Organized Change

In the pursuit of knowledge & truth

I consider my intelligence as an acquired skill. I have always enjoyed learning because of the influence of former teachers. I do not consider myself gifted when it comes to my intellect. I just work harder at learning than most other people. Thankfully, I enjoy reading which provides me an advantage in gaining new knowledge. I have improved my ability to understand and learn new concepts quickly.

I do enjoy gaining new insights and perspectives, but without a practical application for the information, I will file it away mentally or discard it. This is one of my struggles in my doctoral studies with theory versus applied knowledge. When I see or hear of new concepts or insights I will consider them in the context of my current interests. Presently, my current interest is in the area developing an innovative approach to transfer knowledge for organizational development. I have become fixated on the subject of transference of knowledge from theory to application. Many books are written about the theory or concepts, but often lack identifying the steps that are required to perform the concepts. For the last three years, I have been exploring using technology to advance this concept of transferring theory to applied knowledge.

It is important to me to know the “truth” about a subject matter because I will often rework the information to make it easier for the learner to understand. To accomplish this, I need to fully understand the information (the truth) and its meaning to apply it in the context that I am trying to teach. A well-chosen sentence, phrase, or word can bring clarity to someone who needs to understand a vague concept. This often means I will take bits of information out of order or sequence because the learner only wants to understand the bits and pieces that they are ready to accept. I often hear project managers ask, “What is the one thing I need to know about project management?” My reply is, “Project management is the ability to get things done.” Hopefully, that one statement will provoke a curiosity which will lead to other questions. I will process a large amount of knowledge (truths) to form well-chosen statements.

Steve

Remembered Joy

Having a blog is demanding. They extract from you valuable time and mental energy. They are also enriching. A blog is to look into the person who writes them. They are said to be a form of “naked conversation” with oneself. And so is the case of this posting.

It has been two years since my last posting. It has been a very enriching time for us and a very difficult time. In his book, The Road Less Traveled, author M. Scott Peck begins his book with a profound statement. “Life is difficult.” Since our last posting, Diana and I have traveled a difficult road.

Shortly after our last posting on Dec. 2005, I received a call that my sister, Carole, had been admitted into the hospital and only had a few days left. The lung cancer that she had fought for the previous six months had come back with a vengeance. She died before we could fly down Florida to be with her.

Carole was our north star. She was the one Diana and I turned to when we eloped thirty two years ago. She was the one that we turned to when Diana fought her battles with breast cancer over the last twenty years. And she was the one who dropped everything to take care of both of us in 2003, when both Diana and I were diagnosed with cancer.

My sister Barbara found this poem that expresses what we need to remember when there are unanswered questions as to why difficulties come into our lives.

To those who face their own difficulties in life…

Remembered Joy

Don't grieve for me, for now I am free.
I followed the plan God laid for me.
I saw his face, I heard his call
I took his hand and left it all.

I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
And if my parting had left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
These things, I too, shall will miss.
My life's been full, I've savored much
Good friends, good time, a loved ones touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief.
Don't shorten yours with undone grief.
Be not burdened with tears of sorrow,
Enjoy the sunshine of tomorrow.

Carole, we will miss you beyond what words can convey.

Peace, love, and may God be by your side,
Steve & Diana