A very brief reply to John Dicus:
>So I began to wonder what the equivalent of airflow (air through-put?)
>might be in an organization. Then I began thinking about how we
>characterize organizations as open, living, etc -- or as closed, dying,
>etc.
>
>If an organization were capable of moving more "air" with each "breath"....
>What comes to you mind?
I think of the act of breathing itself, the kind of behavior that we have
in common. When we pay attention to the breath, we realize the
destructiveness of dynamics related to status and competition. They
reduce our ability to see the world as it is, and thus our ability to
respond to the world in appropriate ways. Imagine, if you will, an entire
organization that operates on the awareness that (as my father used to
say) everyone puts their pants on one leg at a time. Eliminate the
emphasis on status, find a way to replace competition with collaboration,
and you will get greater gains in efficiency than you could possibly
imagine.
Try this with your work group: Twice a week, on Monday and Wednesday
mornings, sit together in a comfortable room and breathe together.
Someone could read a chapter from Jon Kabat-Zinn's book "Wherever You Go,
There You Are" or you might listen to one of his short meditation tapes,
or a few minutes of Jack Kornfield's "A Path With Heart" (available on two
90-minute tapes). Use these tools to get started, but don't spend more
than half the time this way; make sure at least half the time is spent in
silence. A regular investment of 30 minutes' focusing on the breath can
have incredible effects, but it doesn't happen at once. People don't
readily give up their egos. If you keep at it, you may find the "true
self" of the work group gradually emerging.
Wishing you the courage to explore your true self,
Dave
------------------------
* David E. Birren
Project Manager and Consultant,
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
(608) 267-2442
"Teach your tongue to say 'I do not know' and you will progress."
-- Maimonides
--"Birren, David E" <BirreD@mail01.dnr.state.wi.us>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>