With all the controversies in public school systems about the extent to which global studies initiatives should be funded, it's interesting to see many private schools plowing ahead on their own.
The International School of Tucson (AZ.) is one such example. For starters, IST emphasizes "how to learn" (through a methology that stresses inquiry based upon hypothesis, research, data collection, experimentation and observation.)
Recognizing these youngsters will grow up in an increasingly Global Neighborhood, the school also immerses youngsters in foreign languages early. How early? Get this - Pre-school classes are taught entirely in alternative languages - French, German, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese (coming soon).
To quote IST, "We believe that learning occurs when the student passes through the above stages to the point where s/he reflects on the experiences s/he has had and on the information s/he has gained through a process of discovery. Through the guidance of the teacher, the learner acquires and moves beyond the "core" body of knowledge required to become an "educated person".
Educated people - not trained automatons. Increasingly, academic and professional disciplines over the next few decades must by necessity train budding career seekers how to think instead in addition to "what to think." In a world of heightened competition, rapidly changing technologies and modes of conducting business or exchange, our future depends on a new kind of thinker. Kudos to IST and their ilk.
Sep 25, 2008
Sep 19, 2008
Careers: Karma Capitalism
Don't look now, but a new mindset is gradually starting to seep into corporate boardrooms and operational HQ's... Karma Capitalism.
If this sounds like a new age hybrid of the Dalai Lama and Donald Trump, you're not far off. Simply put the notion of karma - "reaping what you sow" - is starting to be seen in many quarters as - ta-da! - good business. (Think the Wall Street gurus getting whiplashed by our financial chaos right now might take note?)
Business Week ran a great expose' on karma capitalism a while back. Applied to Main Street, it's the idea that "corporations can simultaneously create value and social justice" .. oh, the guy who said that (C.K. Prahalad, a Univ. of Michigan professor) was ranked third by the London Times in a poll of the world's most influential business thinkers... (who sez gurus can't wear both robes and suits ?)
What this emerging practice looks like is:
* corporate philanthropy is viewed as a competitive advantage for attracting and retaining top talent
* management practices in the future will be driven less by shareholders (exclusively) and more by "stakeholders" - the greater family of business partners, affililates, customers/vendors,etc.
* subtly shifting marketing vernacular away from "conquest"-oriented language to "symbiotic" phrasing
* the viewing of company's structure as a complex social organism with interdependencies
If all this sounds like too much fluff, so says the Bizweek article, just consider that the world's leading business schools (Dartmouth, Kellogg at Northwestern, Columbia, Harvard, London School of Business ) are now teaching these principles (though perhaps not openly using the k-word so much). And, as companies from GE to Chevron (huh?), Deere, Cargill and Goldman Sachs are overtly (or covertly) adopting these principles, there must be something to it... (not to mention - OK, I'll mention it - that spiritual lightning rod Deepak Chopra has consulted at the World Bank, Deloitte Consulting, Harvard and sits on the board of Mens Wearhouse...)
Good karma is good business. Young career seekers should see - or should demand - that their potential employees are deeply invested in this practice of giving and service - for the sake of their own 'Return-on-Investment.'
purpose before self..
If this sounds like a new age hybrid of the Dalai Lama and Donald Trump, you're not far off. Simply put the notion of karma - "reaping what you sow" - is starting to be seen in many quarters as - ta-da! - good business. (Think the Wall Street gurus getting whiplashed by our financial chaos right now might take note?)
Business Week ran a great expose' on karma capitalism a while back. Applied to Main Street, it's the idea that "corporations can simultaneously create value and social justice" .. oh, the guy who said that (C.K. Prahalad, a Univ. of Michigan professor) was ranked third by the London Times in a poll of the world's most influential business thinkers... (who sez gurus can't wear both robes and suits ?)
What this emerging practice looks like is:
* corporate philanthropy is viewed as a competitive advantage for attracting and retaining top talent
* management practices in the future will be driven less by shareholders (exclusively) and more by "stakeholders" - the greater family of business partners, affililates, customers/vendors,etc.
* subtly shifting marketing vernacular away from "conquest"-oriented language to "symbiotic" phrasing
* the viewing of company's structure as a complex social organism with interdependencies
If all this sounds like too much fluff, so says the Bizweek article, just consider that the world's leading business schools (Dartmouth, Kellogg at Northwestern, Columbia, Harvard, London School of Business ) are now teaching these principles (though perhaps not openly using the k-word so much). And, as companies from GE to Chevron (huh?), Deere, Cargill and Goldman Sachs are overtly (or covertly) adopting these principles, there must be something to it... (not to mention - OK, I'll mention it - that spiritual lightning rod Deepak Chopra has consulted at the World Bank, Deloitte Consulting, Harvard and sits on the board of Mens Wearhouse...)
Good karma is good business. Young career seekers should see - or should demand - that their potential employees are deeply invested in this practice of giving and service - for the sake of their own 'Return-on-Investment.'
purpose before self..
Sep 15, 2008
Careers: Seamless Education for a Better Career
Remember when the transition between eighth grade and high school wasn't nearly so seamless? Well, neither do I (TG), but it wasn't for many years.
Unfortunately, that historical antecedent still exists in the form of a huge learning and preparation chasm that separates high school to college and beyond. Fortunately, the game is now afoot to change all that, according to an excellent article in the Arizona Republic. Organizations such as the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, and the Phoenix-based Center for the Future of Arizona, are starting to confront this gap with pragmatic versions of a "reengineered" education system.
Features would include creating flexible education options for students as early as middle school, based upon talents and desires; linking high schools with colleges and universities; five year progams that result in both a high school diploma and a vo-tech certificate; and for advanced learners, programs that enable grads to enter college at sophomore or even junior levels - kind of like AP classes on steroids.
Pulling that off requires three systemic changes: 1) collaborations between high school and post-secondary schools; 2) getting the teachers "on board" (NEA, are you listening?); and 3) funding (you knew it was in there somewhere, didn't you?).
I suspect that over the next decade or so we'll see just this kind of realignment - not because special interests are screaming for it, but because it's a logical evolution of how education and career preparation have to proceed to keep our future workforces motivated and prepared for global competition. "Seamless Education" is a must.
Funding is starting to appear to add some muscle to this concept. One such organization is the the Helios Education Foundation are starting , as they and others are launching grant programs to help organizations such as the Center for the Future of Arizona create pragmatic and attractive pathways for realizing this necessary transition.
Unfortunately, that historical antecedent still exists in the form of a huge learning and preparation chasm that separates high school to college and beyond. Fortunately, the game is now afoot to change all that, according to an excellent article in the Arizona Republic. Organizations such as the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, and the Phoenix-based Center for the Future of Arizona, are starting to confront this gap with pragmatic versions of a "reengineered" education system.
Features would include creating flexible education options for students as early as middle school, based upon talents and desires; linking high schools with colleges and universities; five year progams that result in both a high school diploma and a vo-tech certificate; and for advanced learners, programs that enable grads to enter college at sophomore or even junior levels - kind of like AP classes on steroids.
Pulling that off requires three systemic changes: 1) collaborations between high school and post-secondary schools; 2) getting the teachers "on board" (NEA, are you listening?); and 3) funding (you knew it was in there somewhere, didn't you?).
I suspect that over the next decade or so we'll see just this kind of realignment - not because special interests are screaming for it, but because it's a logical evolution of how education and career preparation have to proceed to keep our future workforces motivated and prepared for global competition. "Seamless Education" is a must.
Funding is starting to appear to add some muscle to this concept. One such organization is the the Helios Education Foundation are starting , as they and others are launching grant programs to help organizations such as the Center for the Future of Arizona create pragmatic and attractive pathways for realizing this necessary transition.
Sep 12, 2008
Careers: Digital Visual Literacy - worth 1,000 words?
Two major phenomena are challenging communications in the early 21 Century: the explosion of electronic documentation that’s inundating our PCs and PDA’s (as in 60 billion "transmissions" each day), and the myriad of colliding languages and cultural icons from the ever-more connected Global Neighborhood. The challenge? “Too Much Information” (of which I address frequently in this blog), and interpretational dilemmas.
The remedy? Digital Visual Literacy. DVL’s been around for a few decades, but now it’s ready to step into its own. DVL refers to the technologies and processes that enable people to communicate (creating, analyzing, etc.) digital images and sounds. Which only makes sense, considering the preponderance of highly visual and highly audible websites, videos, and TV shows; and imagery such as photos, graphs and drawings.
According to IT-Educators Educause, DVL will become as important as textual literacy for learning. Not surprisingly, DVL’s starting to find its way into the classroom – Brown University and Mesa (AZ) Community College just completed a three year grant for exploring that very purpose.
So perhaps pictures really are worth a thousand words – or a million, if abstract ideas can be conveyed “solidly” across cultures who see, think and feel differently than we do.
The remedy? Digital Visual Literacy. DVL’s been around for a few decades, but now it’s ready to step into its own. DVL refers to the technologies and processes that enable people to communicate (creating, analyzing, etc.) digital images and sounds. Which only makes sense, considering the preponderance of highly visual and highly audible websites, videos, and TV shows; and imagery such as photos, graphs and drawings.
According to IT-Educators Educause, DVL will become as important as textual literacy for learning. Not surprisingly, DVL’s starting to find its way into the classroom – Brown University and Mesa (AZ) Community College just completed a three year grant for exploring that very purpose.
So perhaps pictures really are worth a thousand words – or a million, if abstract ideas can be conveyed “solidly” across cultures who see, think and feel differently than we do.
Sep 9, 2008
Careers: Social Responsibility Management - PR with Profit
Quick – what do Apple, Best Buy, Caterpillar, Wendy’s, Hersheys, Nike, Exxon, Amnesty International and the UN World Bank have in common? Answer: They all have Social Responsibility Managers.
In years past (and alas, still in some dark corners), this title would raise eyebrows and elicit chortles of disdain - didn't Milton Friedman, the highly respected high priest of laissez-faire, free market puritanism always tell us that maximizing profits was the only objective of the corporate Mother Ship?
Well, turns out that aficionados of Mssr. Friedman can have their cake and eat it, too. For these days, more and more corporations are starting to see that maximizing profits - in the long run - necessitates a "triple bottom line": that is, "People, Planet and Profits." Put differently, doing what's right for the community, environment and shareholders can be totally compatible.
Social Responsibility Managers help their organizations become more responsive to environmental, human rights and health issues. Make no mistake: Social Responsibility is good business. It’s a good recruiting attractor, and it helps companies differentiate their “brand” and overcome (and hopefully avoid!) negative events such as scandals, etc. Some even say social contributions trigger a clever form of subconscious advertising (we think, “gee, they’re good guys!”).
According to CSRwire, a Corporate Social Responsibility "newswire," a survey of Fortune 1000 CEOs (conducted by PR firm Jericho Communications) found that 36 percent of respondents said their company is more conscious of corporate social responsibility since September 11, 2001; 52 percent think that corporations acting responsibly to communities around the world can ebb the support of terrorist group; 42 percent said a company’s responsibility for communities around the world should equal a company’s commitment to communities in the U.S.; and 82 percent believe in global warming (of which 72 percent believe business practices have either major impact or some impact on contributing).
The field of Social Responsibility Management is so new here in the U.S. (it’s very developed in Europe), there’s no clear cut career path yet, although some colleges are now offering Masters in Social Responsibility or Non-profit Leadership. A strong resume or degree includes subjects such as labor law, human resource management, environmental sciences or public affairs.
There’s no shortage of roles within corporations, governments and consultants. Maybe you’ll engage with philanthropic foundations; maybe you’ll negotiate with “sustainable partners” (suppliers, customers, etc.). Perhaps you’ll work in corporate communications or public relations – or even with/for financial companies (ever hear of socially responsible investing?). You might even design state, national or international government policies or compliance programs. Often, you’ll deal with inquisitive stockholders and demanding advocacy groups (i.e. labor unions and regulators.).
I suspect more and more colleges and universities will be offering degrees in this exploding field. The planet - and the company's profitability - depend on it. Welcome to the 21st Century.
In years past (and alas, still in some dark corners), this title would raise eyebrows and elicit chortles of disdain - didn't Milton Friedman, the highly respected high priest of laissez-faire, free market puritanism always tell us that maximizing profits was the only objective of the corporate Mother Ship?
Well, turns out that aficionados of Mssr. Friedman can have their cake and eat it, too. For these days, more and more corporations are starting to see that maximizing profits - in the long run - necessitates a "triple bottom line": that is, "People, Planet and Profits." Put differently, doing what's right for the community, environment and shareholders can be totally compatible.
Social Responsibility Managers help their organizations become more responsive to environmental, human rights and health issues. Make no mistake: Social Responsibility is good business. It’s a good recruiting attractor, and it helps companies differentiate their “brand” and overcome (and hopefully avoid!) negative events such as scandals, etc. Some even say social contributions trigger a clever form of subconscious advertising (we think, “gee, they’re good guys!”).
According to CSRwire, a Corporate Social Responsibility "newswire," a survey of Fortune 1000 CEOs (conducted by PR firm Jericho Communications) found that 36 percent of respondents said their company is more conscious of corporate social responsibility since September 11, 2001; 52 percent think that corporations acting responsibly to communities around the world can ebb the support of terrorist group; 42 percent said a company’s responsibility for communities around the world should equal a company’s commitment to communities in the U.S.; and 82 percent believe in global warming (of which 72 percent believe business practices have either major impact or some impact on contributing).
The field of Social Responsibility Management is so new here in the U.S. (it’s very developed in Europe), there’s no clear cut career path yet, although some colleges are now offering Masters in Social Responsibility or Non-profit Leadership. A strong resume or degree includes subjects such as labor law, human resource management, environmental sciences or public affairs.
There’s no shortage of roles within corporations, governments and consultants. Maybe you’ll engage with philanthropic foundations; maybe you’ll negotiate with “sustainable partners” (suppliers, customers, etc.). Perhaps you’ll work in corporate communications or public relations – or even with/for financial companies (ever hear of socially responsible investing?). You might even design state, national or international government policies or compliance programs. Often, you’ll deal with inquisitive stockholders and demanding advocacy groups (i.e. labor unions and regulators.).
I suspect more and more colleges and universities will be offering degrees in this exploding field. The planet - and the company's profitability - depend on it. Welcome to the 21st Century.
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