Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2010
"Knowledge": a BIG Topic for Leaders
Let's start at the universal horizon: we've shifted to a "knowledge economy".
In Thunder Bay... we are landing feet first into that "global knowledge", especially through our state of the art research base.
As a community, we are slowly learning to become a "learning organization".
Our educational systems are strategically "breaking the cycle".
As leaders, we setting goals as "life long learners".
& so the cycle continues...as life long learners our ripple effect touches the global knowledge shift...pointing to our northern base...breaking more cycles...
"Knowledge is a BIG topic!"
On March 4 CLD, be prepared to ask our Mayor Lynn Peterson about her views about how our community is shifting.
We have an hour to "just chat" about the state of affairs.
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Rocks and Sand
Stewart Kallio, LTB Vice Chair
A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about 2" in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was. So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.
The students laughed.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of Course, the sand filled up everything else.
"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your Life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, and your children - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.
The sand is everything else. The small stuff."
"If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room
for the pebbles, and the rocks.
The same goes for your life.
If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get Medical checkups.
Take your wife out dancing.
There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal."
"Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
Beach View
Margaret Wheatley: Servant Leadership
There was a geologist being interviewed. He was a beach geologist, so his field of study was beaches and sand and the like. And at the time he was being interviewed, there was a storm. One of the large hurricanes was pounding the outer bank off the Carolinas. And he was being interviewed about what hurricanes do to beaches.
Now, we all know what hurricanes do to beaches and beach houses and such. We feel they're very destructive, right? They destroy homes and take down power lines and take away even sand, and whole beaches disappear in a hurricane.
So this interviewer was talking to this beach geologists about this hurricane going on. And then this is what got my attention.
The geologists said, "You know I can't wait to get out on those beaches again once these storms have passed.
And I hope to get out there in the next 24 hours."
And the interviewer said, "What do you expect to find out there?"
and I was listening, and I thought he was going
to talk about all the destruction
he was going to find.
What he said really surprised me. He said, "I expect to find a new beach."
Now wouldn't it be wonderful if we could be in the same relationship with life as that beach geologist, where we would look for newness rather than predictability, where we would look to see what just happened rather than agonize that what we wanted didn't happen?
Breaking the Cycle: "Finding New-ness"
Alumnus Stewart Kallio
The Canadian Council on Learning Report
highlights learning as a "lifelong holistic process"
for Canada's first nations people.
Even more interesting is the artwork by Thunder Bay’s Roy Thomas. After Roy’s passing several years ago, his wife, Louise, felt strongly about honouring Roy and his work; as a result, she established the Anishnabae Art Gallery on James Street to continue promoting Roy’s work and his message. The gallery overlooks Mount Mckay, a most moving and spiritual place for the Anishnabae. Since opening she’s established quite a strong voice and artist's collective in the art world.
Now that you've read all this...
How about a freebie?
Post a comment about any of these "knowledge stories" to win Vancouver author Greg Gerrie's book "Fired Up For Life"
and I will deliver to you along with coffee/dessert of your choice.
Comment @ http://www.xowhat.blogspot.com/
