Again, the circles turn into another year...so fast! More change, more push to streamline and realign. For what? With what? By whom? Organisational change in my rather cynical view, is about costing out time and resources to sit and think about better, more "innovative" ideas than the person or persons before us. A lot of change is simply for the sake of change! Hmmm, any challenges there? The race to lead change with innovations is on!
change
Syn: To alter; vary; deviate; substitute; innovate; diversify; shift; veer; turn.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
innovative
\In"no*va*tive\, a. Characterized by, or introducing, innovations. --Fitzed. Hall.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
innovative
adj 1: ahead of the times; "the advanced teaching methods"; "had advanced views on the subject"; "a forward-looking corporation"; "is British industry innovative enough?" [syn: advanced, forward-looking, modern] 2: being or producing something like nothing done or experienced or created before; "stylistically innovative works"; "innovative members of the artistic community"; "a mind so innovational, so original" [syn: innovational]
Source: WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University
Question: Innovative at what?
The question was brought to my attention at the 2003 presentations of Flexible Learning Leaders in Victoria.
The push to be innovative in an atmosphere of constant change echoes a need to keep people 'on the ball', to keep motivation levels high, in order to sustain efforts of change. To be innovative is to keep rolling out new and exciting ideas, brainstorm suggestions of better practices and more successful outcomes - and creating those outcomes along the way! Just as we tender for project funds, we also tender for a slice of the innovations cake, hoping our ideas and sughgestions will be selected from the many put forward to "those in a position of power and influence". If we jump through those flaming bureaucratic hoops with enthusiasm and effort we might just get what we deserve!
Where should I go with all this? My role as an educational designer in my institution is one which puts me and my colleagues in a position of supporting academics essentially through a process of change which incorporates their experiences of a changing workplace and a changing educational environment. Educational Designers are not new to education settings, but their role has increasingly become one involving necessary well-developed skills of change management.
Change management as a skill? Certainly! Think back to those managers you had the priveledge of working with who were able to and comfortable with leading co-workers through change on a daily basis! Many learnt to manage from their experiences over a time and the qualities they exhibit as individuals. Time helps hone such skills. The trick I think is to remember how and when to use these skills in the most appropriate ways. That means being highly sefl aware, that is aware not only of oneself, but of others around you - emotional intelligence or EQ.
I had the priviledge to attend a personal development workshop through the Philosophy of Living Centre and relished every restful and reflective minute of it! I chose such a workshop over the myriad workshops to do with organisational development, management and leadership and countless others offered by various well respected institutions.
"...we point people in the direction of their own common sense and they learn through insight how to solve thier own problems, how to enjoy and appreciate life more. In essence, they learn to listen to their own wisdom" (Spittle, 2001).
Three points the Centre focuses on in its workshops are Mind, Thought and Consciousness. These three principles are used to explain and describe the experience of life, our "reality". Throughout the workshop, many participants told their stories and the workshop facilitator told some wonderful, simple, insightful stories too - they got us thinking and reflecting, much like the buddhist methodology of bringing one back into contact with and trusting one's own life experiences. One of my favourite books is The Tao of Pooh. Check out some of the thoughts here. For a reflective individual such as myself, I relish these texts! It mirrors the texts that are our life experiences.
Until the next ...
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