Jo's Learning Blog
A space that Jo can sort it all out when the learning expands and spills over.
On the Debate of Structure and Governance for Vibrant Abbotsford
Summary:This was a discussion paper submitted to our Vibrant Abbotsford Leadership Table following a particularly disconserting meeting in which a decision was deferred for further exploration, and in doing so, instilled a deep and disturbing divide amongst the members.
"I want to stay as close to the edge
as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of
things you can't see from the center."
--Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
This continues to be a challenging time for members of Vibrant Abbotsford Leadership Table (VALT): for some members, it is a time of set-back and failure in relationships, cohesiveness, and values. For others, it is another test of patience in trying to pin down who and what we are. For a few, it is another example of what collaboration, [...]
Collaboration, Power and Relationships
Summary:A personal exploration to understanding how inherent powers within relationships are fundamental to the success of collaboration
A Timely Discussion - Anytime:
I have been questioning, reading and writing about tensions between and within our collaborative efforts for well over seven months, becoming increasingly sensitive to what I personally have perceived, and what has been described to me by others as precise and intensive attempts to over-ride a collective that was for the most part viable and motivated. Still, it suffered heated and polarized visions, and was [...]Leadership and Vulnerability
Summary:The days of command and control are gone...what are we doing in their stead?
I recently had the pleasure of hearing Michael Brennan,
president and CEO of United Way for Southeastern Michigan, who
spoke recently at our United Way Canada National Conference (in
Whistler, BC). He has a truly authenticity in his style, and as
one of the youngest CEO's in the UW movement, can be seen as leader
who understands the influence of leadership for good or for bad.
In his presentation, he challenged leaders in the new social change
to be bold yet not afraid of our vulnerability. This [...]
On the Road Forward to finding Resiliency
Summary:Taking another remarkable step forward in the journey towards change
Everyone should have a day like our Vibrant Leadership Table had last Saturday.
It was Intense. Bold. Authentic. Releasing. Dynamic. Validating.
It was even worth going out for beers and karaoke afterwards, laughing at our shared pain and truimphs together such as we'd never been able to do before. We came to a point of knowing that some of us had secured new friends, others re-newed friends, but all were together under the same .
It almost didn't happen at all. Even as we were preparing for [...]When is a CCI not a CCI?
Recently, I've been noticing a sudden surge of rhetorical abuse
occuring, which is quickly turning the term CCI (as in
Comprehensive Community Initiative) into a buzzword that is being
used with little or no real understanding of what a CCI actually
is. In one case, most recently, is a circumstance in which a rather
large pool of funding is being offered into our community to work
on a specific issue of concern. Given, the concern is one that is
shared by the local community, but what is [...]
