All who work in higher education are drawn to stories of growth and success. Be it a student navigating roadblocks or institutions changing lives, we seek narratives with positive academic arcs, triumphs overcome and dreams realized. Attention is given to critiques and criticisms, to be sure, but are they embraced and acted on by the…
Hungry, Humble & Smart Teams
Patrick Lencioni is a wise and savvy management consultant – and not just because he’s wildly successful. His best-selling book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, is outstanding and has helped numerous organizations for more than two decades. I’ve found it useful over the years, assigned to me and assigning it. Reviews have been consistent:…
Learning From Sommeliers
Learning on one’s own is tough. The pandemic is an outstanding reminder that we need guidance, practice, encouragement and criticism to make real gains when we want to learn and grow. Most go only so far when working solo, especially when siloed on a screen. For the academically inclined, it’s further validation of Vygotsky’s zones…
Unanswerable Questions
Questions can come a place of curiosity, of genuinely wanting to know. Asking a person, or especially a child, can be a form of validation, affirming both. “I am interested in you and your answers. You matter to me.” These are the sorts of questions that I believe, perhaps with undue optimism, can bridge difference…
Racism’s Wicked Legacy
To truly understand the wicked legacy of racism in the United States, look to well-researched history. Current media may buzz about critical race theory – and it can be provocative – but history has staying power. And really well-done history explains so much in ways that can engage and enrage, that can make you weep…
In Praise of the Field Trip
On a chilly, grey Chicago afternoon not that long ago, I drove to the Pullman National Monument. The rain was intermittent and traffic thin. I was a tourist in my own city, pulling into an empty parking lot and wondering if others found nineteenth century labor history equally fascinating. Short answer: very few people were…
Clarity on Climate Change
Since reading Lab Girl, I, like many others, have kept an eye out for more writing by Hope Jahren. Her latest book, The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here, is outstanding. It’s engaging, informative, and relatable while dealing with a topic that can quickly be overwhelming.…