His role our lives.

So if we are truly grateful for these people, what must we do?

First, we must acknowledge and thank those who have given us so much. When was the last time you took a quiet moment to say “thanks Mom, thanks Dad?”

I hope each of us will take a moment to write to our teachers, and thank them for the role they had in shaping us. Of the hundreds of students they teach each year, only a small handful will ever take the time to say thank you. But any teacher will tell you, it is that handful that makes them want to keep teaching. And as we progress through life, lets allow them to share in our successes by keeping them posted on what we have done with the lessens they have taught us. A five-minute email can let a special teacher know that they have made a difference.

Perhaps the most important way we can acknowledge our debt is to pay it forward. Each of us must view our education, not as a gift, but as an investment made in us by people who believe in us and have every right to expect a return. Regardless of your religious beliefs, I believe that you will find the following quote significant:

W.J. Cameron said, “God’s grading is always upward. If He raises up a nation, it is that other nations may be raised up through its ministry. If he exalts a great man or woman, an apostle of liberty or science or faith, it is that he might raise a degraded people to a better condition. This divine selection is not a prize, a complement paid to a man or a nation – it is a burden imposed. It is not a pandering to the vanity of a person or people; it is a yolk bound upon the necks of those who are chosen for a special service.”

With the blessing of education that we have received, we will do mighty deeds, make great discoveries, and raise strong families. We will travel to every corner of the globe. And wherever we go we must remember that we owe a debt. We have the obligation to show a return on the investment so many have made in us. We have been blessed so that we can bless others. And as we use our education to strengthen our families, communities, nation and world, we will return that investment many fold.

Are we open minded enough to reward independent thought?

The following concerns a question in a physics degree exam at the University of Copenhagen: “Describe how to determine the height of a skyscraper with a barometer.”

One student replied: “You tie a long piece of string to the neck of the barometer, then lower the barometer from the roof of the skyscraper to the ground. The length of the string plus the length of the barometer will equal the height of the building.”

This highly original answer so incensed the examiner that the student was failed immediately. He appealed on the grounds that his answer was indisputably correct, and the university appointed an independent arbiter to decide the case. The arbiter judged that the answer was indeed correct, but did not display any noticeable knowledge of physics.

To resolve the problem it was decided to call the student in and allow him six minutes in which to provide a verbal answer which showed at least a minimal familiarity with the basic principles of physics.

For five minutes the student sat in silence, forehead creased in thought. The arbiter reminded him that time was running out, to which the student replied that he had several extremely relevant answers, but couldn’t make up his mind which to use.

On being advised to hurry up the student replied as follows: “Firstly, you could take the barometer up to the roof of the skyscraper,
drop it over the edge, and measure the time it takes to reach the ground. The height of the building can then be worked out from the formula H =0.5g x t squared. But bad luck on the barometer.

“Or if the sun is shining you could measure the height of the barometer, then set it on end and measure the length of its shadow. Then you measure the length of the skyscraper’s shadow, and thereafter it is a simple matter of proportional arithmetic to work out the height of the skyscraper.

“But if you wanted to be highly scientific about it, you could tie a short piece of string to the barometer and swing it like a pendulum, first at ground level and then on the roof of the skyscraper. The height is worked out by the difference in the gravitational restoring force T = 2 pi sq root (l / g).

“Or if the skyscraper has an outside emergency staircase, it would be easier to walk up it and mark off the height of the skyscraper in barometer lengths, then add them up.

“If you merely wanted to be boring and orthodox about it, of course, you could use the barometer to measure the air pressure on the roof of the skyscraper and on the ground, and convert the difference in millibars into feet to give the height of the building.

“But since we are constantly being exhorted to exercise independence of mind and apply scientific methods, undoubtedly the best way would be to knock on the janitor’s door and say to him ‘If you would like a nice new barometer, I will give you this one if you tell me the height of this skyscraper’.”

The student was Niels Bohr, the only Dane to win the Nobel Prize for Physics. (Source: http://www.mentors.ca/bohr.html)

As leaders, managers, teachers, and even parents, are we open minded enough to accept that others think, solve problems, and even see the world differently than we do? Do we encourage, reward, and reap the benefits of diverse viewpoints and independent thought in others? Most of us find it easy to accept this idea on an intellectual level. On an emotional level, when we see people we care about proceeding down paths that we would never ourselves take, reaching conclusions that are very different form ours, it is a little more difficult. Often it requires that we step back and exercise faith.

As a teacher and parent, I have to constantly remind myself that my purpose is not to turn out clones of myself, but to help create situations in which my students and my children can be more fully, effectively, and productively themselves.

Q and A about organizational consulting

I did this Q and A with one of my organizational communication students. For the benefit of any other students who might be interested I am posting it here.

What made you decide that you wanted to go into organizational communication?

I really loved the “detective work” involved. I loved the idea that I could help figure out where things were going wrong, solve problems, and offer solutions, and in so doing I could make a real difference for people. I know first hand what it is like to work at a job you hate. I love the idea that I might make people’s job experience better.

What was your specific degree(s)?

I got a dual A.A. from Ricks College in Interpersonal Communication and Political Science, a B.A. from Utah State in International Relations, a M.A. from Idaho State in Organizational Communication and a Ph.D. from University of Idaho in Adult and Organizational Learning.

When you were a consultant, what were some of the most important communication tools that you used?

As I have mentioned before, the most important skill I think any consultant can have is the ability to gather and analyze data through various means. Observation and interviewing skills have been my most important tools. Still, none of that does any good if you don’t know what it means. Having a theoretical framework for interpreting the data is essential.

What communication theories do you think are the most important?

I think they are all important because they provide a lens through which the organization can be viewed and interpreted, and each has its own suggestions for solving problems. Still, I am particularly partial to Humanistic, Culture, and Systems. In my experience, there aren’t many problems that can’t be solved if people share the right cultural assumptions, treat each other fairly and with respect, and share information with those who need it.

What are a few things that you think a student should focus on in preparing to become a consultant?

1.    Learn about more than just communication. Take business classes. You won’t succeed if you don’t “speak the language.” This also gives you a good fall back position if you decide you don’t want to be a consultant.
2.    Get as much education as you can, both formally and informally. Gain degrees, but also read books, shadow professionals, volunteer in your community – anything to increase your knowledge and experience. By the way, volunteer work is a great way to get your name out there. People talk, and word of mouth is a consultant’s best advertising.
3.    Figure out what your strengths are and maximize them. Are you good at conflict resolution, or group dynamics, or leadership? Become an expert! Then figure out how to market that knowledge to those who need it. Carve out a nitch for yourself. There are consultants who make a very nice living teaching only public speaking skills to executives.
4.    Take every opportunity to become a better speaker/teacher/writer. A lot of your time as a consultant will be spent with those activities, and if you aren’t good at them you won’t succeed.
5.    Believe in what you have to offer. You have to really believe that what you have to teach or share can make a difference. You have to believe that people need what you have. It’s true, they do. But if you don’t believe it, they won’t. Passion cannot be taught, it has to be felt. If you don’t really LOVE this stuff, consulting isn’t for you.

Metaphors are our friends -or- You are a peach (but without that fuzzy butt-crack thing…)

In my previous post I suggested that all observation is theory based. Your theories about how the world operates, or should operate, determine what you see, and how you interpret what you see.

One of the best ways to understand our own theories and the theories of others is by analyzing the metaphors we and they use. Most people regard metaphors as devices for “spicing up” language, but they are far more than that. To use a metaphor implies a way of thinking or a way of seeing something. We use metaphors when we are attempting to describe or understand one thing in terms of another. In fact much modern research argues that we learn in metaphors – by comparing new things to things we already know.

Like lenses, metaphors tend to focus on specific aspects of a thing, while completely ignoring others. For example, a person saying to me, “You are a stud” (a very common occurrence) is drawing attention to my studly aspects, while simultaneously ignoring the fact that I might also occasionally be a marshmallow, a bore, a pig, a saint, a monster, a recluse and a sweetheart.

In a very real sense, when I use metaphors to describe something to you, I am really describing my perspective more than I am describing the thing.

A good example of what I am talking about comes from the writings of Dr. Robert Solomon. Dr. Solomon suggests that one way to recognize what kind of love people are seeking or describing is through the kinds of metaphors they use. The metaphor we use when talking about love shapes and reflects the way we behave with a partner. Dr. Solomon outlines a number of metaphors for love and describes the consequences of using each:

Love as a Game. We often hear people talking about love as if it were a contest in which one person emerges the winner. The term itself is a common one: the game of love. People “play the field,” often trying to “score.” Strategies – including lying and flattery – that lead to domination are common: after all, “All’s fair…”  “Playing hard to get” is another common tactic. For most game players, relationships are short lived.

Love as a Fair Exchange. This view of love is based on the economic model of receiving fair value for one’s goods and services. People who adopt this metaphor talk about their relationship being a  “good arrangement” and say they are getting “a good (or lousy) deal” from their partners. When things go wrong, the complaint is, “It isn’t worth it anymore.” As these metaphors suggest, the overriding question for these love traders is, “What am I getting out of this?” The value of the relationship is measured by whether the return on one’s investment (of time, energy, money, good will, and so on) is worth the effort.

Love as Communication. Some people (including a few students in communication courses, I fear) measure love in terms of how well the lovers send and receive messages. For them, Dr. Solomon suggests, the essential moment is the “heavy conversation.” “We really get through to each other,” they say proudly. Their “feedback” is good, and “openness” is the ultimate goal, regardless of whether the messages are supportive or hostile. In other words, in the communication model, expression of feelings is more important than the content of those emotions. The result of this attitude is interaction that is all form and little substance: making love as opposed to loving. Communication is important in a loving relationship, of course, but as a means, and not an end in itself. When expression of feelings becomes more important than the content of those feelings, something is wrong.

Love as Work. Some people view love as an important job, and their language reflects this attitude. They “work on,” “work out,” or “work at” the relationship. They see nothing wrong with having fun, but their primary objective is to “build” a successful relationship in the face of life’s inevitable obstacles. Dr. Solomon points out that some devotees of the work model pick the most inept or inappropriate partners “rather like buying a rundown shack” for the challenge. They feel somehow superior to couples who are merely happy together, and admire those who have survived years of fights and other pain for “making it work.”

Love as a Flame. Dr. Solomon states that “red-hot lovers act as if they were Mr. Coffee machines, bubbling over, occasionally overflowing, getting too hot to handle, and occasionally bursting from too much pressure.” Partners who expect this sort of emotional fire can become disappointed when things “cool down” and may look for ways to “spice up” their relationship. Unfortunately, the likelihood of those flames of love burning brightly for a long period is slim; and rather than settling for mere warmth, these romantic pyromaniacs frequently find themselves looking for a new flame.

Whether we are leaders or consultants seeking to better understand how organizational members view their own organizational reality, or just individuals seeking to identify our own perceptions and attitudes, metaphors can serve as huge red flags. They can focus our attention and give us invaluable insights into the way we and others see the world around us.

Most organizational theories have an accompanying metaphor.  Each one is useful because it helps draw our attention to certain aspects of organizations. They are not true or false, right or wrong. They are merely perspectives on organizations – lenses to help focus our observation. The key to better understanding any given organization is to utilize each in turn: learning everything you can from one lens, then discarding it and reaching for the next. Each theory will offer useful insights into the organization we are trying to observe. By looking at anything from multiple points of view we can learn much more about it than if we are trapped in a single perspective.

The Role of Theories -or- “Do you see what I see?”

The single most powerful statement to come out of brain research in the last twenty-five years is this: We are as different from one another on the inside of our heads as we appear to be different from one another on the outside of our heads. Look around and see the infinite variety of human heads – skin, hair, age, ethnic characteristics, size, color, and shape. And know that on the inside such differences are even greater-what we know, how we learn, how we process information, what we remember and forget, our strategies for functioning and coping. Add to that the understanding that the “world” out “there” is as much a projection from inside our heads as it is a perception, and pretty soon you are up against the realization that it is a miracle that we communicate at all. It is almost unbelievable that we are dealing with the same reality. We operate on a kind of loose consensus about existence at best. From a practical point of view, day by day, this kind of information makes me a little more patient with the people I live with. I am less inclined to protest, “Why don’t you see it the way I do?” and more inclined to say “You see it that way? Holy Cow! How amazing!”
- Robert Fulgum

Imagine that you are an anthropologist that has just discovered and is now studying a lost tribe somewhere in the Amazon rain forest. How would you go about studying this tribe? You would probably begin by simply observing: watching their interactions with each other and their environment, trying to understand what they do and why they do it. You would NOT make assumptions based on your own culture – after all, who says that they do things for the same reasons that you do things? Who says that they see the world the same way you do? You would simply try to understand their world from their point of view.

Effective leaders in all walks of life need to develop the ability to observe and accurately assess the situations and organizations that they are attempting to lead. The key to observation is understanding perspective.

Imagine that everyone goes through life with a set of glasses over their eyes. Everything they perceive is filtered through the lenses on their glasses. Any photographer will tell you that lenses are powerful things. They distort reality in special ways – by bringing some things into sharper focus, and hiding others from our view. Your lenses do the same thing. They are made up of your beliefs, expectations, past experiences, and prejudices. They distort what you perceive, so that when you look at the world, you are not really seeing the world. You are merely seeing that part of the world that your lenses allow you to see.

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the elephant
Though all of them were
blind
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The first approached the elephant
And, happening to fall
Against the broad and sturdy
side,
At once began to bawl:
“Why, bless me! But the elephant
Is very much like a wall!”

The second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! What have we
here
So very round and smooth and
sharp?
To me, tis very clear,
This wonder of an elephant
Is very like a spear!”

The third approached the animal,
And, happening to take
The squirming trunk within his
hands
Thus boldly up he spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the elephant
Is very like a snake!”

The fourth reached out his eager
hand
And felt about the knee:
“What most this wondrous beast
is like
Is very plain,” quoth he:
“Tis clear enough the elephant
Is very like a tree!”

The fifth who chanced to touch
the ear
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most,
Deny the fact who can:
This marvel of an elephant
Is very like a fan!”

The sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope
Than, seizing on the swinging
tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the elephant
Is very like a rope!”

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong;
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong.
-John G. Saxe

Perspective is everything. In a very real sense, in this life at least, there is no reality. There is only perception. Without an Eternal Perspective, something we will someday gain but certainly lack here and now, we do not see the world as it is. Like the blind men in the above poem, we are limited by our lenses.

Another word for lenses is theories. A theory is nothing more than a way of looking at the world – a perspective. All observation is theory laden. Our theories direct our attention toward certain elements of an event or situation, and deflect our attention from others.  Each of us sees what we are prepared to see. Theory development is social. From our earliest childhood we begin to form our theories of how the world is – or should be. We pick up theories from our parents, from our culture, our religion. Later we gain even more from our education or political affiliation. These theories will play a key role in how much of the world, and which parts of it, we are able to observe.

The secret of being a good observer is not to allow yourself to become trapped in a single point of view. Effective observers are able to look at things from multiple perspectives, or through multiple theory lenses. Each lens provides a different perspective, allowing the observer to gain new insights into the thing observed.

Effective managers and professionals in all walks of life, whether they be business executives, public administrators, organizational consultants, politicians, or trade unionists, have to become skilled in the art of “reading” the situations they are attempting to organize or manage. Skilled readers develop the knack of reading situations with various scenarios in mind, and of forging actions that seem appropriate to the readings thus obtained. They have the capacity to remain open and flexible, suspending immediate judgments whenever possible, until a more comprehensive view of the situation emerges. They are aware of the fact that new insights often arise as one reads a situation from new angles. and that a wide and varied reading can create a wide and varied range of action possibilities. Less effective managers and problem solvers, on the other hand, seem to interpret everything from a fixed standpoint. As a result, they frequently hit blocks that they can’t get around; their actions and behaviors are often rigid and inflexible and a source of conflict.
-Gareth Morgan, Images of Organization

My Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

My philosophy of teaching and learning has been shaped by two experiences that touched me very deeply. Neither was particularly earth shattering, but for some reason each profoundly altered my way of looking at my vocation, and the students with whom I am blessed to interact. From these experiences I have drawn two key conclusions, one dealing with my responsibility as a teacher, and one dealing with my students’ responsibility as learners.

My first experience occurred in my first year of teaching. I was taking a “Teacher Tune-up” class from a much more experienced teacher. He related an experience he had as an undergraduate student at a major university. He was taking a class outside his major that he found absolutely captivating. He loved the subject, he loved the content, and he was really enjoying the class – until he made the mistake of asking a “stupid question.” The professor simply stopped and stared. For what seemed like hours there was silence in the classroom. Finally, the professor shook his head, and in a tone dripping with disgust said, “I can not believe that you have such a minimal grasp of this material. What do I have to do to get you to learn? I know, we’re going to have a test, in class, next time, over the last three chapters. It will be very hard and you’d better be ready.”  My colleague telling the story then said, “You know, I don’t remember anything else about that class. I remember none of the course content, but that experience has stayed with me for all these years.”

As I listened to this story, I felt a powerful, almost spiritual compulsion to make sure that my students know from the very first day of class that I will never do that to them. I have come to believe that my first responsibility as a teacher is to provide a safe environment in which students can learn free from fear or intimidation. With every new class, I make it a point to tell my students that I want them to feel comfortable and safe in my classroom. I promise them that, while I will invite them to stretch and step out of their comfort zones from time to time, I will never intentionally do anything to ridicule, threaten, or hurt them. I do not control the amount of learning that takes place in my classroom – that is something that students determine. I do, however, have the ability to create an environment that is comfortable, safe, and conducive to learning.

The second experience that shaped my philosophy of education occurred several years later. I was given the opportunity to host a visiting student from Argentina. I took her on a tour of campus, pointing out the various facilities and services it offered. As I looked over at her I was startled to see huge tears in her eyes. In a voice brimming with emotion she exclaimed, “Why is this here? People in my country would give anything to be able to study in a place like this! Do these students have any idea what they have? Do they take advantage of this amazing blessing?”

I have since reflected a great deal on that experience. I realize that there are many people who would love to have the opportunities my students have. I also realize that students do not always take full advantage of those opportunities. When a student fails to make every effort to become educated, who suffers?

I teach at a religious institution. At this institution, students pay only a relatively small percentage of the actual cost of their education. The sponsoring church pours many millions of dollars into this and similar institutions around the world. These funds come primarily from the tithes and offerings of church members around the world, many of whom will never have the opportunity to attend or send their children to a university. I have come to the conclusion that very few students shoulder the entire burden of their education. Even students at state universities often benefit from financial support from families, private groups, and the state.

Many teachers say that the primary responsibility for learning rests with the students. I take this idea one step further. I believe that the opportunity to become educated is a stewardship. Families, communities, and the state make an investment in students, an investment for which they have the right to expect a return. Members of my church, for example, do not pay to supplement the education of students at church schools because they feel that these students deserve special privileges. They do so because they understand that a well educated person can return more to the broader community, and can extend his or her influence for good in ways that a person lacking education can not. It is expected that that person will use the education he or she has been blessed with to bless the lives of others.

Please note that I say that students who are blessed to have this investment made in them have the obligation to become educated, not simply get good grades. Most students know how to “play the game.” They become adept at reading the teacher, giving him/her what he/she wants, and getting the grade. I have this discussion with my students every year, and they agree that for most of them it is very possible to get a good grade in a class and not learn or retain anything. I believe that in order to be faithful to their stewardship, students must actively seek out opportunities to become educated, whether or not those opportunities have points attached. The power of universities as communities of learning is that they can provide so many such opportunities, within and without the formal academic structure.

At a teacher, I can guide and influence students in their quest to become educated, but often the best learning occurs in my classroom when I share a vision of where students can go with the material, and then get out of the way. Students who are informed, safe, enthused, and responsible will take the class in directions I never would have chosen, but which are every bit as rewarding as what I would have done.

My philosophy of teaching and learning, then, is ultimately fairly simple. I believe that my primary role is to provide a safe, comfortable environment in which learning can occur. I believe that students have an obligation to the larger society, of which they are a part, to become educated, and then use that education for the benefit of others. These ideas have shaped me as a teacher. They have changed the way I see students and the way I interact with them. They have altered my course content and the degree to which I exercise power and authority in the classroom. I now seek to guide and influence students, but I see them as agents unto themselves who must be allowed to make choices. Those choices may not always be similar to those I would have made, but that does not make them worse.