Replying to LO24420 --
I had the same experience as Lon. While quickly scanning and deleting, I
ran across this thread. That prompted me to go back and read some old
emails where Winfried started this thread.
Lon's questions prompted me to think back to when I subscribed onto this
list...I had to ask myself over again about what I first expected to see
in the posts to LO. Here is what I had been hoping to read...
- practical experience of business managers balanced and blended with
academic opinions and experience of the professors on this list. Instead,
it feels like two different worlds with separate topics and subjects. There
doesn't seem to be much interaction between these two worlds.
- Some of the posts are way too long. And I would probably read them if
I knew the "point" near the beginning of the message and the background
info later on.
- Many of these overly long posts quote many authors and philosophers
that I have never heard of? Is it just me? Or is my lack of a liberal
arts education showing up now?!
What interests me?
- "small wins" in my pursuit (and other posters' pursuits) to get my
organisation working towards the five disciplines. I had one small win
last week, and it made my day. Maybe we managers should share (post)
these experiences?
- unlearning (and gaining the courage to stop doing some habitual things
in the organisation in order to make room for new practices)
- antecedents to becoming a learning org.
- role conflict/role ambiguity as it pertains to LO
- family owned companies becoming LO's
- leadership / visioning
- toxic handlers in organisations (as per Peter Frost's recent work, see
HBR from last July)
And some info about my background:
- undergrad in medical lab sciences. Worked as a hospital lab tech for
several years, then went into sales of lab products. Currently a regional
sales manager for western Canada.
- Phasing out of that career to work as a consultant for business
development and HR projects in the lab industry. Named the consulting
company "Shackleton Resources", after my favourite example of courage and
leadership, Sir Ernest.
- started MBA program at Athabasca University (mostly distance learning
via internet) in the fall of 1996, part time. Due to graduate sometime
this year (if I can ever get this thesis done!).
And in defence of students, I am an MBA student who found out about this
list while in an LO course last fall. I stayed on subscribing long after
the course was finished because the LO course changed the way I think as a
manager, and thus I felt it worthwhile to continue exploring this area of
management practice. Not all of us ask for help the night before the big
assignment is due, then unsubscribe :-)
Claire Hilscher
Vancouver, BC, Canada
--"C. Hilscher" <hilsher@ibm.net>
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