Comments on: A Marriage of Theory and Practice http://professorford.com/2009/05/03/a-marriage-of-theory-and-practice/ Making Management Simple Mon, 03 May 2010 13:53:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: professorford http://professorford.com/2009/05/03/a-marriage-of-theory-and-practice/comment-page-/#comment-7 professorford Tue, 05 May 2009 18:57:49 +0000 http://professorford.wordpress.com/?p=5#comment-7 For readers who wonder about Steve's reference to "bad apples", it is in reference to the article we wrote in our Great Managing newsletter on Working with Bad Applies in which we discussed the work of Professor <a href="http://www.erim.eur.nl/ERIM/Research/Centres/Erasmus_Centre_for_Leadership_Studies/Our_Centre/Researchers/Dr_Will_Felps?p_aff_id=2852" rel="nofollow">Will Felps</a> on people who are chronically disruptive to group processes and performance. For readers who wonder about Steve’s reference to “bad apples”, it is in reference to the article we wrote in our Great Managing newsletter on Working with Bad Applies in which we discussed the work of Professor Will Felps on people who are chronically disruptive to group processes and performance.

]]> By: Steve Grove http://professorford.com/2009/05/03/a-marriage-of-theory-and-practice/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Steve Grove Tue, 05 May 2009 16:05:35 +0000 http://professorford.wordpress.com/?p=5#comment-6 What a powerful way to begin your blog. I have learned much from you and Laurie for over a year now, and have to say that few newsletters are as deserving as yours of careful consideration, month after month. Thanks for your invitation to begin a dialog here. Art Kleiner reminds us in The Age of Heretics of Kurt Lewin’s famous line: “Nothing is so practical as a good theory.” Which begs the question: What is gained in the Faustian bargain of bad apple tolerance? Should we be looking for problem recognition and strategy here, or rather to isolate the bad actors and lead them to transformation? Should we wait longer for what to do while organizations and populations struggle in the social and economic detritus of bad apples? Do we not have enough evidence on good behavior and good financial practices to take serious issue with the abusers; and give them not only policies and support teams that can encourage and lift them up, but hope as well, for happiness and sustainable wealth? I mean, do we think those bad actors are happy people? Do we believe we strengthen organizational performance by anything less than an offer for immediate professional help? Has society ever won sustainable value from negotiations with terrorists? When I look at developments in neuroleadership and our accelerating knowledge of the ecology of organizational life and economic performance (see Beinhocker’s The Origin of Wealth), I am amazed at how tenaciously the world clings to failed policies and terrible practices still based upon the discredited ideas of great man leadership. It is time to move on, to teach true caring and courage from kindergarten on, and to take personal responsibility for our organizations, and our nations. Get the bad apples some help—and stop making more! What a powerful way to begin your blog. I have learned much from you and Laurie for over a year now, and have to say that few newsletters are as deserving as yours of careful consideration, month after month. Thanks for your invitation to begin a dialog here.

Art Kleiner reminds us in The Age of Heretics of Kurt Lewin’s famous line: “Nothing is so practical as a good theory.” Which begs the question: What is gained in the Faustian bargain of bad apple tolerance? Should we be looking for problem recognition and strategy here, or rather to isolate the bad actors and lead them to transformation?

Should we wait longer for what to do while organizations and populations struggle in the social and economic detritus of bad apples? Do we not have enough evidence on good behavior and good financial practices to take serious issue with the abusers; and give them not only policies and support teams that can encourage and lift them up, but hope as well, for happiness and sustainable wealth?

I mean, do we think those bad actors are happy people? Do we believe we strengthen organizational performance by anything less than an offer for immediate professional help? Has society ever won sustainable value from negotiations with terrorists?

When I look at developments in neuroleadership and our accelerating knowledge of the ecology of organizational life and economic performance (see Beinhocker’s The Origin of Wealth), I am amazed at how tenaciously the world clings to failed policies and terrible practices still based upon the discredited ideas of great man leadership. It is time to move on, to teach true caring and courage from kindergarten on, and to take personal responsibility for our organizations, and our nations.

Get the bad apples some help—and stop making more!

]]> By: careerowners http://professorford.com/2009/05/03/a-marriage-of-theory-and-practice/comment-page-1/#comment-5 careerowners Mon, 04 May 2009 14:05:17 +0000 http://professorford.wordpress.com/?p=5#comment-5 Nice intro, Jeffrey...and what a great combination you and Laurie are! I came directly from the link in the Great Managing newsletter, so you jumped successfully into this social marketing pool/lake/ocean! Next is Twitter... Best wishes on getting started, and I'm looking forward to many more good reads! Janine Nice intro, Jeffrey…and what a great combination you and Laurie are!

I came directly from the link in the Great Managing newsletter, so you jumped successfully into this social marketing pool/lake/ocean! Next is Twitter…

Best wishes on getting started, and I’m looking forward to many more good reads!

Janine

]]>