WELCOME TO THE IDEAS FACTORY
THIS IS A PLACE FOR US TO SHARE resources including WHAT WE ARE READING, WATCHING AND LISTENING TO. WE EXPECT IT WILL BE AN ECLECTIC LIST WHICH WILL GROW AND EVOLVE, SO CHECK BACK REGULARLY.
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Recent and recommended.
Other'must reads'.
Reviews.
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This may be the best thing you have never done!Not Doing, The art of effortless action, Diana Renner & Steven D'Souza
It is with much excitement we welcome Diana's new book, Not Doing. Given today's increasing pace of change and the constant, excessive busyness that results, it's not a surprise that so many people are struggling, feeling stretched beyond their limits, overwhelmed, and exhausted, besieged by the demands of complex projects and workplaces. They are engaged in a kind of "doing" that is more effort and struggle than the kind of "doing" that comes from a place of presence, openness, and aliveness. Not only is the latter method of "doing" ineffective and unsustainable, but ultimately leads to stress, anxiety, and burnout. Not Doing: The Art of Effortless Action examines these principles and more, offering solutions for readers to achieve the optimal kind of "doing" that they long for. |
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Need convincing the world is becoming more complex?The Global Risks Report 2017, 12th Edition, World Economic Forum
This is something at little different than our usual posts which tend to focus on books. We often refer to this report in our work as an example of increasing global interdependence and complexity so thought some of you might appreciate having a link to download a copy. The report contains some amazing diagrams. My favorites are the ones showing the connection between trends, risks and impact. Download a copy at http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GRR17_Report_web.pdf |
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What will you do when robots take your job?This book comes highly recommended by our great friend and colleague, Kay Hannaford and is often referred to in the 'Finding Meaningful Work' program.
It is written by Australian author and academic, Tim Dunlop. Tim has a PhD in political philosophy, and teaches at the Centre for Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne. "In this timely and provocative book, Tim Dunlop argues that by embracing the changes ahead we might even find ourselves better off. Workless goes beyond the gadgetry and hype to examine the social and political ramifications of work throughout history and into the future. It argues we need to think big now, not wait until we're in a dystopian world of mass unemployment and wealth held in the hands of a minority" (www.bookdepository.com). |
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Time to stop doing more about things that mean less and less?The key message of this book is captured on the opening page 'Transformation comes more from pursuing profound questions than seeking practical answers'.
I first read this book eight years ago, and it had a huge impact on the way I think about idealism, engagement and hidden cost of 'how-to' pragmatism. In picking it up again for this blog, I feel it is almost more relevant today than when it was written. The book presents a guide to bringing life 'granting personal value into an indifferent or even hostile corporate landscape'. What the book points to is a conversation that is missing but genuinely needed in organizations and society. In Peter Block's words, "This might elevate the state of not knowing to being an acceptable condition of our existence rather than a problem to be solved, and we might realise that real service and contribution come from the choice of a worthy destination than from limiting ourselves to engaging in what we know will work" |
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Do go changing!Those familiar with our work do know we play with a number of models and theories, including Constructive Adult Development.
At its heart is the view we all make sense of the world in our heads (constructed) and our model for making sense can become more complex over time (developmental). Contemporary contributors to the theory include Robert Kegan, Bill Torbert, Susan Cook-Gretuer and many others. Then there is Jennifer Garvey-Berger. Jennifer stands out for her ability to translate theory into language both understandable and applicable to non-academics trying to make progress in a complex world. In 'Changing on the Job'Jennifer takes profound ideas and shapes them into a digestible feast. Jenifer does not oversimplify the material typical of many management books but offers a broad understanding of Constructive Adult Development. The book might be short, but the ideas are dense. It is the type of book that demands reflection after every page. This book is required reading for any current or aspiring manager as it has the power to change the way you think about thinking! If you like this and would like a deeper dive then you might also want to check out:
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