Here's something different from co-owner Amy Leask at the Enable Education blog: a call for philosophers in the office.
Cliff Clavins of the world aside, it's true this past year has called for a lot of rethinking of how we manage employees and workflows in our culture.
"Philisophical thinking," says Leask, can help to sort out priorities in these challenging times.
I take particular note of number 3 of her 6 supporting arguments: Inclusivity. "Fresh ideas are in high demand right now, and philosophy provides a safe space for them to be introduced, explored, improved upon and implemented."
So, allow me to wax philosophical.
Bottoms Up!
Is it enough to go to the same one to five senior people in an organization to discuss how things should be, or do we have to look beyond? One direction to look is downward in the org chart, a perspective changer the value of which is illustrated in the TV series Undercover Boss. A big barrier to this is still the pervasive labour-management think most organizations still seem stuck in, a vision in which employees are thought of as basically worker bees and top-down is the only direction of import.
Homeland Security
By inclusivity, I think Leask is also getting at diversity. Given the complexion of the workforce, one wonders if the overwhelmingly creamy complexions that have traditionally risen to the top don't need a reality check. A stellar example of this type of philosophy has appeared in the unlikeliest of places, the United States government, where Donald Trump's sea of old white men is being replaced with a rainbow coalition of leaders, including a Latino in charge of homeland security. If any of us have ever wondered, "What difference does it make?" I think we're about to find out.
I know blogs usually have at least 3 points to make as a matter of form, but heck, the above two points are taking decades to make any headway in the popular consciousness, so I think I'll leave it at that.
In closing, I agree with Leask's premise, and would build on it by calling to bring back the virtual water cooler. Why not have a zoom meeting once a week where employees can come and just chill? Set up a bunch of breakout rooms with trending topics and let them self-select their interest, if so inclined.
Talk about the weather, the binging you're doing, a book you read. Re-introduce the social we're all missing and become your employees' favorite place to be! Wouldn't that be a change in dynamic, especially in this pandemic?
Philosophically speaking, I mean.
Mitch (Black lives still matter.)
Link: Why We Need Philosophers In the Workplace
Cliff Clavins of the world aside, it's true this past year has called for a lot of rethinking of how we manage employees and workflows in our culture.
"Philisophical thinking," says Leask, can help to sort out priorities in these challenging times.
I take particular note of number 3 of her 6 supporting arguments: Inclusivity. "Fresh ideas are in high demand right now, and philosophy provides a safe space for them to be introduced, explored, improved upon and implemented."
So, allow me to wax philosophical.
Bottoms Up!
Is it enough to go to the same one to five senior people in an organization to discuss how things should be, or do we have to look beyond? One direction to look is downward in the org chart, a perspective changer the value of which is illustrated in the TV series Undercover Boss. A big barrier to this is still the pervasive labour-management think most organizations still seem stuck in, a vision in which employees are thought of as basically worker bees and top-down is the only direction of import.
Homeland Security
By inclusivity, I think Leask is also getting at diversity. Given the complexion of the workforce, one wonders if the overwhelmingly creamy complexions that have traditionally risen to the top don't need a reality check. A stellar example of this type of philosophy has appeared in the unlikeliest of places, the United States government, where Donald Trump's sea of old white men is being replaced with a rainbow coalition of leaders, including a Latino in charge of homeland security. If any of us have ever wondered, "What difference does it make?" I think we're about to find out.
I know blogs usually have at least 3 points to make as a matter of form, but heck, the above two points are taking decades to make any headway in the popular consciousness, so I think I'll leave it at that.
In closing, I agree with Leask's premise, and would build on it by calling to bring back the virtual water cooler. Why not have a zoom meeting once a week where employees can come and just chill? Set up a bunch of breakout rooms with trending topics and let them self-select their interest, if so inclined.
Talk about the weather, the binging you're doing, a book you read. Re-introduce the social we're all missing and become your employees' favorite place to be! Wouldn't that be a change in dynamic, especially in this pandemic?
Philosophically speaking, I mean.
Mitch (Black lives still matter.)
Link: Why We Need Philosophers In the Workplace
RSS Feed
