More Interaction, More Change

Tom GibbonsChange, Complexity, Leadership, Organization DevelopmentLeave a Comment

Most current perspectives on the future of organizations will begin with comments on the accelerating pace of change.  The consequential generation of ideas for dealing with these phenomena focuses on leadership, management, technology, character, relationship and just about any other topic of interest. I think it is very important to make sure we scratch hard at the surface of these ideas and … Read More

A Place of Wondrous Certainty

Tom GibbonsChange, Presence, Social Construction3 Comments

This week my colleague shared with the rest of our small team part of a transcript from a radio program she had heard over the weekend.  The program talked about grade school Christmas concerts which at this time of year are in full force.  Part of this transcript hit a chord: Childhood is another country. They do things differently there. … Read More

The Normalcy of Uniqueness

Tom GibbonsChange, Leadership, Presence, Social ConstructionLeave a Comment

If you listen to pretty much any discussion on organizational challenges or read virtually any book on organizational change, leadership, management or whatever, somewhere it is bound to mention the ‘unprecedented’ pace of change, or the presence of challenges ‘never before encountered’ or some other term to describe how our specific time is unique in the experience of being in … Read More

Organizational Lessons – Midnight in Paris and the Tree of Life

Tom GibbonsChange, Organization Development, Presence, Social Construction2 Comments

Sometimes you don’t need to pay a brilliant OD person a bunch of money to get some really good insights into organizational life.  Once in a while you can just go to the movies.  For me, watching Midnight in Paris and The Tree of Life in the last month were great lessons in organizational development. As Gil (Owen Wilson) slips … Read More

Every Interaction Matters

Tom GibbonsChange, Leadership, Organization Development, Social ConstructionLeave a Comment

Perhaps one of the most important things that the complexity sciences have taught us is that very small disturbances can, at times, create dramatic, significant and unforeseen changes.  Perhaps an even more significant lesson that unfortunately doesn’t get nearly as much air time is that it is not predictable which small disturbances might create what kind of changes.  The impact … Read More

The Complexity of Good Interactions

Tom GibbonsChange, Complexity, Organization Development, Presence, Social ConstructionLeave a Comment

I had the opportunity and pleasure of spending last evening with a group of HR professionals in our city of London, Ontario.  I had been asked to come and talk a little about our approach to understanding organizations and what we call our infinity interaction process. Other things were happening at this get together.  There was celebration of the work … Read More

Endings and Beginnings – Being Present to Both

Tom GibbonsChange, Learning, Organization Development, Presence, Social Construction1 Comment

Back in August of 2010 I wrote the post Kids, Parents, Organizations, Models and Understanding It had to do with a conversation with my son, using our model of organizations, as he left for his last year as a hockey player in an elite amateur league here in Canada. While the message was mostly about ways of understanding organizations, let’s fast … Read More

Love Songs, Truth, Ideology, and Wonder

Tom GibbonsChange, LearningLeave a Comment

Hard to Concentrate by the Red Hot Chili Peppers – http://youtu.be/8jnRcM8Qf1A – is the best love song ever written.  The lyrics are both beautiful and edgy, the music just makes you want to move and you just feel like you should just give this song to someone. WHAT!  You have a different best love song ever written?!?  Well, have you … Read More