Pursuing Leadership by Denny

Isaacson - Profiles in Leadership

2012-02-10T22:19:00.000-08:00

Walter Isaacson’s Profiles in Leadership: Historians on the Elusive Quality of Greatness (2010) does not reference the extensive body of leadership research and theory. However, through astute historical analyses of the individuals profiled in this book, it brings many very important issues about leadership to light.

The profiles are primarily highly visible public figures who had positions of authority that allowed them to exert leadership. The other cases were exceptional cases where, by sheer force of will, the individuals were able to exert influence that pushed important issues forward in history. The public figures included the likes of George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, Franklin Roosevelt, and Robert Kennedy. The exceptional cases included Charles Finney, Chief Joseph, W.E.B. DuBois, Wendell Willkie, and Pauli Murray. What I particularly liked about the book is that it was realistic; it identified failures in leadership as much as it focused on successes. Even in cases where history generally paints a positive picture, figures like Franklin Roosevelt were described as having both shortcomings and triumphs. In the case of Dwight Eisenhower, he is described as someone with immense potential for greatness following his successes as a commander in WWII but who failed in moral leadership when he ignored issues of discrimination and racism that affected the very men and women on whom he counted as soldiers.

There are so many jewels in this book that it is extremely difficult to pick only a select couple of examples to illustrate the wisdom of these historical analyses. Choosing two who actually opposed each other in the world of American politics will have to suffice – one is Franklin Roosevelt and the other is Wendell Willkie who sought the GOP nomination to run against Roosevelt. Franklin Roosevelt faced the challenge of restoration after economic collapse and a world war that he wanted to avoid. When “New Deal” policies came under question at the end of Roosevelt’s first term, he grew increasingly bold in his criticism of those who resisted his attempts to rescue the economy by saying that “…all my old enemies… monopoly, speculation, reckless banking… war profiteering” were undermining his efforts to create an economic recovery. Going further, he said, “Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me – and I welcome their hatred… I would like to have it said of my first Administration that the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match…” Roosevelt went on to win two more terms as President of the United States.

Wendell Willkie, businessman turned politician, was most significant for his contribution in authoring, along with Irita Van Doren, One World (1943). One of the most widely read books of the day, it addressed the increasing isolationism that was emerging at the time. Walter Lippmann praised it as “one of the hardest blows ever struck against the intellectual and moral isolationism of the American people.” Willkie was dedicated to engagement with the world in ways that recognized the negative repercussions of colonialism saying:

If we had left the olive groves and the cotton fields and the oil wells of this region alone, we might not have had to worry… But we have not left them alone. We have sent our ideas and our ideals,… our engineers and our businessmen, and our pilots and our soldiers into the Middle East; and we cannot escape the result… If we fail to help reform, the result will be of necessity either the complete withdrawal of outside powers with a complete loss of democratic influence or complete military occupation and control of the countries by those outside powers. (p. 256)

The previous reference to conditions in the Middle East are quite remarkable for 1943 and they are frighteningly predictive of the continued struggles of the Middle East.

In the conclusion of the chapter on Pauli Murray, an early champion of the American civil rights movement who was one of the first to use Ghandi’s methods of non-violent resistance, Glenda Gilmore (chapter author) sums up the key issue of transforming public leadership when she wrote:

Leaders aren’t just the few famous people who dominate the news or find their place in history books. They don’t always represent the majority. They aren’t always popular. They don’t always win, and they aren’t always remembered. Leaders such as Pauli Murray, brave and obscure men and women who act on their convictions even though they fail time and time again, sometimes change the course of history. (p. 280)

Salibi - A House of Many Mansions

2012-01-19T01:13:00.000-08:00

I've continued to read a lot about the Arab world during my residence in Qatar. It has been a tremendous help in understanding local and contemporary issues, even though much of what I've read has been history. My most recent read was given to me by a Lebanese colleague - Kamal Salibi's A House of Many Mansions: The History of Lebanon Reconsidered (1998/2011).

"Reconsidered" is a very important point in the Salibi book because his purpose in retelling the Lebanese history is to counter what the author believes has been a somewhat fanciful history used to justify particular political perspectives. "Many mansions" is also a very important point as Salibi tells the story of so many different people coming and going from the geographic area of Lebanon over time. He traces the origin of the peoples of Lebanon back to tribal groups who came from Yemen, who became the Phoenicians, and then were mixed with more modern cultural groups such as the Druzes, Maronites, and even those encroaching down from what we now recognize as Syria. Because of Lebanon's advanced practices and proficiency in trade, it became a crossroads which was very attractive to any national, cultural, or religious group that wanted to dominate the region.

While the comings and goings of different cultural groups contributed to the tense blend that is now Lebanon, the most divisive moment came when the British broke their promise to Arabs to allow them national independence in their historical homelands and, instead,

"partitioned this Arab Territory with the French, and committed themselves to hand over a particularly precious part of it, namely Palestine, to the Jews." (p. 29)

This moment contributed to the growing belief and dynamic of Arab nationalism, an ideal that Salibi asserts was flawed from the start.

"While there was much that could be said for Arabism as a valid national ideal, most of the Arabs who adopted it were tribal or quasitribal communities of different kinds, and also of different religions and sects, who had not undergone uniform social and civic development." (p. 52)

This diversity of perspective within Arabism was exploited by outside forces from the West as well as from inside the Arab community within Lebanon to achieve various political benefits, an issue which continues to plague Lebanon to the current day.

One of Salibi's most interesting conclusions is that Lebanon in many ways represents the dilemma of the broader Arab world. It survives with a delicate balance of many cultural and religious perspectives; accepting a less romanticized version of what Lebanon has been, and is, will be essential to its future.

"What Arab nationalism, which is a phenomenon of the last hundred years, continues to propose and promote as Arab national history is no less fictionalized than the history of Lebanon. It has succeeded in deluding the general run of the Arabs into believing that the political unity they had once experienced under Islam was in fact an Arab national unity." (p. 218)

In essence, Lebanon's complicated past is much like the broader Arab world; recognizing the lack of true unity of both will hopefully lead to the West ceasing the practice of throwing all Arab peoples into one category and it will allow Arabs to work toward shared purposes while affirming the essential differences which will most likely remain for all time. This realization, and accepting it not as defeat but release to reality can come to fruition if all accept that no guilt for lack of unity need be asserted or sustained. In Salibi's words,

"No Arab country today need feel any guilt about accepting its actual existence as a wilful or unwilful departure from an Arab national historical norm. It is only when the Arabs succeed in ridding themselves of the highly idealized Arab nationalist vision of their past that they will be able to live together in the modern Arab world." (p. 231)

Levitin - This is your brain on music

2011-11-20T08:28:00.001-08:00

Obviously, the title of this book is a take off on the scare-tactic commercials of bygone days of drug prevention. However, this kind of "your brain on..." is scientific, engaging, and, to a musician, a beautiful explanation of why I am so passionate about listening to, understanding, and performing music. For someone not deeply versed in what makes music interesting - pitch, timbre, rhythm, harmony, melody, and dynamics - the early chapters of This is Your Brain on Music are easily understood descriptions of things that we all understand at a general and descriptive level. However, understanding how they work together and how conventional use of each, as well as surprise uses, create the beautiful music that we listen to time and again, will hopefully help everyone enjoy music even more.

The assertion of the book is that music, dating back 50,000 years, may have been a type of vocalization that eventually led to the creation of language. From a neural science point of view, music uses more areas of the brain than any other function yet known. That's why brain-trauma patients who have lost their ability to read, talk, or even move can still sing songs that they learned as children or do something as complex as play the piano.

Music is so much a part of our daily existence that many of us don't even recognize when it is around us. Our taste for music is also shaped by the environments where we live. If we tend to associate with only those like us, we tend to have a narrower appreciation across history and culture. Exposure to broad types of music is particularly important for children because our preferences are established by our late teenage years. That's not to say that we can't learn to appreciate other types of music but, if we want to broaden our interests, it takes intentional effort.

Broadening musical exposure takes us into the culture of others and what is interesting about the cultivation of taste outside of our norm is what Levitin describes as a "U" shape. The "U" shape occurs when a 2-axis graph is created with one axis being complexity and the other appreciation. Initially, simple forms of music are attractive to us and they are the ones to which we resonate. Over time, the simple forms of music may become boring or too familiar a part of what we hear. Thus, we spread out and try new types of music but it is very predictable that the initial listening may require a stretch of comprehension. That's why, when we hear something to which we are initially attracted, we listen to it over and over, becoming more familiar with the new complexity of sound until our appreciation is firmly established.

Because music is so ubiquitous in our world, I see it as a metaphor for many other things, including leadership. So the idea of cultivating interest in diverse music is probably not unlike what it takes to cultivate curiosity and interest in other countries or cultures. Initially, we strike out to explore a culture that is a little bit of a stretch for us. However, as we travel more, or as we are exposed to greater diversity in our experience, we become more comfortable with greater diversity. My experience in Qatar has broadened both my interests in music as well as people. At first I explored cautiously, seeking to encounter difference that was only a slight departure from my own preferences or background. Now the easy stretches are less stimulating; I've grown more comfortable and trusting of greater stretches over time and now enjoy encounters that would have taken me completely outside of my comfort zone just a few years ago. It works in music, in relationships, and leadership.

As I get older...

2011-11-17T05:18:00.001-08:00

Cornell West, eminent scholar who has offered essential comment in the discourse of contemporary American questions, has determined to return to his roots at the age of 58. In a statement about West’s decision to return to Columbia University’s Union Theological Seminary where he started as an assistant professor in 1977, Rev. Serene Jones, Union’s President said, “As you get older, the more integrated your life is, the healthier it feels and the less time you have to spend waking up deciding who you’re going to be that day.” What a remarkable statement! And, it is the relief of advancing age that each day I wake up I spend less and less time deciding who I’m going to be that day.

West’s statement also indicated that he knew his days of fullest engagement in his work were numbered and thus, he wanted to pursue the work he was called to do on this earth. The joy of being in Qatar is that I fully identify with, and am buoyed each day by, the comfort of knowing who I am and knowing that my work is worthwhile and purposeful. And, I know that there is no place I would rather be than Qatar in a time when higher education is so important to young people around the globe.

One of the topics I’ve struggled to understand of late is the question of working in places like Qatar, and many other emerging economies where expatriates work. There are many benefits to being here but it also requires some sacrifices that can weigh you down. It is being aware of the balancing act of fulfillment in the work against the sacrifices that it takes to be here that requires constant monitoring. Lack of self-awareness on this question can be deadly. Deep awareness, while painful, at least allows me (and perhaps others) to focus attention in ways that maintains a tolerable balance. I hope to explore this more in future posts that are informed by talking to some of the other expatriates and Qatari colleagues with whom I work. We have a lot to learn from each other.

FAT and Three Idiots

2011-10-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

Faithful, available, and teachable – three very simple ideas but profoundly important to leadership and to fostering healthy and successful organizations. My recent post about the zappos.com book addresses some of this but these three words are a bit more direct and perhaps even easier to understand and remember. I picked up on these words while listening to a speaker talk about how his organization selected and nurtured staff; his point – if you want committed and effective colleagues, be sure to assess if they are faithful, available, and teachable.

Faithful – beginning with the purpose of your organization, strive to identify and nurture faithful colleague who understand the grand vision you seek to fulfill. This faith reflects a conviction, and the willingness to act on it. And, the faithfulness reflects an understanding that the outcome of one’s efforts may not be predictable. Faithfulness to a vision is essential if any of us is to have a ghost of a chance of fulfilling our personal or organizational visions but there is another kind of faith that is equally important – faithfulness in our relationships – building trust, cooperation, and care that allows us all to do our best work.

Available – reflecting not only availability in time and space, a good colleague is available to live in the moment, be present, and attend to relationships and work. Have you ever shared something deeply important to you with someone you felt you could trust, only to feel empty and bewildered once the moment was behind you? In this example, the likelihood is that, regardless of your passion in the moment, the “other” was evidently not available to join you. Compassion, to live as if you are the other, is the kind of availability that really connects us with each other and our aspirations.

Teachable – demonstrating more than a capacity to learn, a person who is teachable is curious and eager to explore new possibilities. Most of us have a lot to learn and in our better moments admit that our understanding of pretty much everything has its limits. However, it is another thing to be a curious learner at every turn, ready to explore, to question, and to engage in order to bring new insights to the surface even when we believed that we were already well informed.

Realizing how powerful the FAT ideas were, I continued to reflect on these words throughout the weekend. To my surprise, a chance encounter with “Three Idiots” brought the FAT paradigm into full reality. “Three Idiots” is a film that I’ve heard about a number of times. It is a Bollywood movie that was recommended by a friend on numerous occasions but I never got around to viewing it until Friday night. I viewed this delightful film without English subscripts yet was able to understand most of the plot without the slightest difficulty. I was mesmerized by the acting, the predicaments, the humor and poignancy and then suddenly realized that I was seeing FAT in action. Three college-bound Indian boys are randomly brought together as roommates and develop a bond that allows them to discover purpose in their own lives that is quite remarkable. While the immediate and explicit purpose of their experience at university is to graduate with engineering degrees, along the way they discover the power of deep friendship, of faith that they will accomplish their goals if they help each other, and availability that brings them to each others’ aid in numerous precarious circumstances. Ultimately, the film demonstrates that not allowing oneself to be forced into boring, didactic, and demeaning learning can result in personal transformation and it can also offer the opportunity to encounter each other in ways that are deeply moving. “Three Idiots” is a beautiful coming of age saga that should not be missed by anyone who cares about education, relationships, and discovering how being faithful, available, and teachable can transform the lives of young people.

Oppenheimer - Die Philharmoniker

2011-09-17T05:08:00.000-07:00

During our recent visit to Eastern Europe, Diane and I went from one great Imperial architecture example to another. One that was particularly beautiful was in Vienna, where we visited the Belvedere Palace on a sunny summer afternoon. The Belvedere is now being used as an art gallery and it is truly one of the most beautiful palaces of Europe. While the palace was wonderful, there was a surprise neither of us anticipated.

Walking through the galleries without knowing what we would see, I was overwhelmed when I walked into the room where Max Oppenheimer's "Die Philharmoniker" hung against a far wall - the full wall as the painting is a monumental 298 X 432 cm in dimension. Die Philharmoniker is Oppenheimer's life work, although he produced many other pieces. He began the piece in 1926 and finished it in 1952, after shipping it from one studio to another as he sought to escape the persecution of the Nazis in central Europe. Die Philharmoniker includes images of several prominent musicians of the early 20th century, but most important to me, Oppenheimer included Gustav Mahler as the conductor. Although there are several artistic depictions of Mahler, including Rodin's bust, Die Philharmoniker captures the essence of Mahler more than any other. Mahler is at the center of the composition, yet strangely detached from his surroundings. He seems to rise above the orchestra in ways that draw only the best from the musicians but oddly leave him isolated and disconnected from his fellow artists.

Oppenheimer and Mahler were both Jews during very difficult times in Europe and America. Both were tortured and unfulfilled in many ways. And both are drawn together in Oppenheimer's greatest work of art and in a depiction of Mahler at his best - bringing life to music as few conductors have every done before or after his tempestuous years as director of the Vienna Opera Orchestra and Philharmonic.

The day we saw Die Philharmoniker was yet to reach another climactic point when we took the street car to Grinsing, a village on the outskirts of Vienna, to visit Mahler's gravesite at dusk. I was worried that we wouldn't make it before dark because I sensed the coming of dusk; luckily, it was only the result of late summer afternoons beginning early and lingering for several hours, as if summer days were meant for relaxation. We arrived in plenty of time and after searching rows and rows of gravesites we ultimately found both Gustav Mahler and Alma Mahler's gravestones. I don't know what I expected in being at the last resting place of a musician who has given me so much joy throughout my life. Although slightly melancholy, it felt more like the fulfillment of a relationship that, although lost in the moment, can be assumed to last forever. Sometimes I feel that I should have been born in the late 19th century so that I could have had a personal relationship with the artists, musicians, and architects of this time. To be able to study, visit, and appreciate Mahler's profound contribution to art was especially meaningful during this trip and I will never forget it.

Hsieh - Delivering Happiness

2011-09-16T04:49:00.000-07:00

Tony Hsieh’s reflections (Delivering happiness: a pathway to profits, passion, and purpose, 2010) on the story of zappos.com as an international e-business phenomenon are both realistic and inspirational. The most refreshing part of his recollections is that he owns missteps, failures, and success – a mix that is sometimes missing in contemporary business success stories. The missing reflection is the impact of Tony’s educational opportunity. He portrays himself as a less than motivated student who was more interested in starting entrepreneurial businesses than getting good grades. The clincher is that he just happened to have attended Harvard University and relied on the friendships and networks he made from his undergraduate days to create the core of the businesses he started as a 20-something. Neglecting to acknowledge the importance of being a Harvard graduate ignores how powerful privilege (whether economic, political, intellectual, or other) can be in shaping one’s life.

The best lessons from Hsieh’s reflections include the importance of fostering a positive organizational culture, the necessity of taking risks, and focusing on service that brings happiness to both those who purchase your service as well as to those working to make it happen.

Zappos.com didn’t establish its company values but instead eventually recognized and documented them after it became obvious that their values were having a profound impact on Zappos.com’s success. The core values that they discovered employees embraced included:

1. Deliver WOW through service
2. Embrace and drive change
3. Create fun and a little weirdness
4. Be adventurous, creative, and open-minded
5. Pursue growth and learning
6. Build open and honest relationships with communication
7. Build a positive team and family spirit
8. Do more with less
9. Be passionate and determined
10. Be humble

These values allowed Zappos.com to survive economic ups and downs, lay-offs, and eminent bankruptcy. Most importantly, the company values helped the leadership stay focused when there were temptations to compromise on quality and they encouraged passionately risky behavior that took Zappos.com to higher and higher success in business and fulfillment.

Advocating that “your culture is your brand,” Hsieh makes a compelling point that positive organization cultures are the result of seeing the organization’s work as something beyond just the immediate task of product delivery (no matter what that product is). Zappos.com even measures the degree to which its employees see themselves as involved in something bigger than e-business sales of shoes and accessories by periodically asking them if they “believe that the company has a higher purpose beyond just profits,” and asking if “Zappos has a real purpose – is it more than just a job.” Simple questions but how sad it is that many people would not assess their company/organization as having either higher purpose or believe their work environment is more than a job.

Hsieh’s conceptual model of happiness is largely derived from the research of Seligman and Czikszentmihalyi on positive psychology and “flow.” Tying the points of work environment and happiness together, he commented, “I would learn that research from the field of the science of happiness would confirm that the combination of physical synchrony with other humans and being part of something bigger than oneself leads to a greater sense of happiness…” (2010, p. 80)

Zappos.com’s lessons are definitely coming from a for-profit perspective. However, reading this story consistently made me think that education, and other not-for-profit initiatives, would do well to adopt these very same perspectives. Organization culture, risk taking and happiness are central to success in any endeavor.

Habsburg Tour - 2011

2011-09-04T06:15:00.000-07:00

Diane and I had a wonderful opportunity to take a whirlwind Habsburg Tour during the recent Eid break. We flew to Vienna, then took the train to Prague and Budapest, and back to Vienna for a return to Qatar. We didn't realize it but we were actually taking a tour of the three great Habsburg Empire capitals. These three cities were profoundly influenced by the Habsburg dynasty of almost 700 years that covered much of central and eastern Europe. What is also fascinating is that all three cities are somewhat influenced by the Arab world (or, Ottoman as the history books would say) in architecture, art, and other culture. While the Habsburgs were certainly not egalitarian in their leadership, they made a great deal of difference through their advocacy for education and art.

This picture above is only a teaser for the many other pictures that are in my Habsburg Picassa album (https://picasaweb.google.com/101052781277666677040/HapsburgTour11#) so be sure to check out the others...

Armstrong - 12 Steps to a Compassionate Life

2011-07-22T05:30:00.000-07:00

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) honored Karen Armstrong in 2007 with $100,000 to help her advance her ideas of compassion. Informed by her deep conviction that the world’s religions have more in common than independent truth, she chose to strike out to create an inter-faith human dialogue on what it means to be compassionate and how, as modern beings, we can learn to observe compassion throughout our dealings with each other and the earth itself.

Her latest book, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life (2011), tells the story of receiving the TED award and using the money granted to her to begin a series of meetings among religious leaders that would ultimately lead to the “Charter for Compassion.” The drafting process included notable leaders of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism and relied on each tradition’s version of the “golden rule” to formulate a call “upon all men and women 1) to restore compassion to the center of morality and religion; 2) to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate; 3) to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures; 4) to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity; and 5) to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings – even those regarded as enemies.” (p. 7) The charter was launched and began with sixty locations around the world adopting the charter on November 12, 2009. More have followed since 2009 and, perhaps, the charter will begin to have the transforming impact that the authors’ sought as more people hear of the charter throughout the world.

Armstrong started her life as a Catholic Nun but grew to relish understanding the world’s many religions. While she references many diverse faith perspectives throughout her book, I was most attracted to her references to Islam. She has made a commitment in her speaking (I saw her at Georgetown in Qatar last spring) and writing to provide alternative, and in her estimation more accurate, characterizations of all religions but she has focused much of her energy on Islam. One of the Arab world contrasts she posed was between muruwah (courage and endurance) and hilm (mercy). The tribal and difficult life circumstances of many in the Arab world long ago required muruwah and a relentless commitment to protecting and avenging any aggression, or wrong perpetrated, against one’s family/tribe. By contrast, the Qur’an advocated for patience, forbearing, and merciful conduct that protected the disadvantaged, orphan, widow and destitute. This example was used to demonstrate the first step toward compassion – learning about it.

One of the examples she used to demonstrate humankind’s struggle for empathy was the ancient Greek festival of Dionysus. During the annual festival, all citizens were more or less required to attend public plays during which old myths were reflected in contemporary examples, resulting in a public meditation on key issues of values and ethics. These plays were intended to put suffering onstage so that the audience could begin to empathize with the plight of the “other.” (p. 93) Thus, Dionysus’ role as the god of transformation was formulated as first a journey into self, then beginning to understand others, and eventually being able to see themselves in the circumstance of others. This example was used in the fourth chapter that focused on empathy.

The seventh step, “how little we know,” encouraged curiosity in understanding others as a way to increase compassion. As she explained, so often we have our own pre-determined view of others and, instead of allowing ourselves to absorb new information and insight, we judge others in order to substantiate our own bias. She bemoaned that there is a certain mystery about others’ ways of thinking and living that is turned to sacrilege as we attempt to “pluck out” the point we wish to use to serve our own agenda. (p. 127)

There are many jewels throughout Armstrong’s book. It is short, easy and engaging to read, and hopefully will be read by many.

An Autobiography - Gandhi

2011-06-14T05:39:00.000-07:00

My friend, Sabirsha, gave me several gifts when Diane and I visited with him in the Kerala region of India in February, 2011. One of those gifts was An Autobiography, by M.K. Gandhi. First published in the Gujarati language in two volumes in 1927 and 1929, the English version was published in 2009. Though a translation, these were Gandhi’s own reflections on his search for truth. He concluded his reflections far before the end of his life because, as he noted, his life became so public after 1921 that numerous sources could be consulted to learn about his experiences after that date.

An Autobiography is an evolutionary story of Gandhi’s discovery of the essentials of life. The concept of satyagraha, or the voluntary simplicity and denial of self in service to others, was not something that came easily. Indeed, as so many other spiritual luminaries over the ages, Gandhi struggled, questioned, and perfected his spiritual calling through many trials and tribulations. Ultimately, his journey, recognizing many flaws along the way, served to break the bonds of discrimination against Indians in South Africa and moved on to confront the mistreatment of “untouchables” in India. Eventually, as we know from history, Dr. Martin Luther King’s non-violent resistance, the “Velvet Revolution” of the Czech Republic, and perhaps even moments of the “Arab Spring” of 2011 are derived from Gandhi’s philosophy of first showing respect to others and then challenging injustice through non-participation in systems of oppression and exploitation.

There is so much deep wisdom in Gandhi’s reflections that it is impossible to do justice in one blog post. One point that fascinated me most is that satygraha, serving others, embraced those with whom he disagreed. When Gandhi began to realize the depth of the abuse of Indians and other people of color in South Africa, he was asked how he could not be angry with the perpetrators. His reply, “I am only sorry for their ignorance and their narrowness. I know that they sincerely believe that what they are doing today is right and proper. I have no reason therefore to be angry with them.” (p. 176) Such a view made way for a compassion that allowed Gandhi, and others who worked with him, to serve and bring justice to even those who opposed him. As an example, during the closing months of WWII, Gandhi actively recruited Indians to serve the British war cause against Germany, even when the record clearly demonstrated long-standing abuse of Indians by their colonizer. Gandhi sincerely believed that, although he disagreed with many of Britain’s actions, it had attempted to bring prosperity to India and therefore deserved the loyalty of British subjects who would defend her against other enemies. His point was that, even though he disagreed with Great Britain on very important issues, he was first committed to understanding their needs and viewpoint and by so doing agree with them as much as possible.

Once the commitment to understand, respect, and serve was established, Gandhi had an unswerving dedication to the causes he undertook to resolve. Through refusing to ride first class on trains when others of his culture were excluded, by creating voluntary living communities, by establishing natural fiber weaving groups and advocating work stoppages, Gandhi demonstrated in all he did that he would always observe “Ek Tek” – keep the pledge. The solidarity he reflected and fostered in others had a power that broke down many conventions that others assumed to be fair and right, or too difficult to challenge. The point was not to tear down the unjust systems but it was, through Ek Tek, not to participate with the oppressor.

These to core concepts – agreeing/engaging as much as possible with those who oppose you and staying true to your pledge – are found in many leadership texts. They are likely universal principles that help when negotiating the more difficult landscapes of leadership – a gift from one of the most often recognized great leaders when you ask “Who do you look up to when you think of great leadership?”

America's message to the Middle East

2011-05-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

I usually avoid overt political comment but my experience watching President Obama's Thursday, 19 May, 2011, speech directed to the Middle East was a bit of an awakening. I viewed it while winding down from my daily workout in the Clubhouse. There were two TVs going - one on sports and the other on CNN. As the time for the broadcast approached, I asked my friend, Raymond, to turn up the sound so that I could hear better. I also thought that some of the other dozen or so people from various cultural and national backgrounds might be interested. I watched and listened carefully while the rest of the room went on about their workouts, talking, laughing, and attending to each other - hmmh? What's the message?

President Obama's remarks addressed a broad spectrum of issues in the Middle East and northern Africa - revolutions, economics, unstable governments and their treatment of their citizens, and finally the Israel and Palestine question. Unfortunately, as I've grown to understand this area of the world, the question of Israel and Palestine should have been at the beginning, not the end. The reason that people didn't listen was because the West has repeatedly been unwilling to recognize this fact. While President Obama is the first U.S.A. President to ever utter the words "return to pre-1967 territorial lines," Isreal's response of "no way," coupled with the other issues of access to Jerusalem and the right of Palestinians to return to their homeland, loom as dark clouds on the horizon.

Countries in the Middle East and northern Africa are struggling to birth new governments. If they end up being democracies, they quite possibly will be Islamic republics. How will the U.S.A. respond if this comes to fruition? What I hope is that Americans will understand that the vast majority of Muslims are reasonable people and there is nothing wrong with a government declaring a state religion. Afterall, what have Italy, France, Great Britain, and many other countries done and quite comfortably as well? The declaration of a specific religion does not mean that those of other religions cannot worship - I attend a Christian fellowship in Qatar and it is not, and never has been, a problem. But the U.S.A. has to understand the risk that, should it not find a way to deal with the Isreal versus Palestine question, it opens the door for Islamic conservatives to wield greater power in these new Islamic-influenced governments, thus resulting in governments that will be difficult for the U.S.A. to embrace.

Sadly enough, President Obama's hands are tied by the politics of America; he offered a moderate position designed not to alienate pro-Israeli supporters too much. Considering Israel's immediate response, imagine what would have happened had Presidennt Obama asked for more. And how will the American public come to understand that the history of U.S.A. and other western interventions on Isreal's behalf, all the time ignoring the occupation of land and choking it out of existence, is at the core of it all? I am saddened that Obama's options are so limited and I am saddened that those in the gym on Thursday evening had grown so skeptical that they didn't even take the time to listen.

Gladwell - What the dog saw

2011-05-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

“He held it in the air as if he were holding a Tiffany vase,” (Gladwell, 2011, xx) – quote and clue to the bottom line of Malcom Gladwell’s latest book, What the dog saw (2011). His others (the Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers) were written as books while What the dog saw is a collection of articles he published in the New Yorker. The chapters were written separately without the intention to publish them together, yet they are woven together in ways that reflect Gladwell’s customary and unique insight.

The purpose of the title, What the dog saw, remained a mystery through six chapters, eventually emerging to make the point that bad dogs are not really as bad as we think. “Bad dogs” are really only victims of bad masters, or non-masters as the case may be. Cesar Millan, the trainer profiled in the story, was the one who exasperated owners called when their dogs were so far gone that they feared having to get rid of them. What Cesar did upon encountering these animals was to separate them from their owners, establish boundaries for what was expected of them, and then he began to teach them the comfort of expectation while freeing them to be good, obedient, and loving animals. Gladwell didn’t only describe Cesar’s discipline in dog training but also his dance (figurative) of symmetry, expression, and balance. Thus, “what the dog saw” was a metaphor for how relationships with dogs, as well as humans, need to be artistic, purposeful, and authentic. Working with dogs requires a frame of discipline that establishes the human as the master, the one in control, both in terms of setting expectation but also in providing loving reward when the dog behaves in reasonable and affectionate ways – just like the “man’s best friend” view that we visualize but fail to actualize when the balance of discipline is absent.

The other chapters convey many stories about how perceptions cloud our vision of reality. Whether it was “Million Dollar Murray,” a story of how solving the problem of homelessness in America may be simpler than we think, or the story of how Enron was a mystery rather than a puzzle, Gladwell nudges his readers to examine the quality of their thinking so that more accurate judgments are possible. In a very contemporary example, Gladwell proposed that the decade-long mystery of finding Osama bin Laden was no mystery at all. Osama bin Laden was “hiding” in the open, obscured only by missing pieces of information that would eventually solve the puzzle of his whereabouts. Gladwell’s point is that mysteries are situations where there is no real answer and to continue to seek more information is useless. On the other hand, puzzles are solved by identifying the right information that fits the gap in the knowledge-base; the need is not more information but higher quality information and the discernment to recognize it.

“He held it in the air as if he were holding a Tiffany vase” reflects the fascination for simple things that teach lessons for life. Simple things that most of the rest of us miss! In this particular collection of stories, Gladwell identifies people who have profoundly impacted our lives but who are people of minor genius. They are minor because they don’t inhabit the upper echelons of organizations but, instead, inhabit the middle places. They are the ones who actually do the work. They are free of the restraint of high-level leaders who are encumbered by the need to protect their positions and privilege. The middle people are the people who create and market things like the “Dial-O-Matic” vegetable slicer, or who challenge our idea of mustard with “Pardon me. Would you have any Grey Poupon?“ or they coin a phrase like “Does she or doesn’t she?” in order to take hair-coloring from the salon into everyone’s bathroom. Imagination, creativity, and initiative come from seeing things in a different way – a way that others neglected to take the time to see.

Amit Sood's Training your brain...

2011-04-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

Carla Paonessa, a LeaderShape Board member and co-Lead in years past, recommended Amit Sood's (2009) Train your brain, engage your heart, transform your life on several occassions. I finally got it and read it over the last several weeks. Carla has attended training programs by Dr. Sood at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and was instrumental in inviting him to speak to the LeaderShape Lead training in 2011.

Train your brain... proposes that the reason much in our lives doesn't go well is 1) our inability to pay attention and ) frequent misinterpretation of our experiences. On the first assumption, inability to pay attention, he uses the analogy of a computer that has too many active programs up and running, thus resulting in diffuse and partial attention (I've commented on CPA or "continuous partial attention" in a previous blog post). The freightening part of this inattention is that Sood cites research indicating that, when our minds flow to distractions that are negative and stressful, it forms a habit of going there, thus resulting in an overworked and over-stressed world that we create in the way we think. The second assumption, misinterpretation of our experiences, encourages the reconsideration of life's events within a principle-based or altruistic perspective rather than what is for many of us more of an ego-centered, competitive, "first-class on the Titanic" approach. The principle-based approach focuses on cultivating a habit of interpreting what we encounter throughout our days in a spirit of gratitude, compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness.

Attention and refined interpretation - sounds easy enough! Writing this post reminds me how far I drifted from these two simple points just in the couple of weeks I've been away from the book. One has to ask if the approach is faulty in some way or is it my practice and discipline? Unfortunately, the likelihood is that the problem is my practice. Turning to what could refine my practice of sharper attention and refined understanding of what is going on around me, Sood suggests that the focus should be on reducing the number of thoughts and improving the quality of my thinking about them. In a four-quadrant model (p. 168), he proposes that a) few thoughts with a negative focus results in depression and apathy, b) few thoughts with a positive focus results in attention, mindful and heartful awakening, c) many thoughts with a negative focus results in anxiety and anger, and d) many thoughts with a positive focus result in excitement, energy, and animation. You can choose for yourself where you would like to be but my preference is for "b" a good part of the time and "d" some of the time.

If a few thoughts with a positive focus is the goal, what does it take? Sood proposes that the best way to live this kind of life is to seek, and then commit to, finding meaning and purpose in all that we do. This is not a new revelation as this admonition can be found in most of the world's religious writings and it can also be found in the writings of contemporary sages such as Parker Palmer, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Otto Scharmer, and others. Fewer and more positive thoughts (and actions) are the result of more reflection, attentive care in all our encounters, and maintaining a higher purpose, even when there are obstacles and distractions. Pursuing higher purpose is not easy because deeply grounded and passionate commitments are often at odds with those around us. It appears to be the path in pursuing these passions that makes it all worthwhile because if it is only the end on which we are focused, we will surely faulter in the pursuit of what we value most...

Reza Aslan - Tablet and Pen

2011-03-13T06:13:00.000-07:00

I've learned a great deal from Reza Aslan's writing. Particularly as I transitioned to living in the Arabian Gulf, his No God but God was profoundly important to me in beginning to understand Islam, its history and potential future.

It was my past experience with Reza's writing that drew me to ask for Tablet and Pen (2011) as a family gift. Upon receiving it, I was a little disappointed that, instead of being Reza's work, it was a collection of other modern Arab world authors that Reza had compiled. Tablet and Pen demonstrated that Arab authors have been quite active over the last hundred years and that they have been taking great artistic and political risk through their writing. As I read a couple of the stories, I knew that the explicit images might give conservatives from a variety of backgrounds pause. I read on...

Reza punctuated the poetry, essays, and short stories with brief commentary introducing the pieces in each section. Overall, the entire book was a march through the 20th century up to 2010, granting the reader the opportunity to see both the anguish and resignation of Arab world authors whose lives have been shaped by colonialism, border disputes, and being driven from their ancestors' lands. Some of the stories convey hope while others cannot be understood in any other way than expressions of utter desolation. I read on...

As an example of both hope and desolation, Abu Salma offered a poetic critique on Palestine in his "My Country on Partition Day." Salma brought a poignancy to the post-WWII boundaries established by Western powers while proclaiming the eventual return of its native people:
We'll return some day while generations listen
to the echoes of our feet.
We'll return with raging storms,
holy lightning and fire,
winged hope and sounds,
soaring eagles,
the dawn smiling on the deserts.
Some morning we'll return riding the crest of the tide,
our bloodied banners fluttering
above the glitter of spears.

One of the essays included in Aslan's collection is that of Jalal Al-E Ahmad titled, "Gharbzadegi" (page 389). This particular piece (written in 1962) posed one of the more salient questions of the day - how much Westernization is required or acceptable in order for the East to make peace with the world and itself? The word used in the title, "Gharbzadegi," was invented by Jalal to mean "Westoxification" or "Weststruckness." Jalal defined West as the "industrialized nations, or any country able to bring raw materials to a state of refinement with the aid of machines and put them on the market as merchandise." East he defined as "nonindustrialized nations, or that group of countries who are consumers of products manufactured in the West, products whose raw materials... come from the same part of the world, meaning from countries in the process of growing." His point was that not only is the East "Weststruck" in terms of products but it is also in danger of losing even its own mythology, belief systems, music, and deep sense of culture. I read on...

It strikes me that those involved with U.S. Representative (R) Peter King's recent hearings on Muslim radicalization might benefit from reading Tablet and Pen. If Representative King wants to understand the dynamics underway, he might start by studying some history, by examining the evidence of Western and Eastern writers who have commented over the years about "the East," and by asking Muslim Americans how they feel about being American, what they have contributed and how they have benefitted or suffered as American citizens. I can't predict whether Aslan's book will make it onto Representative King's or any other politician's reading list. If it does, it will be tough reading and it will cause considerable discomfort. As King himself is quoted as saying, "These hearings are absolutely essential. I am facing reality. My critics are not." (NBCNewYork.com - updated 3/8/2011 2:16:04 PM ET 2011-03-08T19:16:04) The reality is that precious few Americans have done any reading about Islam and the Middle East and the number who sought out their Muslim colleagues and neighbors to understand their beliefs is even fewer. Maybe these encounters are where real solutions to radicalization of all sorts could be found.

Aslan's collection of contemporary Arab authors will likely be of greatest direct interest to Arab and Muslim world readers because it is a repository of important thought and writing on issues for them. As someone shaped by the West, but growing in my appreciation for the East, Tablet and Pen opened new windows of understanding to which I know I will return. The first reading was difficult because I didn't have the historical and experiential awareness to understood all I read. I read and will continue to read on...

Incredible India

2011-02-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

There is a great tourism advertisment that runs on CNN every once in a while titled "Incredible India." It shows a young back-packer who travels by himself through various locations in India. There is much color and excitement. Most important of all, the traveler is seen making friends, being embraced in exotic cultural experiences, and getting caught up in the everyday life of the people of India.

That's what Diane and I experienced when we traveled to see our cherished friend, Sabirsha. After my failed attempt to visit him in November, 2010, Diane and I visited Sha in the Kerala region from 10-20 February, 2011. Select pictures (https://picasaweb.google.com/robertsdenny860/India2011#) from our journey offer only a glimpse of our "Incredible India" experience.

There are so many revelations from our travel - economic, political, religious, and cultural. Economically, Kerala is less densely populated than other areas of India and it has always had substantial natural resources. The lower density and high resources created positive trade opportunities which enhanced educational opportunity and should have created broad employment opportunity. The problem with the current employment picture is political. The people of Kerala have little faith in their government and see many of their politicians as corrupt. The proof of ineffectual government is that the economy of Kerala has not grown to a level that its workers have opportunities to match their education - many are underemployed or they work abroad. That's how I came to know Sha in the first place; after graduating from university, he didn't have good opportunities in Kerala so chose to work in the Arabian Gulf, a pattern followed by many workers who have come from Kerala to the Gulf and other areas for generations.

The religious heritage of Kerala is beyond fascinating. In fact, I would assert that it is an exemplary model for establishing religious appreciation across disparate faith communities. Jainism and Buddhism were dominant centuries ago. Hinduism replaced Buddhism as the primary religion of the people but Christians also established permanent communities in Kerala as early as first century AD. Jews followed the Christians and then Islam came to Kerala soon after the Prophet Mohammed PBHN established its base in Medina and Mecca (6th century AD). These religions came to Kerala as a result of the active spice trade that brought ships from Egypt (1,500 BC), Arabs and Phoenicia (3rd century BC), and Europe (1st century BC) to its shores. The trade and economic opportunities in effect became fused with religious pluralism and respect - charters and land ownership were established with all these groups as the Kings of Kerala recognized that all religious groups required legitimacy if trade were to thrive. The necessity of religious tolerance to trade vitality has created an amazing array of temples, churches, and mosques. The density of one type or the other varies by the region but it is not unusual to see places of worship comfortably placed beside each other throughout Kerala.

The documentation of the culture of Kerala, and its historic emergence, contains many gaps and contradictions. A book given to me by Sha, Kerala's History (Menon, 1967/2007/2008), helped me a great deal. This particular book traces archaeological records, documents, and art objects over many centuries to conclude that the culture of the people of Kerala has almost always been one of engagement with others, respect, and hospitality. Whether the openness to others was driven by climate (two monsoon seasons per year), topography (shielded by the Ghat Mountains to the east and the Indian Ocean to the west), trade (spice, herbs, and pearls), or by bounteous food supply (rice, fruit, and fish), the unmistakable fact is that today's Kerala is rich with welcoming and hospitable people. Perhaps greeting others of different backgrounds throughout the centuries was the cause. Maybe it is a nuturing environment cultivated through sharing natual resources. Or, perhaps it's the influence of the many mothers, wives, and sisters who remain at home to raise families while their sons, husbands, and brothers are forced to leave Kerala to pursue earnings that will bring prosperity to their families.

Diane and I were the beneficiaries of a Kerala that has a vibrant natural environment, an open culture, and extremely hospitable people. Sha, his family, and friends entertained us with deep and amazing care, demonstrating nothing but giving and generosity (evidence of which is in the picture to the right of our welcoming feast). Sha’s view of the world is truly one of abundance, and he demonstrates it with numerous acts each day when he gives all he has, expecting nothing in return. And, once he has given, others take care of him in ways that are truly profound. This is what I’ve grown to understand as love – the selfless, sacrificial, and unquestioning giving of oneself to family and friends.

Civility

2011-01-12T21:36:00.000-08:00

I've used the term "civility" for many years but it has new meaning today. It has new meaning as a result of many of my experiences in Qatar as well as the tragedy that occurred in Arizona. President Obama's remarks, concluding with "Have we shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to people in our lives?" pretty much makes the case. Although no one wishes for tragedy, it is amazing how we are sometimes brought to deeper understanding after being shocked by the impact of the exaggeration of behaviors we observe on a regular basis. Does divisive rhetoric (incivility) potentially lead to such things as the Arizona shootings? Does disrespect (incivility) shown to others in our daily interactions drive wedges between us in ways that prohibit progress toward a more peaceful, compassionate, and prosperous world?

Unfortunately, some of my recent experiences in Qatar have demonstrated impatience, intolerance, and disrespect. Not from Qatari nationals but from visiting expatriate workers. As the media is now portraying (after granting Qatar the 2022 World Cup), Qatar is an amazing country with grand aspirations and a breath-taking pace of change. The kind of change underway here is more rapid and profound than almost any in history. And, this pace of change has bumps - mistakes, miscalculations, and times when the systems are not ready to match the challenge. I've grown to understand my role, when things don't work quite as I would have liked, as being one of appreciating the work that was done, respectfully critiquing for the sake of improvement, and doing what I can to take care of my own responsibilities. There are sometimes those who, instead of demonstrating appreciation and respect, choose to acuse, criticize, and worst of all, generalize from one experience to another indiscriminately.

Burgess and Burgess' (1997) essay on "The Meaning of Civility" proposed that understanding civility in conventional ways (i.e. being polite or courteous) has severe limitations in the diverse global community in which we live. Instead, they propose a number of methods to resolve difference. They say that true civility today, "entails an obligation to seriously consider the persuasive arguments made by opponents and to carefully try to explain and justify one's own position to one's opponents and others." Civility is two way - expressing respect and appreciation and stating one's own position in ways that does not denigrate, attribute ill-purpose, or diminish the value of others' views. More importantly, being civil is to express oneself in ways that does not devalue the other person.

Whether it is a stereotyping joke about the "other." Whether it is criticism that questions the purpose of the "other." Whether it is silencing (through whatever means) the voices of those with whom we disagree. These are all forms of incivility and, in all likelihood, they form a continuum of incivility that escalates as the rhetoric becomes more strident. There are lots of reasons why we, as human beings, might disagree with others - politics, culture, religion, socioeconomics... and these forms of difference are only increasing. The question is if we can find another way of demonstrating civility that leads to respect of difference, pleasure in our interactions, and improved conditions for all rather than accusation and marginalization that leaves us standing alone in frightened defense of our own sacred views?

WISE Learners' Voice

2010-12-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

The 2nd annual WISE (World Innovation Innovation Summit for Education) Conference is underway in Doha (November 7-9, 2010). This is a conference chaired by Dr. Abdulla Al-Thani, Vice President of Qatar Foundation, and it involves 1,200 educators from around the world who are discussing how to broaden access and deepen the impact of education. One of the new additions to the conference this year is that 20 students have joined the conversation, 10 from Qatar, and 10 others from throughout the world. They are serving as reflectors for the conference and are maintaining a blog (http://learnersvoice.tumblr.com/) on their views of what can be done to enhance learning. Check it out for some interesting perspectives about enhancing learning from a students' perspective.

Learning Community at Education City

2010-11-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

I was recently interviewed for the QF magazine, Foundation. The summary points from the interview, entitled "Learning Community (http://www.qf.org.qa/files/tf22/index.html," (look on page 18+) allowed me to articulate some of the issues that I see as important to student affairs in a different cultural setting. I welcome responses to the content of the article. This was primarily an attempt to inform various stakeholders in Qatar of the importance of student engagement in learning and the role of student affairs in supporting it.

Student perspective on learning in Qatar

2010-11-13T22:37:00.000-08:00

One of the students attending CMU-Q (one of Qatar Foundation's Education City university partners) offered a blog post that pretty much sums up why we believe so deeply in this work. Varuns' views (http://dohmusafir.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/top-7-reasons-why-i-love-cmu-q-attempt-1/#comment-41) capture both the strength of the individual university (CMU) and the combined experience with the other branch universities that makes Education City such a powerful model.

Elegance

2010-10-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

“… there’s a fine line between not thinking enough and thinking too much. Elegance is all about learning how to walk that line on a more consistent basis.” These words from Mathew May’s conclusion to Pursuit of Elegance (2009) reflect a simplicity similar to the four elements he proposes as central to elegance – symmetry, seduction, subtraction, and sustainability.

May defines elegance as creativity or innovation that is done in as simple a way as possible – or, as the Japanese say, through shibumi or “effortless effectiveness.” This type of creativity usually emerges from a creative burst of insight that is stimulated by time away from a problem or enough distance from its subjective content to see it in a fundamentally different way. This elegance, captured in the artist’s language, is like being “kissed by the muse.”

The intriguing paradox of elegance is that it is often more about what’s not there than what is. The momentary pause in a great piece of music. The void in an architectural masterpiece. The absence of a conclusion in a book or movie. These moments of absence take us to another place because the pause serves as a catalyst for seeing something in a different way. When we begin to see in a different way, we see things that were hidden beneath the veneer of the first impression and these may actually be the most beautiful of all.

What is beauty? May proposes that what we view as beautiful is the symmetry of what we view or experience. He substantiates this assertion by citing numerous examples where patterns are repeated,, sometimes in obvious and other times unobvious ways. Obvious patterned symmetry is seen in butterflies, snowflakes, and literary palindromes. But hidden symmetries can also be observed in Jackson Pollock “splatter” painting, self-organizing traffic intersections, or shortcuts across grassy meadows. Sometimes we can’t see the symmetry until we withdraw and view it from a greater distance or when we come closer to the detail of what we are viewing. Regardless of whether it is obvious or not, found in infinity or miniature, it is the symmetry that draws us to observe or gaze in wonder.

The second element of elegance is seduction – generally manifest in things that are mysterious and elusive. May cites the Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa as one example. There are much larger paintings, more complex subject matter, and more interesting uses of color in other paintings. However, it is the elusive expression on her face that draws so many to her portrait. We are seduced by the question of whether she is smiling or stoic, where her gaze is fixed, and any number of other questions. In a more contemporary example, the public was seduced by Steve Jobs’ first revelation of the iphone. Following the introduction, there was five months of silence before it was released. The seduction of the public created a landslide of interest and sales. In both cases, seduction is achieved by revealing some information, coupled with clues to entice us further, and then time/space to formulate a response.

Subtraction focuses on what is not there or is not to be done. In an age of overwhelming commercial appeals, our excess as consumers frequently creates a profusion of clutter. Homes in the U.S.A. in particular have grown to sizes far beyond the real needs of their inhabitants. Sarah Susanka, creator of home architectural plans revealed in The Not So Big House, epitomizes the idea of subtraction in a big house era. In Susanka’s designs, spaces are eliminated that are not used regularly. In her houses, all spaces are used and are frequently open to others, using only ceiling heights and visual difference to define the functions of space. These designs were achieved by subtracting out the on average 30% of home space that goes unused in most homes. And, in the place of subtracted space, a simple elegance, functionality, and quietude emerges.

The final element of elegance is sustainability. Sustainability, in fact, is the summative element because symmetry, seduction, and subtraction can actually provide the pathway to more ingenious and judicious use of many things. When there is an absence of resources, our creativity increases. PlayPumps International is an example that demonstrates the point of scarcity sometimes being the origin of simple solutions. Trevor Field was on a fishing trip to the eastern “Wild Coast” of Africa when he saw women waiting for days to gather water for their families. His concern for these local conditions, coupled with later seeing the display of a merry-go-round that pumped water in South Africa, caused Field to license the idea to begin production of pumps to create self-sustaining water systems powered by children’s play. One thousand pumps were in place in 2009 and another 4,000 planned by 2010. The PlayPump would never have happened unless there had been an absence of water and no electrical source coupled with the observation of someone called to make a difference by his own conscience.

To think of elegance as resulting in less expense and reduced use of resources seems counter-intuitive. However, May provides ample examples that symmetry, seduction, and subtraction just may allow us to have a richer, fuller, and more sustainable life.

Museum of Islamic Art (Qatar) and Ibn Tulun Mosque (Cairo)

2010-10-09T02:16:00.000-07:00

Diane and I had a wonderful time during our Eid Al Fitr trip to Egypt. This was a life-long dream for both of us and we were not disappointed. There are so many things about which I could comment that it's hard to determine where to start. Until I reflect a bit more, enjoy the Picassa album of Egyptian pictures posted on my "Pursuing Leadership" blog.

One of the highlights of our trip was an off-script surprise - one we pursued on our last day in Cairo and without the help of a tour guide. Yes, we braved the traffic congestion of Cairo to seek out the Ibn Tulun Mosque in the Islamic section. The reason - to see what inspired I.M. Pei to create the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar, the last public/monumental architectural creation of one of the great creative geniuses of the 20th century.

The Ibn Tulun Mosque was built in the 9th century and is the oldest continuously operating Mosque in Egypt. No wonder Pei was mesmerized by the openness, balance, and void of this beautiful place. The Pei design captures the feel of the interior courtyard of the Mosque with the Ablution Fountain in the middle. To see how closely these buildings resemble each other, first look at the exterior image of Ibn Tulun to the right:

Now look at the exterior of the Museum of Islamic Art below:

The interior of Ibn Tulun is composed of receding geometric shapes rising to the top of the Ablution Fountain:

The interior of the Museum of Islamic Art uses the same approach with the geometric shapes turning inside one another, rising into an almost infinite space:

It is fascinating to me how literal Pei was in using Ibn Tulun Mosque as his inspiration for what some believe may be his finest culturally-derived piece of architecture. As you can see by these pictures, the insides and outsides of both MIA and Ibn Tulun reflect a serene beauty that is seldom matched elsewhere.

Reality test of global leadership

2010-10-08T03:14:00.000-07:00

Andrew J. Bacevich's The Limits of Power: the End of American Exceptionalism describes the causes and intoxicating impact of America's emergence as the one dominant world force in the last half of the 20th century. While the book speaks of foreign policy and elected political leaders, the seduction of presumed importance is equally possible in all sorts of leadership environments - business, education, arts and others.

Quoting Rheinhold Neibuhr's Beyond Tragedy (1937), "One of the most pathetic aspects of human history is that every civilization expresses itself most pretentiously, compounds its partial and universal values most convincingly, and claims immortality for its finite existence at the very moment when the decay which leads to death has already begun." What a stunning statement and how tragic - Egypt, Rome, Austria, Britain ... The problem wasn't that these civilizations had lost their power but that their power had become so vast that their social fabric disintegrated from within as innovation, creativity, and outward-looking engagement declined. Each of these civilizations were still expanding at the time they began to die. The vulnerability was the presumption that other peoples, civilizations, and forms of life seemed not to add any value beyond what their own culture provided.

While Bacevich's book is a critique of America's current political and military role in the world, there are many other warnings that can be drawn from its pages. The danger of superiority is that it limits our ability to understand how others view us and it may even obscure our ability to see ourselves in a realistic light. A warning of the political predicament in which the U.S.A. now finds itself was foretold in 1979 by then President Jimmy Carter who, while addressing the energy crisis of the day, said, "In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption." Carter's words were countered by his political opponents who won the Whitehouse by promising that the U.S.A. had not yet reached its zenith and would go on to greater heights. The credit-based spending of the following two and one-half decades fulfilled the "greater heights" with the biggest Bull market of all time and the near collapse of the world economy in the Great Recession of 2007-08.

Carter's warning was avoided not only by his political detractors but by the American people themselves. And with the end of the Cold War and the shock of 9-11-01, asserting superiority over others through military and economic means seemed even logical. The only problem was that the domination allowed for ever-increasing military expenditures and a belief that the U.S.A. had a right and responsibility to protect its interests no matter how far from its own shores. Indeed, the Bush doctrine after 9-11-01 reflected an urgency that "The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands." While reflecting the frontier spirit of the U.S.A. in its founding, this view also encouraged an imperial agency around the world that we now know spread U.S.A. resources too thin and compromised its credibility around the globe. And as the resources dwindled, advocates such as Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld pushed to "Make American people realize they are surrounded in the world by violent extremists," (Washington Post, 2007) thus justifying even more expenditures.

While the critique of U.S.A. foreign policy is central in The Limits of Power, the most frightening assertion was that a nation's citizens can actually encourage their government to ignore fundamental social and economic issues by being obsessed with their own desires for comfort and luxury. The broader reality check then is if leaders, whether governmental or otherwise, might sometimes have to choose the more difficult path of challenging the wishes of peers and followers rather than perpetuating a notion of grandeur that is destructive to themselves and others.

Genius - what is it and why does it matter?

2010-08-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book (2009), Outliers: The Story of Success, raises a fundamental question about why some people are successful and others not. A belief that many of us hold is that genius (whether it is intellect, creativity, or other) is at the center of success. The only problem is that review of studies on genius, especially examples among children, indicates that IQ has very little if anything to do with success.

A broad summary of Gladwell’s perspective is that “Outliers are those who have been given opportunities – and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them.” (p. 313) The book is peppered with examples of great success – the Jewish immigrant piece good workers who became the moguls of New York fashion, the scruffy lawyers who started corporate take-over maneuvers when other more gentile lawyers wouldn’t touch it, the Beatles, Bill Gates, Steven Jobs, and others. These cases are popularly portrayed as heroic, yet, when we look closer we find that these success stories had special circumstances that prepared the heroes for a moment in time when the accident of their preparation met a unique opportunity. In some cases it was the accident of a birthday in the early part of the year that allowed an aspiring Canadian boy to emerge as the best player on his hockey team. For the business tycoons born in the 1830s (Carnegie, Rockefeller, Mellon, Ford, Astor, Vanderbilt) who became the quintessential examples of “making it in America,” it was simply a matter of hard-working immigrant aspirations coupled with explosive business opportunity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Besides the accidents of time and place that birthed success, two other things stood out as shaping the experience of those who would otherwise have been “normal” like the rest of us. One was the importance of having a nurturing community that recognized and encouraged their gifts. The second was finding and locking into work that was fulfilling.

In relation to community, a study of children with high IQ from various socio-economic backgrounds revealed that those children who were nurtured by their parents or by significant teachers excelled while the others were destined to mediocrity, regardless of their extraordinary IQs. One of Gladwell’s observations about nurturing reinforced a skepticism I’ve had about the contemporary idea of “helicopter parents” in the U.S.A. A study by Annette Lareau (pp. 116-117) concluded, “The wealthier parents were heavily involved in their children’s free time, shuttling them from one activity to the next, quizzing them about their teachers and coaches and teammates.” Is it any surprise that the children with potential who had wealthy and involved parents were more successful? Could it also be that the “helicopter parents” about whom some administrators now complain are only those middle class parents who finally figured out how privileged parents behaved all along?

In relation to finding meaningful work, Gladwell analyzed several cases to identify three essential factors of success: 1) the opportunity for autonomous action, 2) the challenge of complexity, and 3) an obvious connection between effort and reward. When these three variables are present, we see ourselves as more efficacious in our action – we strive, we push, and we ultimately accomplish. In addition to efficacy, another variable related to hard work is the role of culture, particularly where cultural groups’ admonition for hard work leads to perfection over time. Gladwell shared several examples of his 10,000 hour rule. These examples demonstrated that the people who emerged as the best always gave at least 10,000 hours to developing the capacity for their work. In these cases, it was obvious that all those who were successful believed that “work ought to be a thing of beauty.” (p. 279) The work didn’t need to be glamorous as was demonstrated by the culture of rice paddy farmers in Asia. All it took was dedicated effort, the likes of which is reflected in the Chinese peasant adages of, “No food without blood and sweat,” “In winter, the lazy man freezes to death,” and “If a man works hard, the land will not be lazy.” (pp. 278-279) While Asian culture isn’t the only one recognized for its encouragement of industry, it is one of the cultures that established a legacy supportive for those who seek to find meaningful work and then give their entire being to it.

The bottom line of all Gladwell’s stories is that “To build a better world we need to replace the patchwork of lucky breaks and arbitrary advantages that today determine success – the fortunate birth dates and the happy accidents of history – with a society that provides opportunities for all.” (p. 314) Does genius matter? Of course it does. But genius is not sufficient for success. As Gladwell proposed, genius can simply be average ability coupled with preparation, opportunity, and hard work. What a freeing realization for those of us who have yet to realize our full potential?

Future of Freedom - Zakaria

2010-08-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

My latest read was The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad by Fareed Zakaria. It is an incredibly interesting book that critiques pretty much the entire globe for forms of democracy that are not working. And, Zakaria provides lots of evidence for why each is flawed and how it might be improved.

The first point that Zakaria challenges is the belief that democracy is the entry point to prosperity. This belief is where many advocates of democratic reform begin - stir the people to elections, democracy will follow, and then prosperity and peace. The evidence tells a very different story - that moderate economic improvement (i.e. the creation of a middle class) results in a critical mass of empowered citizens who will eventually demand an accountable and effective government. Countries with too low a GDP can't muster the hope and possibility. Countries with too high a GDP are "trustfund" states where wealth creates a lethargy about asserting citizens' needs. So, economic improvement is the door to democracy when the GDP is modest, but not exorbitant.

Zakaria's second assertion is that democracy doesn't go from nothing to full-force without cultivation. For example, the British Empire invested in infrastructure among some of its colonies which then were able to sustain democracy after the British left. In those colonies where the Brits (and other colonial powers) left the public bereft of political will and means, governments slid precariously into their own monarchies or dictatorships. Had there been an investment in community building, and had colonial powers not saddled the new nations with borders fraught with ethnic and religious problems, perhaps the future of democracy in the post-colonial years would have been different.

And, "perhaps the future of democracy would have been different" brought the question of the future of freedom very close to home - to the Middle East. Many references are made throughout Zakaria's book to the challenges of the Middle East, and particularly of the Arabian Gulf oil-rich monarchies. The point he made was that little nation building took place after the colonial/protectorate governments left, leaving monarchs to rule in an environment of extreme wealth where the government could take care of pretty much anything the public might want. The Arabian Gulf has a number of benevolent monarchs who work hard to make their citizens comfortable and happy and the lack of need in luxury discourages democratic aspirations.

Not only is the Middle East critiqued. Asia, South America, Russia, and elsewhere are equally placed under the microscope. One of the most interesting warnings about the future of freedom is levied at the U.S.A. Zakaria warns of democracy gone wild in the U.S.A. as a result of leveling the playing field to the degree that only lobbyists and interest groups can impact public policy. The legislation by referendum that showered down on government after California's Proposition 13 resulted in heightened levels of direct influence by citizens. Professional politicians, rather than public servants, fill the conference rooms and voting chambers and every vote is public. "What has changed in Washington is not that politicians have closed themselves off from the American people and are unwilling to hear their pleas. It is that they do scarcely anything but listen to the American people." (p. 166) And to money, lobbyists, and special interests.

So, for the U.S.A., Zakaria recommends a period of reflection on legislative process, with attention to the inordinate power of special interest referenda, and getting back to building economic opportunity through education. By fostering prosperity that citizens themselves own, government would then be able to focus on the issues that are truly in the broader public's best interest rather than creating safety nets that reinforce dependency on the state.

In the chapter titled "The Way Out" Zakaria proposes that government in developing countries "must demonstrate deep commitment and discipline in their policies" and "must focus on the long-term with regard to urban development, education, and health care." Finally, a welcome sigh of relief came over me. Qatar is mentioned in several places as an example of a monarchy dedicated to developing capacity that will result in a growing middle class able to articulate its own needs and work with its government on the things that have the greatest potential to improve the quality of their lives. The form of government that will work best for Qatar has some elements that are democratic, and overtime these will likely increase, but Qatar's brand of democracy may not be the same that western countries expect.

Zakaria has far too many ideas to summarize in a post such as this. Suffice it to say that all areas of the world have their turn to face criticism. By doing so, the opportunities to confront illiberal democracy are enhanced to a level that we might even be able to make the core purposes of freedom and democracy work.

Economic and environmental future - crazy idea

2010-07-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

An advantage of living in the Arabian Gulf as a citizen of the U.S.A. is that I sometimes see things in a different way. That's what this post is about - a different way of creating a sustainable economic and environmental future. I have no idea where the idea might go but, for fear no one has thought of it before, I share it here and I will share it privately with some of my colleagues in Qatar who might be able to do something about it.

One of the most negative impacts of the post-9-11-01 era is the suspicion in the West over being dependent on the Arabian Gulf and broader Arab world for oil. This has driven the West to risky off-shore drilling the likes of which brought us the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The impact of the BP gusher will be felt for generations and untold millions of people are suffering and economies risked – all in the name of avoiding dependence on oil from the Gulf. The West needs to stop being so paranoid and taking unnecessary risks but they won’t do it without some assurance of stability and security.

What if OPEC, perhaps even led by Qatar, proposed a steady supply of oil/gas at a stable price for the next ten years (maybe more)? A steady price would assure the oil producers of a constant source of income and it would avoid the precarious ups and downs of the commodity market. During the ten years, the West, in cooperation with the Gulf, would pursue research to perfect other energy sources that would gradually replace oil/gas over the next 50-100 years (the projected natural lifetime of these resources). By proposing an idea like this, the West could stop risky practices, achieve financial stability, and create new energy markets. The Arabian Gulf would have an immediate steady source of income while it sought other partnerships for new energy sources that will secure its long-term future. Both the West and the Gulf benefit as a more trusting and mutual relationships is established and we all get a glimpse of what a sustainable environment would be like.

Securing freedom is at least partially dependent on creating economic vitality. Suspicion, exploitation, and self-serving purposes have failed us. Perhaps it is time to look at what we have to gain by joining together in resolving the globe's energy and environmental challenges...

Globalization and the "imagined other"

2010-07-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

I've continued to read Religions: A Scholarly Journal, Issue 0, of the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue. The most recent article I read by Afe Adogame (p. 174-192) explained that, in relation to religious and political dialogue in Nigeria, globalization has created a sense of "imagined other" that has turned inter-group awareness into marginalization and violence. The point made is that, as globalization continues to emerge, cultural groups are introduced to each other in ways that create competition and antagonism. The reason this occurs is that as difference is recognized, it sometimes hardens one's own cultural perspective, resulting in differences being exaggerated beyond what they really are. Thus, an "imagined other" is constructed through differentiation rather than through seeing the possibilities for mutual and shared journey.

What I find fascinating is how this concept relates to one I introduced during discussions at the recent National (U.S.A.) Leadership Symposium held in Richmond, Virginia, last week. I was asked to offer comments on Deeper Learning in Leadership and, of course, due to the intervening three years of working abroad since I published it, I couldn't help but reflect through the new lenses I now have. What I proposed at the Symposium was that leadership educators may be better off to approach the question of the relevance of the 1,000+ definitions and approaches to leadership that we now have through "principled universalism" (Reza Shah-Kazemi, Religion: A Scholarly Journal, Issue 0, p. 117- 139, DICID) rather than trying to determine which is right or better than the others. The idea of "principled universalism" is that, in order to be successful in inter-faith dialogue, those who advocate it should concentrate on the universals that all/most religions embrace rather than attending to the differences that separate each. The idea is different than indiscriminate syncretism which is relativism used to create superficial sameness. Instead, principled universalism encourages differences in points of view and advocates that the fine points where religions diverge is the result of historic, cultural, and inspirational context. Many religions can then have a place and purpose while recognizing the importance and relevance of others. I used this core idea to propose that leadership might be the same way - rather than focusing on what separates the various perspectives on leadership, perhaps a strategy could be to accommodate the different views (business, political, social change, arts, etc.) while drawing out how each contributes to a universal hope for leadership - drawing the globe together in prosperity and peace.

Placing the two ideas together, "imagined other" and "principled universalism," then might allow us to recognize that, as the globe shrinks and exposes us to peoples we have never encountered before, we need to be careful not to construct imagined differences that could lead to competition and even conflict. What if global thinkers were able to identify universal aspirations that cross culture, history, politics, and economics? What if we recognized that our differences are important and must be respected but that, at our core, there are essential and universal aspirations toward which we can all work? What if the imagined others could be reduced in number in a variety of areas in our lives and what if leadership could be cultivated to bring this type of reason to the challenges we face around the globe?

Revelation on adapting

2010-06-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

As I've noted in previous posts, one of the leadership models that I find most useful is Ron Heifetz' "adaptive leadership." The core concept of adaptive leadership is that, for those of us who seek to engage the more meaningful challenges of leadership, the key is recognizing a question that requires a truly adaptive response (where there isn't a ready answer) and then engaging others to address it. An important point in Ron's introduction to his model is that every living species has to engage adaptive challenges and it is by doing so that we learn to acclimate to new circumstances and thereby learn to thrive. This yearning to survive and thrive is at the core of our motivations and it is one of the greatest potential resources for leaders to tap.

I had a conceptual break-through regarding adaptive work a couple of nights ago. I'm not sure if the idea was part of Heifetz' original insight or if it is a logical extension of it. The break-through resulted from reading an article by Avolio, Walumbwa, and Weber entitled, "Leadership: Current theories, research, and future directions" (in Annual Review of Psychology, 2009, pp. 421-449) followed by Ibrahim Kalin's "Sources of tolerance and intolerance in Islam: the case of the people of the book" (in Religions, 2009, published by the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, pp. 36-67).

The Avolio et al piece is a very good summary of the research and theory on leadership, explicitly relating it to Avolio's idea of "authentic" leadership. The "Closing comments and integration" (p. 443) noted several future issues that needed to be addressed in continuing research/theorizing - one of them being research in "cultures that are underrepresented in the literature, such as Muslim cultures." The reference to needing to look at leadership in Muslim cultures was a bit of a surprise and reflected an understanding that perhaps leadership ideas need to be adapted across different cultures - not a new idea, but important.

Kalin asserted that "The Qur'an accepts the multiplicity of human communities as part of God's creation: 'Now had God so willed, He could surely have made them all one single community' (al-Shura 42:8). Multiplicity is presented as contributing to the betterment of human societies whereby different groups, nations, and tribes come to know each other and vie for the common good." (pp. 45-46) By recognizing faith in God as originating from different, but related, core beliefs, Kalin proposes that the diversity of faith perspectives is a natural part of human striving to know the unknowable - each way of knowing and claiming faith becomes a pathway for those of that time and culture, reflecting the essential truth of its believers. As the believers act on their faith, they hopefully improve the human condition for themselves and others rather than falling into divisive conflicts that undermine their own and others' commitments.

The revelation about adaptation came from realizing that changing circumstances and challenges in both faith and leadership require a diversity of views (i.e. species diversity). We come to understand faith/leadership in our own context, time, and need. We may describe our faith/leadership differently but the core of our conviction is frequently more alike than it is different. By viewing faith/leadership as inherently multiplistic, but sharing core truths, we can then begin to understand why faith/leadership is, and must be, different for different cultural groups. The different faith/leadership cultures vie to create good in each of their own ways, hopefully not as a denigration of others' approaches, but as a way to act on the truth that they know.

If we know that the tension of differing perspectives is a source of creativity and innovation among all species, then is it not rational that this same creative tension would also be a source of thriving in our faith and in leadership? So often we act as if faith and leadership are pointed toward some normative unanimity when perhaps the key to progress is appreciating the differences and understanding that circumstances vary and require adaptive responses. The differences and adaptations then become the source of creativity, innovation, and may just take us to a higher and better place.

Care of the Soul

2010-06-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

My latest reading was Care of the Soul (Thomas Moore, 1992). This book was given to me by Mimi, a former student at Miami, who gave it to me along with a wonderful card in 1996. For whatever reason, I never read the book. Because it made it into the book collection that I brought with me to Qatar in 2007, I picked it up about two months ago. I wish I had read it before but I needed to read it now - what a gift at a very important time in my life.

Moore's writing combined perspectives from mythology, philosophy, spirituality, and practical tips for living. These came together in a way that illuminated the psychological dynamics of living in a complex age while discovering that some of the struggles we have are actually sources of strength. His use of ancient mythological stories demonstrated the importance of seeing these myths as part of our own experience and thereby helping us to see the nobility in our struggles and recognizing how very normal these psychological questions can be. I have numerous underlinings and dog-eared pages to prove the depth and wisdom of the book; I'll share only two examples here to demonstrate.

The story of Demeter and Persephone was used to demonstrate how to establish parameters of care-taking for others. In the myth, the Goddess Demeter was so distraught by her daughter's (Persephone) capture by Hades, lord of the underworld, that she turned herself into a human and became the caretaker for a small boy. Attempting to bring the boy immortality, Demeter placed him in a fire each night until his mortal mother discovered what was happening and screamed out in terror. Demeter's response to the mother was to admonish that we never know when fate is bringing us something good or bad. The question of what is good and bad is eventually reflected in Demeter and Persephone's relationship when Zeus intervenes to remove Persephone from Hades and return her to her mother. Order is restored in the relationships but only after very difficult and challenging years of separation - a separation that allowed Persephone to be of service to others and allowed Demeter to be a caring mother who could recognize that sometimes fate delivers good things in otherwise dismal circumstances - and they both had to wait patiently.

The story of Narcissus captured the struggle we sometimes have in being obsessed with ourselves. In the myth, Narcissus was such a beautiful young man that he fell in love with his image when he saw it in a pool of water. The myth is the origin of the idea of "narcissism," the condition characteristic of those among us who have difficulty seeing others and their needs because they are so wrapped up with their own concerns. It is no accident that Narcissus was young because the tendency to feel longing and pain when separated from something or someone we love is particularly prevalent among young people or those who are young at heart. Moore used this natural tendency among youth to suggest that narcissism among some people may be a yearning to be better, to be something we idealize ourselves to be. This yearning is very painful at times when we may realize how far we may fall short of our own aspirations. The fact is, a narcissistic obsession may be the source of yearning that could create positive change in ourselves and for others.

The insights that Moore explored encourage greater transparency in living and an acceptance that the mystery of life is discovered in the very ordinary circumstances we face. By reconciling the mythological origins that lurk in each of our souls and not being afraid of what is there, we may be able to create a soulful life of greater value. "Then your soul, cared for in courage, will be so solid, so weathered and mysterious, that divinity will emanate from your very being. You will have the spiritual radiance of the holy fool who has dared to live life as it presents itself and to unfold personality with its heavy yet creative dose of imperfection." (p. 262)

The hand I hoped was there...

2010-05-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

When Diane and I talked last night, she told me of a John Rutter piece that she had not heard before. I quickly jumped on YouTube to find an incredibly moving rendition of Distant Land (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLAyDZDOpuk&feature=related). I couldn't make out all the lyrics at first so listened very carefully to find the last several phrases especially moving:
I touch a distant hand, and feel its warmth.
The hand I hoped was there, at last I hold.
Swords into plowshares, can it all come true?
Friends out of strangers, start with me and you.
I see another time, another place.
Where we can all be one, one human race.
The walls will melt away, we'll come together on the day of freedom, freedom, freedom.

As the journey documented on my blog indicates, I've learned so much through my experience in Qatar. I have many more things to learn and hope that I have a continuing chance to experience and serve in this amazing place. There are aspects of expatriate work in general, and the Arabian Gulf in specific, that are challenging. I've experienced some of that challenge over the last week in my work and these challenges can result in a loss of purpose and passion about what we are doing. A song like Distant Land brings everything back into perspective because it places all our work in a broader context - what are we doing and what do we hope to accomplish for ourselves, for others, and for the world?

My life has been filled with intellectual and artistic opportunity but I've generally looked for insight to emanate from learned people with advanced degrees or to highly esoteric art forms that symbolize the human experience. I still find these sources useful but the profound change in me has been finding "the hand I hoped was there" in my young friend, Sha, and in his "brothers" who greet me everywhere I go. The simple acts that I now savor truly can bring the dream "Where we can all be one, one human race" to reality. I've learned this not in big decisions but in the acts of kindness that protect the dignity of those we encounter in the simple moments.

Super Freakonomics

2010-04-27T10:56:00.000-07:00

I picked up Levitt and Dubner's Super Freakonomics (2009) when I ran into a former student on a flight from Dayton to Washington Dulles International Airport. Brian, who works for the State Department of the U.S.A. and was on his way to Iraq to help with the stabilization efforts with the Iraqi government, was done with the book and gave it to me to read on my return to Qatar.

The book's propositions are straightforward - people are driven by practical and economic motivations rather than humanitarianism, altruism, or anything else. The authors also believe that many changes in history have been attributed to the wrong factors and, with this as a backdrop, they propose that there are easier ways to address current problems than we might think.

The authors dissect numerous specific cases of incorrect historical attribution. One case was the rise of gasoline-powered automobiles in the 20th century. In Levitt and Dubner's interpretation, Henry Ford and his mass production techniques were important but the real driver was that cities in the early 20th century were drowning in horse manure. Yes, they assert that the major motivation for the auto was to reverse the messiness and smelliness of horses and that the public disposal of manure (or lack thereof) had degraded the quality of life in urban areas to such intolerable levels that the auto was the only way out. Another example of reinterpreting history was the case of the Viennese doctor who was troubled by the high death rate among infants in the local hospitals. The presumed causes at the time the problem was prevalent (early 20th century) ranged from believing that infant deaths were the result of tight petticoats, foul air in delivery wards, or the presence of male doctors during childbirth. A young and aware doctor looked more carefully and found that infant deaths were lower among those women who gave birth with the assistance of a mid-wife than those who gave birth in the hospital. The stunning and simple answer was that doctors weren't washing their hands while mid-wives were. This simple conclusion, and the campaigns that came from it, began to save lives in Vienna and eventually around the world.

Both of these examples shake up prevailing beliefs. Freakonomics asserts that many of the causes for change in our society are different than we thought and some that we've attributed to complex dynamics are actually much simpler than we think.

The one example that demonstrated possible future inaccurate attribution as well as too complex a solution is global warming. I am a believer in the warnings we have about global warming and so are the authors. However, it has been perplexing to see the political and economic battles that dominate the conversations about the role of jet fuel and automobile exhaust as major contributors to the erosion of the atmosphere. Particularly as a resident of the oil/gas rich Arabian Gulf, it isn't to this area's advantage to reduce fuel consumption and the fact is, while western countries are attempting to do something, developing countries see using relatively cheap fossil fuel as their right, especially since the west birthed the largest economies in the world by broad and aggressive use of the same fuels. So, the point is, how could a strategy be discerned that doesn't overreact to the problem and doesn't penalize developing countries who may not be convinced of the importance of global warming or feel that the west needs to address its own issues before telling others what they should do?

Intellectual Ventures, an innovative California group that specializes in finding unlikely and effective solutions to problems, has an idea about how to address global warming. For a starter, they don't see the dire straights claimed by some. They say that one of the easiest solutions for global warming would be a couple of volcanoes spewing enough gas and ash into the atmosphere to reduce temperatures across the globe as a natural outcome. Intellectual Ventures further suggests that, if we aren't willing to wait for a volcano or two, another solution is to create a "garden hose to the sky" that naturally circulates heavy and light air that will correct the atmospheric problems at a fraction of the cost most people predict when they propose models of fuel reduction, alternative energies, and other strategies under popular debate.

I've struggled with posting thoughts on Freakonomics because I have been arguing with its first premise - that change is only motivated by practical and economic benefit. I agree that sometimes simple solutions are better than those that are more complex and I see that solutions are often inaccurately attributed to things that were only tangentially related. By struggling with the motivational origin for change coupled with the idea of simple solutions, I've realized something about my experiences as of late. I am struck by how easy it is for some of my acquaintances to reach out in generosity to each other and me. By believing in abundance that comes from giving what you have to others, those with little can actually have a lot. They have enough to eat, they share shelter, and they have very rich and caring relationships. I am not saying that we'd all be better off if we had less. I'm simply observing how easy and simple sharing, being in community, and caring for each other is among those who have few physical possessions but have wealth in relationships that is beyond the imagination of many of those who have so much.

So, is Freakonomics right about self-interested motivations for change and simple solutions to bring change about? Their evidence would seem to indicate that there are many examples that could come down to this. On the other hand, some of the world's greatest challenges - food, shelter, education, and natural resources - just may be equally, or more, resolvable when approached with simple solutions grounded in connectedness and concern for the mutual needs of us all. At least in the microcosm in which I live, the simple solution of assuming abundance and sharing more equitably may be the only way to save lives and create peace in our future.

An ordinary day...

2010-04-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

Most of the acquaintances I have made since coming to Qatar have been through my work or incidental contacts to my work (a few others have been through arts events). One of the acquaintances who has become a close friend is Sha, a security guard for Education City. We became acquainted because I have a habit of rolling down my window when I enter Education City to greet the guards who are posted at all the entrances. From the first time I saw Sha, he greeted me warmly and we began making a point to see each other every day. Eventually, I started stopping to talk with Sha as I left campus every night after exercising; that is what brought about the ordinary day... that just happens to be changing my life.

Sha and I had talked for some time about meeting each other outside of work. So, we chose last Friday; a change in shift allowed Sha to visit me at my ville during the afternoon. We spent several hours trading experiences with music, starting with Sha telling me about how he discovered American pop music when he first heard a Gwen Stefani song. From there he developed a fascination with Aerosmith, the Eagles, Elvis, and others. He shared many of these songs with me, along with songs of his country, India. Great A.R. Rachman ballads and the Indian national anthem were some that particularly struck me. As the afternoon went on, Sha informed me that the residents of his accommodation, 14 guys who room together, had decided to throw a party for me that night. I had already made plans for dinner with other acquaintances but hurriedly modified my timing so that I could join Sha and the others at his accommodation.

It was casual - shoes off at the threshold of the room, papers on the floor where we would eventually sit on the floor to eat together, and a fresh fruit drink to greet me as I entered the room. The cook for the day (and the master chef in the center of the picture to the right) had fixed one of the best of traditional Indian dishes, byriani. They offered me utensils at the same time that they invited me to join them as they usually do - using the best utensils any of us have - our hands. My quick judgment - hands only for me as well! (The only problem is that anyone who has ever eaten Indian food with their hands can see that I was really struggling) The byriani was beyond imagining - spicy, full of interesting flavors, occasionally uncomfortably hot for my palate. As the temperature rose, everyone pitched in to help me learn to mix other things like cucumber salad or bananas into the byriani to cool it down.

The time passed so quickly and I had to run off to my other obligation. In the flurry of leaving, I was again enveloped in hospitality as Sha, the others, and I jockeyed for photos to record the night. A leisure afternoon with Sha, turned into an impromptu dinner, and then a deeper and unfolding insight into the lives of others that I will never forget.

When I invited Sha to my home, I thought that I was providing an opportunity for him to get away from the crowded conditions of his accommodation. What I totally missed was that Sha was more worried about me - worried that I lived in such a big ville all by myself with no one to share the joys and challenges of each hour and day. He described his great joy of rooming with 13 other guys who knew nothing of each other until they came to Qatar and were placed together in their shared room. Brothers - no strife, conflict, or inconvenience. All knowing that they needed to rely on each other and support each other when all were so very far away from their loved ones. Indeed, although I call back to the U.S.A. every day, and Darbi shares considerable time with me each week, I am alone in a way that seemed very strange to Sha and he reached out to bridge the solitude which I sometimes experience.

Sha and his roommates find little usefulness in petty things. They have little conflict but instead enjoy a warmth of relationship that is hard to find among many of the privileged professionals with whom I've worked. If Sha and his roommates can get along in one room, why is it that professional colleagues have difficulty understanding and embracing their personal differences across the hallway? How hard could it be to offer tolerance and appreciation rather than impatience and rejection? Why is it so difficult to dismantle our privilege to accept the possibility that someone else's views may be as valid as our own?

I struggled to sort out my experiences with Sha and his roommates. I'm not entirely sure why it was so difficult but the perspective of Dr. Jim Rhatigan, venerable student affairs leader and scholar helped me put it together. When asked to offer advice to others in a recent NASPA "Letters to our Colleagues" Jim said, "It is in the routine of life that our habits take shape, our reputation is established, our openness to challenge and change is developed, and our love or regard for those closest to us is deepened." When I read these words, suddenly last Friday, 16 April, 2010, came into focus. An ordinary day... one that seemed routine but reflected new habits that are shaping my life and reflected a new kind of appreciation and love for Sha and his roommates. An ordinary day... that just happens to be changing my life.

Exploring the Mediterranean

2010-04-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

Our family did something that was a first for a shared spring break this year. We decided that, with three of us in the U.S.A. and two in Qatar, we'd meet in the middle and take an exotic vacation together. The result - a 3-day Roman holiday weekend and an eight-day cruise of the western Mediterranean. This was a bit extravagant but, in retrospect, well worth it.

Without going into the travelogue of the entire trip, I'll comment on highlights of history and people that struck us as particularly intriguing. You can also check the link from my blog for pictures of our experience.

Starting in Rome one can't avoid being in awe of a culture so powerful and progressive two thousand years ago. Looking up into the vaulted dome of the Pantheon and realizing that it stood for centuries as the largest free-standing dome on the planet is truly amazing. Looking out across the Forum was another breath-taking moment. As we stood there, reflecting on the names of those who walked the stone paths among the columns and sculptures, one feels small in the course of human history.

In Barcelona we encountered a freedom of expression and innovation in a more contemporary age - the late 19th and early 20th century. The Palau De La Musica Catalan has been recognized as one of the most significant examples of Art Noveau architecture in the world. It was constructed to provide a place for vocal musicians to perform at their best - with resonant and warm acoustics, natural light, and colorful flourishes of stained glass everywhere one looks. Then there's Gaudi - the apartments, incidental buildings standing in complement to many other forms of architecture throughout Barcelona, and then of course, the Sagrada Familia. I've always wondered what Gaudi architecture would feel like in person and I was not disappointed. The greatest moment was being enveloped by the interior cathedral vaults that appear to be mighty, towering trees. While not finished, the Sagrada Familia will surely be one of the architectural wonders of the world when completed 20+ years from now. The lessons of personal freedom are everywhere in Barcelona and one can't help but be moved to wonder what forces unleashed such artistic creativity and what can be done to release equally powerful sources of art today.

Malta - a small island by comparison to many in the Mediterranean. It is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. As we walked the streets on Good Fridy in the brilliant sunlit blue of sky and sea, it was hard to imagine that this tiny island has seen so many battles and has been a strategic military stronghold time and again. That Good Friday, Malta represented both the peace and the stife that the world has seen, all crammed into one visual space.

Tunis and Carthage were very different than the rest of the places we visited. We had a short time there but made the most of it. Carthage was an ancient Phonecian settlement, taken over by the Greeks and eventually the Romans. In some ways it's a mystery what might be under the ruins that are now on the surface. The amazing section was of the Greek settlement that had been filled in with debris; because it had been filled in, the ancient structures were preserved better than others. Because of the short stay, we were a bit challenged in returning to the ship on time. In fact, we thought we were going to miss the departure; as a result, one of the most tense and eventually hilarious moments was running through the streets with packages flying and everyone gasping for breath as we raced to the boat. It wasn't so fun when we were doing it but it is a great memory.

The Costa cruiseship itself was something to behold. Twelve-stories tall and carrying 3,600 passengers, most of whom were Italian families out for a good time. Germans, French, Japanese, and a few English-speakers (only 167 U.S.A.) were sprinkled in for good measure. We were all served, entertained, and shown gracious hospitality by our Filipino and Indian dining room servers, cabin stewards, and other personnel. What a blend of cultures, all with their different roles and perspectives yet all able to celebrate together as the nights grew long and the tours became tedious.

During our Mediterranean cruise we mainly enjoyed each other and had the pleasure of seeing places none of us had seen before. In addition to the pleasure and family camraderie, we were able to see history, culture, art, and people that make our world a rich and wonderful place. We were able to see the products of human imagination and striving. And, the warmth of the people we encountered along the way convinces me that the striving will not cease...

Maverick

2010-02-27T08:35:00.000-08:00

No, not the Sarah Palin kind. This "maverick" is a business genius from Brazil. Ricardo Semler's book, Maverick: The Success Story Behind the World's Most Unusual Workplace (1993), tells the story of Semco, a company Ricardo inherited from his father. After determining that his father's traditionalist style was robbing Semco greater business opportunity than anyone could imagine, Semler began dismantling conventional approaches to hierarchy, rank, privilege, titles, perks, salary and more to unleash the commitment of the company's workforce.

How did Semler implement such fundamental change? He started with a belief that rules, directives, and policy books only serve to (p. 97):
1. Divert attention from a company's objectives.
2. Provide a false sense of security for executives.
3. Create work for bean counters.
4. Teach workers to stone dinosaurs and start fires with sticks.
His skepticism about rules and policy manuals resulted in gradual deconstruction of most of the culture of the business he was entrusted to run by his father. Ricardo's imagination led him to follow his own intuition in a core commitment to treating others with respect. He took workers at all levels of the organization seriously by creating committees, increasing problem-solving, and replacing dependency with responsibility. When senior management hesitated and workers balked, Ricardo did not give up; he just found another pathway or modified his timing. The ultimate impact of change over time resulted in an organization with no organization hierarchy, hiring by peers, flexible work hours, self-designed workspaces, a positive role for unions, no retaliation for strikers, full participation, evaluation by subordinates, freedom in work attire, change, and pride. And, Semco maintained profitability while responding to economic volatility that made it near impossible to predict a fair price for its products.

Semler sums up the relevance of his experimentation to contemporary business when he says, "To survive in modern times, a company must have an organization structure that accepts change as its basic premise, lets tribal customs thrive, and fosters a power that is derived from respect, not rules. In other words, the successful companies will be the ones that put quality of life first. Do this and the rest - quality of product, productivity of workers, profits for all - will follow." (p. 289)

Impossible to imagine that such radical ideas could be implemented anywhere but in the most progressive, highly educated, stable economies in the world. Although I had to stretch my consciousness at numerous places throughout the book, the evidence is right there - progressive business practice can be implemented even with what are typically seen as organizations dependent on skilled labor, fraught with labor union vulnerability, and in a dazzlingly unpredictable economy (Brazil in the 1980s and 1990s). It worked in a very difficult environment and it could probably be adapted many other places as well.

Ayn Rand's We the Living

2010-02-02T09:59:00.000-08:00

Originally published in 1936 and re-released in a 60th anniversary issue (1995), We the Living was Ayn Rand's first novel. Rand is credited as the founder of objectivism, a philosophy followed implicitly or explicitly by free-market capitalists and others who believe that the only way human beings can strive to their greatest potential is by being true only to themselves and leaving the welfare of the collective up to the natural system of rewards and consequences. I read three of her other books, Anthem, Fountainhead, and Atlas Shrugged, in my early 20s, when I was just coming into advanced graduate study and my career. I also had a fascinating organization behavior professor at the University of Maryland, Dr. Ed Locke, who was deeply devoted to Rand's philosophy and eventually served as the figurehead for the network that still studies and advocates her views.

I picked We the Living up when I was home for the holidays. It was sitting in our window seat in Oxford and I was curious to renew my understanding of objectivism following Greenspan's (former Federal Reserve Chair) announcement that the Fed policy he advocated was based on Rand's views (I don't have the actual language of his acknowledgement handy). I wanted to read it so I could understand and potentially argue more effectively with its premises because the last decade of economic policies have had a fairly devastating impact on us all.

We the Living is a historical/political/philosophical novel that depicts the years after the 1917 Russian Revolution when Czarist Russia was replaced by the communist dictatorship of the U.S.S.R. Rand's story is powerful for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that she, herself, escaped the U.S.S.R. in the soviet days and fled to the U.S.A. where she wrote stories to discourage any possibility of the spread of communism, a political and social system she believed sucked the core from humanity's creativity, purpose, and effectiveness.

The three central figures engage in a complicated love affair with each other, with Kira (the heroine) achieving extraordinary levels of self-sacrifice and self-indulgence at the same time. Kira's first and only real love is Leo who is a stately aristocrat representing the privilege and elitism of Czarist times. Driven out of privilege by communism, he grows ill and Kira seeks a relationship with Andrei in order to finance Leo's recovery and return to good health. Leo is a staunch "Party" member and struggles to maintain his deep infatuation with Kira, even though her obvious anti-communist political leaning is a liability to him. After maintaining relationships with both Leo and Andrei, Kira rises in economic means but descends to emotional deprivation when she sees Leo deteriorating into hopelessness. As a party official, Andrei discovers that Leo is part of a scam that lines the pockets of not only Leo but two influential party leaders. In an attempt to expose the two party leaders who represent the hypocrisy of the communist ideal, Andrei unwittingly allows the blame to fall on Leo. It is when Leo has been arrested and on the verge of being prosecuted and hanged that Kira reveals to Andrei that the money he gave her to save her family actually went to pay for Leo's healing care. It was hard in parts to determine who was being true to themselves, to their ideals, or to others. Ultimately, Andrei is true to his ideals in committing suicide in the face of the failures of communism, Leo maintains his egotistical arrogance by accepting the care of a prominent socialite, and Kira attempts to escape to the west, the place where she hopes to find the love that she was ultimately denied.

The plot sounds messy and it is. Rand sought to tell the story of the ills of communism and how any form of collectivist dictatorship only undermines human striving.

While the objectivist philosophy has appeal for me - in relation to working hard, uncompromising excellence, and dedication to honest competition, it troubles me as a philosophical proposition that does not recognize the unevenness of the human condition. As we view various people around the world who suffer natural disaster, who are beaten down through lack of natural resources, and have little access to infrastructure to pull themselves up from poverty, objectivism just doesn't work. Perhaps the alternative is a form of social entrepreneurship or compassionate competition that at least seeks to level the playing field while allowing those with extraordinary talent and privilege to excel.

As leaders around the globe aspire to create governments that help the hopeless while rewarding innovation and creativity, perhaps they will find a balance that will save us all. Especially as the U.S.A. attempts to refine its economic and social policies, it is important to recognize the complexity of political decision making rather than allowing the rhetoric to slip into right versus left, republican versus democrat, or capitalist versus socialist.

Education City in Qatar expands to European partners

2010-01-31T04:09:00.000-08:00

Qatar Foundation recently announced a parternship with Hautes Etudes Commercialis (HEC) (http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100129/FOREIGN/701289864/1011/NEWS) of Paris to provide its MBA program in Doha. With an appeal to part-time executives who want to pursue advanced study with an elite institution, this is another example of only the best are good enough for these partnerships.

Rumors have been around for some time about Education City beginning a masters of business program. More than any other question I've had about new programs, the potential for MBA study has been the most frequently asked. There is no question that there is need among the growing numbers of Qatari and expatriate staff who are engaged in business and need more advanced training.

As graduate and professional programs unfold, the question of the complementary relationship of these programs will need to be addressed. All too often, graduate programs have little relationship to undergraduate programs in North America. Perhaps Qatar can find a way to relate them and bring value to all.

Qatar Young Professionals Institute - reflections

2010-01-27T21:22:00.000-08:00

We are now a week past the departure of our visitors from the University of Maryland and University of San Diego graduate programs. The lapsed time has allowed us to pull our evaluations together and to gain some distance from the experience, which was quite intense.

In retrospect, I am reminded that we attempted something that was very different than the typical study tour. I’ve seen other study tour itineraries, I’ve hosted visitors, I’ve helped plan, and I joined in facilitating a student affairs study tour in central Europe a couple of summers ago. What we proposed and delivered in Qatar was actually more of a departure than I realized and that reality has only begun to sink in. The essential differences in what we did were; it included significant cultural preparation for the visitors, it required cultural immersion and engagement, and it utilized inquiry learning to build relationships between our visitors and those of us in Qatar as we addressed questions essential to Qatar’s future.

I’m not sure the degree to which the faculty/staff at the two visiting institutions had to convince their students (23) that the advanced preparation, literature research, and conceptual integration were worth a trip to Qatar. The interesting point is that we did not hear any complaints from the visitors about this preparation. In fact, they seemed to pick up on Qatar and the Arab world much more quickly and were able to accommodate the cultural adjustment much more readily than other groups we’ve hosted. During the early stages of acquaintance and idea exchange, our Qatar participants seemed reluctant to engage in the distance learning part of the interaction which took place through “google-groups” dialogues. This hesitance caused me to wonder if the group of 38 people that we anticipated would actually show up. When the final kick-off morning arrived, 35 of the 38 Qatar participants appeared. What was even more impressive was that the general level of participation from the Qatar participants was active and deep throughout. During the two days when these 58 graduate students and young professionals were involved with each other, it was pretty exciting. There were numerous reports of long, struggling conversations that opened pathways of understanding that were powerful for all. For the U.S.A. participants, the pathway was one of understanding culture and beginning to realize that it is expressed in many more complex ways when dealing with individuals from throughout the world. The Qatar participants pursued paths that introduced them to the research and theory of student affairs. Most of the Qatar participants were not trained in student development and some did not know that it was possible to receive professional preparation for such work. Ultimately, the two groups bound together by struggling with very important issues and they learned a great deal from each other.

The thing we did not anticipate was the variability among our participants in the way they understood inquiry learning. We communicated throughout the preparatory stages that a major part of being involved was participating on an inquiry team but the implications of this may not have been fully understood. While our evaluations reflect high satisfaction and learning among most participants, there were a couple who perceived that the 23 guests were presumptuous to offer any input on our inquiry questions. The flip side is that the majority of both visitors and Qatar participants reported relishing the opportunity to be fully participatory rather than passive in their learning. For those who view learning as acquiring and demonstrating knowledge rather than discovering knowledge with and through others, it is understandable that inquiry learning was a stretch.

Ultimately, when the Young Professionals Institute was over, there was a great deal of good will and participants were reluctant to go their separate ways – a very good sign that something significant had taken place. The pre and post assessments were all high where we would expect them to be. Perhaps the anticipation was so high that it left little room for increasing scores from pre to post measures. The “fill in the box” responses were overwhelmingly positive and reflected a desire to refine and replicate the model. The “sticky-tab” exercise that called for reflection on the process was even richer in its advocacy to continue and to deepen the discovery learning of the Institute. And, one of the items that reflected the largest increase from pre to post (4.17 to 4.39) measurement was an item asking participants to agree or disagree with the statement “I see my cultural background as an asset to my work as a Student Affairs professionals.” If no other item increased but this one, the fact that our Qatar participants gained a greater sense and pride in their cultural background as an asset in their work would have been enough.

Conclusion of Qatar Young Professionals Institute

2010-01-20T23:40:00.001-08:00

The Young Professionals Institute is over and our guests from Maryland and San Diego are preparing to return to the U.S.A. We had a number of articles about the initiative but one of them appeared in the Qatar Peninsula (http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=January2010&file=Local_News2010012023943.xml) yesterday.

The greatest satisfactions from the YPI are that 1) we drew all of higher education in Qatar together to explore the importance of student affairs work and 2) we informed the 23 graduate students from the U.S.A. about Qatar's heritage, vision, and the commitment it has made to preserve its culture while preparing for a global leadership role in the 21st century. The participants from the U.S.A. and Qatar engaged fully and deeply with each other and that's the most we could have hoped for. However, I have a hunch that we actually accomplished much more that will unfold in the coming months.

Too much late!

2010-01-18T09:07:00.000-08:00

After a long and fulfilling day with the Young Professionals Institute participants, I was greeted as I drove back into the compound by one of my favorite security guards. "Too much late!" he exclaimed. This guy really is one of my favorites as he watches out over Darbi and me as we come and go. He is from Nepal and has learned a lot of English over the last months but he still uses wonderful sentence constructions like "too much late."

While the time of day may have been too much late, the activities of the day were not. We have had the Maryland group here since the 8th and the San Diego group since the 9th. We spent a lot of time acclimating them to the history, culture, and environment of Qatar and finally we arrived at the time when they would begin to engage as peers with our Qatar staff. It took the time to learn, to grow in appreciation, and to become the curious scholars that they have now become. I think we actually hit it about right - just enough time to become immersed but not so much time to become bored. The result was that all the participants today had something to offer as we dove into our inquiry team topics.

The contrast for "too much late" that I hope the study tour and Young Professionals Institute will demonstrate is that it is never too late to begin to explore other cultures. North America has seen itself as able to stand alone except when military or political issues dictated differently. What our 27 visitors now understand is that North Americans frequently miss out on a lot of fun and that they've not seen the possibilities for global connections that our visitors hopefully now see. It isn't too late and our hope is that over the coming two remaining days, the visitors will grow even deeper in their respect, Qatar will gain new insights on how to enhance student engagement, and we will all learn how powerful it is to form friendships around the globe.

The day may have been "too much late" but the experience was just in time!

Starting a new year - 2010

2010-01-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I blogged. The main reason is that November, December, and now January have been very busy. I spent Thanksgiving in the U.S.A., returned to Qatar for a couple of weeks, and then went back to Ohio for the Christmas holiday. I have a pause in my current activities to get back to offering comment regarding my pursuit of understanding leadership, a journey that has been underway a very long time.

We're presently hosting two delegations of graduate students from the University of Maryland and the University of San Diego. There are 27 in all, including the professors guiding each group, Dr. Susan Komives and Dr. Cheryl Getz. The idea of hosting these groups arose from correspondence over a year ago when each group inquired if they could come separately. Because they both wanted the same time bracket, we recommended they come at the same time and then created a study tour and Young Professionals Institute calendar to involve them with a variety of staff from the Education City universities, Qatar University, and CNA-Q. This group has been in Qatar for a week already. Tonight they are out in the desert on an overnight safari. The feedback has been unbelievable thus far and we anticipate even better things to come.

The Young Professionals Institute model is a first of a kind, as far as we know. The concept is based on service learning principles of deep engagement and reciprocity. What I've experienced over the last two years at Qatar Foundation is a parade of delegations from all over the world who generally come simply to observe, a helpful activity but shallow by comparison to what we are doing with Maryland and San Diego. The study tour design started with broad exposure for our guests, including trips to historic sites, arts and cultural events and centers, and engagement with Qatari and other Arabi students and citizens. This first part of the visit has been to prepare the 27 visitors to understand and respect Qatar so that they could eventually engage fully with us as informed and aware educators.

The Young Professionals Institute starts next Monday, 18 January, and pairs the 27 visitprs with 38 of our staff throughout our higher education programs, all of whom are involved in or do related work to student affairs. The Young Professionals Institute centers on six topics that we identified as critical to our future. We frequently struggle to have the time, the expertise, and the organizational wherewithall to deal with some of the issues that are not immediate to our daily work. The six topics include looking at the cultural differences and dynamics of the Arabian Gulf related to the role of families, independent living, serving commuting students, leadership development, student development, and the role of student affairs in a context as different as ours.

I will update my blog later next week after the Young Professionals Institute but the first half of our experience with the visitors is already paying off in wonderful ways. I don't think I've been asked as many questions as I've had this last week and the questions reflect a depth of curiosity and an eagerness to understand that is deeply gratifying. What we wanted to do was demonstrate to these 27 visitors that Qatar is an extraordinary place with an amazing vision that we seek to serve. We wanted these young professionals, who will over the next year or two scatter throughout North America and beyond and will become ambassadors for Qatar. They will be able to inform colleagues, students, and community members that the many stereotypes held of the Middle East have little basis and are for the most part very uninformed.

Leadership - backwards and in high heels

2009-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

The U.S. News & World Report (November, 2009), through the advice of a blue-ribbon panel, identified individuals around the globe for leadership that makes a difference. Reading the stories of these individuals, why they do what they do, and how they’ve managed to stay the course in their efforts is truly inspirational. There are examples across all age groups, but I did notice a gratifying trend of “mature” individuals whose work remains vibrant, fulfilling, and active when their chronological age has moved beyond 60, 70, and even 80 years of age.

The selection of these people is a statement of how we are beginning to understand effective leadership in the 21st century. Bill and Kathy Magee (Operation Smile), Greg Mortenson (Pennies for Peace), Judith Rodin (Rockefeller Foundation), Eboo Patel (Interfaith Youth Core), Ted Kennedy and Orrin Hatch (bipartisan bridge-building) and others have made a difference and they’ve done it by reflecting the criteria set by leadership experts such as Warren Bennis, David Gergen, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, and Barbara Kellerman; 1) building a shared sense of purpose, 2) achieving a positive social impact, and 3) cultivating a culture of growth.

A complementary analysis of leadership that makes a difference is offered by Rondinelli and Hefron (2009) in their Leadership for development: What globalization demands of leadership fighting for change. Beginning with reflections on what leadership in a rapidly globalizing world might entail, connecting that with the concern for global development that began with Kennedy’s decade of development in the 1960s, and moving on to examples of change underway around the world, Rondinelli and Hefron take the U.S. News & World Report to another level; they take us to examples of leadership that are historically and culturally contextualized and that represent perhaps our only hope in a world that is so dominated by political, religious, economic and other forms of warfare. Kennedy (1963, Commencement address at American University) introduced the possibility of world peace that would not be “… a Pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war … but peace for all men and women” (p. 51) that would begin by looking inward and by directing attention to common interests that would connect rather than divide humanity across the globe.

The Rondinelli and Hefron book provides amazing examples of change, some of which led to positive transformation and others to more challenges to be addressed. Consistent among them all is that transformative leaders deal with the practically reality of their environment, they mobilize others, and they demonstrate self-motivation, credibility, care, humility, and courage in their actions. What I most appreciated about this very realistic analysis was a wonderful metaphor that captures the work of those stimulating change in the developing world – “backwards and in high heels.”

The chapter by Ian Smillie of this same name, “Backwards and in high heels,” used the example of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the famous dancing duo of mid-20th century movies. Astaire was applauded for his amazing skill and artistry but the fact was, he was always in the lead. In traditional dance, the man is the one who sets the standard while the female, Ginger Rogers, had to mirror the lead while dancing backwards and in high heels. That’s what it’s like in the developing world. The Western world may be able to offer help, advice, and resources, but the infrastructures, processes, shared values, and many other things are simply not there to allow the transfer of Western views into the new, developing, and globalizing settings. Everyone pursuing change outside of the Western environment is dancing backwards in high heels and the more emergent the infrastructure, the higher the heels and the more indefinite the lead. This is not easy work and those Westerners seeking to help, partnering with those actively involved in the change, will do well to consider how the rules of dance might need to be modified.

48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene

2009-12-04T11:30:00.000-08:00

Difficult for me to read but, nevertheless, critical to understand... Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power advocates a way of being in the world that I do not embrace. Some of his recommendations encourage withholding information, being mystical and unavailable, exercising manipulation and coercion, and many other strategies that he poses as essential in the game of acquiring and holding power. While these are not strategies that are consonant with what I believe is effective leadership in the 21st century, to know that there are those who inadvertently or intentionally use these methods, and to have a way to respond to them, is necessary for survival.

The 48 laws are formulated through citations of historical incidents and figures across many cultures. This is part of Greene’s proposition – that the 48 laws are universal across time and place. The descriptions are thick and the repetition of certain historical figures such as Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Queen Elizabeth I, Bismarck and others is an important reminder of how wide-spread the misuse and abuse of power has been.

I also came to realize that I use certain forms of power that I had not recognized. One of these is transparency. I tend to play my cards with an open hand (meaning that others can see exactly what I have in my possession) which I’ve always recognized as involving risk, primarily the risk that others will use my transparency against me and strategize to undermine my efforts. The useful power part of this is that transparency tends to engender trust among both allies and opponents. In fact, even when an opponent uses information against us that we’ve freely shared, the moral authority we gain by demonstrating trustworthiness can easily backfire on the opponent. There are numerous other positive examples of power that I had not recognized, some of which involve potentially manipulative elements. An example is letting issues “ripen” until others are drawn into taking initiative. The metaphor of forcing others to first play their cards captures what happens. I’ve often wanted to jump into a challenging issue, to problem-solve, and to bring others together to respond to a question. However, sometimes the timing is off – it’s too early and the issue has not ripened sufficiently for others to be willing to take their portion of the responsibility or initiative to resolve it. This particular issue is very difficult for “fix-it” leaders to tolerate because waiting for the ripening and for the first move by others can be excruciating.

The 48 laws of power are formulated within the philosophy of Nicolai Machiavelli, the famous Florentian who authored “The Prince” as a guide to courtier conduct. The advice offered by Machiavelli has stood the test of time and is one of the most noted and debated perspectives in leadership studies. Reading Greene’s interpretation and voluminous examples was disheartening in many ways. On the other hand, it surfaced dynamics that I know are part of our daily work in education, government, business, arts, and other arenas. My most important “take-away” is learning to choose the power strategy that has the greatest potential to be effective while maintaining my integrity, all the time recognizing the choices that others are making in support of, or in contrast to, the method I’ve chosen. A theme to which I’ve returned numerous times on my blog – it’s not about us but about dynamics and processes beyond us.

Expatriate work - great purposes

2009-11-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of running into a Gulf region colleague when I attended the International Leadership Association Conference in Prague. Her name is Katie O'Neil and she gave me permission to post her statement, offered to her Provost, about how she sees her work. As I continue to examine my own motivations and as I seek to understand the motivations of expatriate colleagues, I found Katie's reflections particularly compelling. Her post follows.

I see my role as a faculty member in the College of Business, as a member of the Zayed University community, as a guest of the United Arab Emirates, and as a researcher in Leadership and Change Management (focusing on the leadership development of pre-professional and newly professional Emiratis) as a midwife of change.

The UAE is undergoing a period of phenomenal change, one that may be seen as akin to a (re-)birth. My role, like a midwife, is to provide support during this process of systemic change (culturally, socially, economically, politically) and emotional transition. However, ultimately, the decisions, the pain, and the rewards of this process belong to our students, to their families, and to their communities.
They are the ones who must do the work; it is their change, their process, and although I may want to do the work myself (either out of kindness or ego), I cannot. My job as a mid-wife of change is to assist the Emirati community to attain its goals and to support them through this labor with my best advice and intentions, especially when it proves difficult and exhausting. My role is not to impose my beliefs but to share my understanding, experience, and empathy; to give advice; to support; to respect the competence, traditions, and decisions of the Emirati people as they determine their own future; and to trust that the choices they make are the right ones for them. And every day, I must remember that as an expatriate, researcher, consultant, and classroom teacher I have been given the privilege and honor of being a guest at this event.

Opportunity of the Obama Era

2009-11-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

The controversy over President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize seems to finally be calming down. The flurry made over it in the U.S.A. really looked quite odd from the other side of the world. It was fairly obvious - the Nobel committee saw a dramatic shift in the American Presidency, one that signaled an opening of diplomatic relations and a reduction in the rhetoric of retribution and isolation. Any other questions?

Of course, the actual impact of Obama's Presidency has yet to be realized. A very interesting analysis of the Opportunity of the Obama era (http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2009/11_civil_society_amr/11_civil_society_amr.pdf) looks specifically at the Muslim World. I highly recommend it if you seek to understand what works and doesn't work in diplomatic initiatives. This Brookings Institute report reviewed the many diplomatic efforts undertaken after 9/11/01 and what impact they had on the perceptions Americans had of Muslims and vice versa. Unfortunately, the findings were that perceptions from 2001 to 2008 changed very little.

The good thing is that the Brookings Institute report found a number of variables that can increase the likelihood of diplomatic success including conditions such as; building partnerships, targeting youth, and harnessing American Muslims in the U.S.A. and Americans living in the Muslim world. An exciting thing is that we are actually observing many of the principles of good diplomatic practice in a Study Tour and Young Professionals Institute we are hosting in Qatar in January, 2010. This educational diplomacy initiative will involved 23 masters and doctoral students from the University of Maryland and University of San Diego who will be paired with 35 staff in student affairs roles at Education City, Qatar University, and CNA-Q. These 58 young professionals will get acquainted and will then go to work on six inquiry topics that are central to the future success of higher education in the Arabian Gulf. We anticipate achieving the outcomes of increased understanding and respect, deeper learning that demonstrates the importance of cultural and organization context, and new educational models that will be unique and more effective for the emerging higher education initiatives of the Gulf.

The Opportunity of the Obama Era isn't only about President Obama. It's about every one of us exploiting opportunities to activate our own diplomacy during a time of renewed hope.

If you love something, give it away...

2009-10-25T09:56:00.000-07:00

Conductors of orchestras are some of the best possible examples of leadership we can find. In the TEDx episode, Leading Like the Great Conductors (http://www.ted.com/talks/itay_talgam_lead_like_the_great_conductors.html), Itay Talgam demonstrates the dramatic differences among conductors' styles by showing clips of them in performance. Some are jovial and animated. Others are stoic and mysterious. Others are energetic and explosive. Talgam explains that none of these styles is better than the other; they're just the unique styles through which these conductors give life to the music they conduct. In the example of the stoic, Herbert von Karajan reports of himself that he never wants the orchestra members to be able to anticipate what he wants; he expects them to know and to create among the ensemble the true and authentic interpretation of the music. In von Karajan's own words, "The worst damage I can do to my orchestra is to give them clear instructions." When one player complained to von Karajan that he couldn't figure out when to play, he replied, "You start when you can't stand it anymore."

The lessons we can learn from music that help us with leadership... First of all, individual styles of leadership can be legitimate and effective. Second, leadership is sometimes most effective when reserved for the moment when collaborators can't stand waiting any more. And third, leadership is most effective when it draws the ensemble together, forcing them to rely on each other to fulfill their creative potential.

My favorite conducting example and leadership lesson is demonstrated by Leonard Bernstein as he conducts a composition entirely by use of facial expressions. It's priceles to see how effective he is without moving one finger or limb. By not really doing anything, he gives the music to the orchestra and demonstrates the most important artistic and leadership lesson of all, “If you love something, give it away.” And all great artists and transformational leaders have found a way to do this, no matter how difficult, how joyous, or how much it hurts.

Guides to expatriate work

2009-10-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

I've read a lot over the last two years that relates to the history, culture, religion, and politics of the Arabian Gulf and Middle East. My motivation for this reading has been out of curiosity and wanting to know more about where I live and the places I've explored in my travels. Two recent books have been more for those who are working, or doing regular business, abroad.

Don't they know it's Friday (Williams, 1998) is a great little book about the Arabian Gulf. The advice offered in it duplicates much of what I've read elsewhere but the advantage of this book is its great practicality. Someone who wishes to be well-informed when visiting the Gulf will pick up many helpful hints and those preparing for expatriate assignments will find even deeper value to the respectful descriptions of culture, religion, custom, and successfully negotiating the transition to life in the Gulf. There's even a section on hosting Gulf guests in western countries which conveys many tips that educators will find helpful as they seek to understand Arabian Gulf, Muslim, and other Arab students on their campuses.

The adventure of working abroad: Hero tales from the global frontier (Osland, 1995) is directed at western (primarily U.S.A.) expatriates who are considering and/or making sense of work abroad. I picked this book up because I thought it might be helpful for educators on expatriate assignments but found that the content is quite narrowly focused on business, and not even on business in general but just foreign assignments from western companies. The book approached the topic through the metaphor of hero journeys. The hero metaphor may reflect the experience of some expatriates but I found it a little trite and oddly demeaning of how I've experienced working abroad. I've corresponded with the author and know that she is conducting research to update the book and I assume the subsequent issue will have much to offer. There are some very important points in the 1995 release including the importance of finding a cultural informant, welcoming paradox, being enriched by the expatriate experience, and dealing with repatriation once the assignment abroad is over. The enrichment that is possible through expatriate work is summarized in a wonderful table (Table 6.1, p. 141) that describes letting go (death to the old and limited perspective before work abroad) to taking on (being transformed into a more cultural aware and engaged global citizen).
Letting go --- Taking on
1. Cultural certainty --- Internalized perceptions of the other culture; increased patriotism
2. Unquestioned acceptance of basic assumptions --- Internalized values of the other
3. Personal frames of reference --- New or broader schemas so that differences are accepted without a need to compare
4. Unexamined life --- Constructed life
5. Accustomed role or status --- Role assigned by the other culture or one’s job
6. Social reinforcement knowledge --- Accepting and learning the other culture’s social norms and behavior
7. Accustomed habits and activities --- Substituting functional equivalents
8. Known routines --- Addiction to novelty and learning

The point made by Osland time and time again is the critical importance of fully engaging with the local culture and being patient and responsive to what the expatriate experiences. Realistically, not all expatriates are right for such an assignment, thus the selection, placement, and transition experience are key to increasing the chances of success.

One of the most salient points made by Osland is that expatriates need to be careful to whom they listen. There are almost invariably a few expatriates who stand in judgment of the host culture, perpetuate negative stereotypes, and never really give the locals a chance. This is a very sad reality that, at least in my experience, tends to occur in settings where there a large numbers of expatriates, especially those who take expatriate assignments primarily for the economic benefit of the assignment. A book I've just begun, Power (Greene, 1998) captures the impact of negativity as it undermines power in a chapter titled, "Infection: avoid the unhappy and unlucky." It advises that negative people are to be avoided as "a virus. Unseen, it enters your pores without warning, spreading silently and slowly. Before you are aware of the infection, it is deep inside you." (p. 80) I can't think of a more apt description of the dynamic that I see sometimes spoiling and unraveling the effectiveness of a positive expatriate experience.

Practice of Adaptive Leadership

2009-10-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

Ron Heifetz' new book (with co-authors Linsky and Grashow) applies the concept of adaptive leadership to the real world in which 21st century leaders will have to engage. In the case of Education City, we are dealing with western educational models, adapted in an Arab cultural context, engaging students from 75 countries throughout the world, and tackling the capacity building challenges of a growing knowledge-based society. Bottom line - there are no easy answers and perhaps no answers at all about how to do this. Under these conditions, the challenge of leadership becomes one of connecting to the values, beliefs, and anxieties of all of those involved in the experiment of higher education in the Arabian Gulf. And the greater challenge in connecting our values is that it frequently requires sacrificing some of our own values, beliefs, or self-interests.

An example - Western education presumes that students are able and need to make their own choices about career (an idea borne of the individualistic belief that, if young people are to be successful, they will have to take charge of their own destinies) yet in the Arab world, Asia, and many other places, the choice of one's career is frequently dictated by family, by business sponsors who fund educational opportunity, or out of beliefs that specific careers are more lucrative or carry greater prestige. The paradox for educators becomes one of responding to family/student demand or preference, all the time knowing that the "choices" students make may not be the best fit for their talents or convictions. Managing the individualism involved in free choice in contrast with the collectivist idea of obligation to family and community has no predictable answer. For some students taking the risk to contradict family expectations may be the best path while for others maintaining the commitment to the family and community is best. Educators cannot be effective in working with students unless the potential legitimacy of both choices (originating from different values systems) is embraced.

Some of us in the Gulf are here as managers or as experts in processes of technical change. However, those who make the greatest difference are the ones who recognize that the most exciting work in higher education in this area of the world is adaptive and that maintaining a focus on the bigger picture of change and the possibilities it poses is worth the negotiations, hard work, and risk. As Ron and his colleagues say, "Adaptive leadership is not about meeting or exceeding your authorizers' expectations; it is about challenging some of the expectations, finding a way to disappoint people without pushing them completely over the edge. And it requires managing the resistance you will inevitably trigger." (p.26)

The "authorizers" are sometimes our bosses. Sometimes they are our colleagues or followers/collaborators. But we all have authorizers who grant us the authority to act. Naturally, authorizers want the easiest and quickest way to a solution. But if there is no known solution, who will provide the holding environment for shared work to be undertaken and who will be responsible for the outcome? One response to who will create the holding environment is that it will be the organization itself, of course fostered by insightful leaders. In Chapter 7, Ron and his colleagues identify five characteristics of an adaptive organization which include: 1. Elephants in the room are named, 2. Responsibility for the organization's future is shared, 3. Independent judgment is expected, 4. Leadership capacity is developed, and 5. Reflection and continuous learning are institutionalized. (pp. 101-108) By fostering these attributes, leadership then joins with various authorizers to establish and sustain a holding environment that is capable of negotiating the adaptive challenges of its environment.

Through reading Ron's new book and observing the dynamics of many of the questions I face each day, I have a much greater appreciation and dedication to the work I am privileged to pursue with my colleagues here. And, the work is clearly adaptive and shared.

Thailand - Eid Break '09

2009-09-28T21:50:00.001-07:00

During the Eid break in Muslim countries, many of the ex-patriots take the time to travel in the region or beyond. Darbi wanted to go to Thailand for an adventure vacation that included sea kayaking, climbing, and other exploration in the Phang Nga national park. I joined in, but only for the preparatory portion of the trip which included Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Then we flew to Phuket and parted ways for five days. My journey took me to Phi Phi Koh (island inside an open water area southeast of Phuket) and Karon Beach (west coast of the lower Thai peninsula).

Where to start? One place is to pose the question – what did I expect? I had heard many positive things about Thailand from friends who had traveled here – mainly about the friendliness of the people and the natural beauty of different regions. I also had numerous jokes and warnings about a culture that attempts to sell you everything from worthless objects, old CDs, funky clothing, massage, and more. The other thing I heard, and one of the reasons for choosing this as a vacation destination, is that almost everything in Thailand is ridiculously cheap. I experienced all of these things during my travels from central to north to the south of Thailand – varying by degree but similar in general principle.

“Ridiculously cheap” makes travel in Thailand easier than many other areas of the world. I can’t tell you how many times I bargained, sometimes getting good prices and sometimes not. However, when I did the arithmetic of Thai bhat to USD, even expensive meals ended up being no more than $25 and hotels were anywhere from $15 to $40. This was the “off-season” for tourism so everything was about ½ of what it would usually be. Even if I doubled what I spent, buying things and purchasing services never failed to feel like a bargain. The bargains can take the sting out of some of the bad experiences – for instance in Bangkok.

Darbi and I arrived in Bangkok at 7:30 a.m.; having a flight out the same evening, we had to hit it hard. We started with the restored Thai palace complex. Coming up to the gate, we were greeted by a very helpful guy who asked if we’d come to see the palace. After responding “yes,” he informed us that there was a special ceremony today and the palace wouldn’t be open until 1 p.m. Seeing the disappointment on our faces, he motioned a tuk-tuk (a scooter with passenger compartment behind) over to us who was eager to show us around Bangkok from now until 1 p.m. He named a couple of the historic temples and locations we wanted to see and we were off. We saw our first chedi and Buddha, climbing to the top for a breath-taking view of Bangkok. Then we were off to a couple of other temples which were equally impressive. Then our driver asked if we wanted to go to a jewel dealer and we reluctantly agreed, thinking what could it hurt and we had time. We resisted the urge to buy, came back to the tuk-tuk and our driver again said we should go to a tailor; again, we reluctantly agreed and resisted the pitch when we got there. Returning to the tuk-tuk, it wasn’t quite noon but we said we wanted to return to the palace area to have lunch before it opened at 1 p.m. That request threw us into a 20 minute argument in the streets of Bangkok during which it became very clear that the driver was paid for every shop to which he delivered us. He kept on insisting that we go to other places until I threatened to just walk away. Finally, he returned us to the palace area, I paid him 50 bhat (equivalent to $1.50 USD), and to our surprise looked across the street to see that the palace was already fully open and operating. It took a while for what happened to sink in but we had been completely taken from the beginning – the palace had not been closed but seeing our naïve tourist demeanor, the original guy who invited us to take a tuk-tuk ride while we waited had obviously had a scheme. First lesson of Thailand learned in earnest – don’t rely on what you’re told by the first person you encounter anywhere, and second lesson – relax and enjoy it when you get taken for it is part of the experience!

The Thai Palace was unbelievable – filled with many chedis, temples, and the palace where the Thai (and originally Siam) kings lived over the centuries. The architecture is a curious blend of ornate Asian flourishes, frequently abutted by European-inspired public buildings. To think of the wealth represented by the kings of Siam and what they were able to do in building monuments for the public to witness their power and privilege. While we probably missed a lot of things, we made the most of our Bangkok visit with a little help from our friends.

Chiang Mai is very different than Bangkok, honey-combed with Buddhist temples with active communities of monks who live in, maintain, and build them. I can’t even tell you how many temples we visited but I soon found myself liking the older buildings better. Some of the newer ones are so over-the-top in ornamentation that they seem odd. However, the point of the temples is that they were built in neighborhoods by the wealthier Thai who erected the buildings and established the communities of monks to provide the opportunity for others to worship. And in the same way the European cathedrals were built, the Buddhist temples frequently used beautiful pictures to tell stories to those who could not read. Darbi and I spent a lot of time on bikes that were provided as part of our hotel arrangement. We loved talking with Sam, our Thai host who opened Sawansdee Hotel just a year ago, and we promised to tell everyone we know to come see Sam for a great deal and a rewarding time.

When Darbi and I parted ways, I was off to Phi Phi Koh. Seeing the islands from a distance, I could feel the anticipation rising. I so wanted the island to be as beautiful as I had been told. I was not disappointed and have to say that I’ve never seen anyplace so stunning that it actually exceeded the postcards. The hotels on Phi Phi were a little more expensive but still quite reasonable and the view from my balcony was quite something to behold! While I enjoyed hiking to the top of the island, shopping through all the little alley stores, eating Thai food, and witnessing what Darbi tells me is the “back-packer” culture in full swing after 10 p.m. at night, the best experience of Phi Phi was a day of touring the surrounding islands by boat, snorkeling along the way in waters so clear and beautiful that I forced myself to learn how to trust my snorkling spout so I could enjoy it. During the cruising, I talked with my six mates, two young Irish lads on their way to New Zealand to work on a dairy farm, one Norwegian guy on summer vacation, a couple from Isreal, and an Irish retiree who sold his business to travel the world after he lost his wife to cancer. I don’t even know our boat drivers name but he was great – introducing us to a world that should only have been his to enjoy, if tourism wasn’t essential to offer him a living.

The last stop was Karon Beach where I arrived with clouds and rain. This was the first time that the weather was less than perfect during the entire trip. Karon is a strip city nestled among several towns on the western coast. It is actually much more developed in terms of high-end hotels, entertainment, and shopping. It felt much more western than anywhere else I visited on the trip and the tourists out for a cheap vacation were to be found at every turn. I did what I could by enjoying my cheap hotel room, shopping, and enjoying the music festival that was scheduled for the weekend but could only intermittently carry on between the rain showers. This incredible sunset picture was taken as the sun sunk into the Adaman Sea and the amplifiers cranked up with Thai and western music.

What didn’t I expect to see in Thailand? First and foremost, I didn’t expect the poverty that I saw everywhere. Behind every resort, up every alleyway, and in the humility of many of the service people I encountered, you know how difficult it must be to make a living. When I tipped, I was always graced with praying hands in front of the chest, a sign of respect and appreciation in Thai culture. The second surprise was seeing the influence of U.S.A. soldiers on leave from various wars in southeast Asia. I can’t say for sure, but I presume (and witnessed one night in Karon Beach), how some soldiers on leave act and how this must have had a strong influence in creating the “massage” culture which frequently goes farther. In Karon Beach, the approaches by women are so assertive that I think I encountered my first experience of being treated like a sex object – good empathy experience for men in a world where women usually have to tolerate this. Finally, the last surprise was how easy it has become for me to travel. I keep thinking of pre-Luxembourg days when I was terrified to be in a place where I didn’t know the language, didn’t know where I was, and feared being “taken” by someone taking advantage of a foreigner. I’ve gotten over most of that, even though there were a couple of moments I was uneasy during the Thailand trip. The prevailing reassurance that I have acquired over the last four years is that there are good, helpful, and decent people wherever we turn – a wonderful realization for someone who has developed an insatiable appetite for international travel.

Zakaria's The Post American World

2009-09-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

Fareed Zakaria’s The Post American World is an astonishing summary of the challenges that the U.S.A. presently faces. More importantly, it proposes new roles and opportunities that, if negotiated well, can secure a new, different, and even better role for the U.S.A. in the global community. The key is helping Americans understand that they are not under threat and that, by sheer numbers alone, they are no longer the center of global thinking. It is the emerging countries like Brazil, Russia, India, and China (and others) that will in the near future eclipse the U.S.A. in not only population but in consuming goods and services. If the U.S.A. accepts a leading role among other important players, there should be no suffering and a new, more peaceful and prosperous, day may dawn.

Zakaria’s book was written during the 2008 U.S.A. presidential campaign and was in press before the many issues that President Obama now has to face unfolded. The predictions are uncanny in their accuracy and Obama’s handling, thus far, reflects a complexity of thought, a nuance of cultural understanding, and courage in placing real issues on the table, that brings great hope. The only thing Zakaria doesn’t address (and I constantly worry about) is the ideologic and conservative back-lash that seeks to undermine one of the greatest opportunities the U.S.A. has ever faced. The smear campaign that has been launched against the health care proposal and the business bailout has unfortunately shaken some of the public into thinking that Obama is a radical liberal. Obama is nothing more or less than a straight-forward realist who knows that to allow the U.S.A. to be the only modern democracy not to have a health plan and to let the U.S.A. and global economy tank without intervention would have been a disaster.

The massive changes that we now see in the world economic picture began in 1979 when China launched the economic reforms that have sustained unprecedented levels of growth for the last two decades and now allow China to be one of the U.S.A.’s most important lenders as well as trading partners. The gloom and doom mongers fear the role China now plays, however, think of it logically – with the U.S.A. as such a critical trading partner, why on earth would China want anything but stability and growth in the U.S.A. economy? Add to the economic picture the fact that the U.S.A. is still the most powerful military force and has cultivated friends on every continent through support of democratic reform and we have a picture of a new bi-lateral and probably multi-lateral world that will bring balance and shared responsibility to citizens throughout the world.

In addition to the economic, military, and diplomatic presence of the U.S.A., Zakaria draws attention to what he identifies as America’s best and most trusted product – higher education. With five percent of the world’s population, the U.S.A. has 42 of the top 50 universities and these are among the universities that are now establishing a presence in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa – and Education City’s universities are all in the top 10 in their respective academic areas. Why is U.S.A. higher education perceived so positively? Because it is so different than education elsewhere – different in the way that it cultivates independence of thought, critical thinking, problem solving, and innovation. This distinctive difference is something to give away through every possible means, not to reserve only for young citizens of the U.S.A. As more students/citizens acquire critical thinking insights throughout the world, real democracies will be unstoppable in the countries where these graduates go to make a difference. The student leaders of today will be the leaders of innovation and government and they will be the transforming agents for the growing middle classes around the globe.

The U.S.A. has many challenges which Zakaria does not minimize. He documented his reflections from several of the sources I’ve been reading over the last year (Needham and Roberts prominent among them). Facing these changes with historical and contemporary understanding, and with a conviction that the lifestyle that Americans have achieved is one that all deserve, will take the U.S.A. a long way toward a new and more respected role in the 21st century global environment. In short, Zakaria’s proposal is that the U.S.A. can be the one to lead the way to “a new architecture that ensures peace, growth, and freedom for the world.” (p. xxx)

Mahler - attraction, repulsion, and courted lovingly

2009-09-04T04:19:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Carr's biography, Mahler, helped me understand why I've been so fascinated from college days to the present with Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). I'm not sure who introduced me to Mahler. I think it might have been my vocal instructor, Edward Anderson, who gave me a shot at "Songs of a Wayfarer," a collection of folk songs, when I was nearing my last days as a music major at Colorado State University. I remember subsequently buying a recording of one of the Mahler symphonies; it had to have been the 1st or 3rd because these are among the most artistically and emotional accessible. I've come back to Mahler at several times in my listening life but he seeped into my musical obsession about ten years ago.

You can always recognize one of Mahler's compositions; they are far too distinctive to miss. Aside from the musical coherence of his work (even though his experimentation developed, pushed, and brought 20th century music into being), his emotional focus is almost the same from beginning to end. He repeatedly searched to understand the purpose of life, the cause and inspiration of pain, and sought the transcendent assurance that his life was worthwhile. Although his life and music were profoundly influenced by tragedy, so many of his compositions reflect the striving and the occasional victory echoed in the last phrase of his 8th Symphony, "Was du geschlagen Zu Gott wird es dich tragen" (What thou hast fought for shall lead thee to God).

Although risking the ire of anti-Mahlerians or those who embrace Mahler but reject his 8th Symphony, I have to own that it is one of my favorites! It is the "Symphony of a Thousand," a name likely coined by the promoters who wanted its premiere to draw a crowd. The chilling and shimmering quiet at the beginning of the last movement never ceases to stand every hair on my body on end. It then goes on to declare hope in love and what it can teach us about living life to its fullest. Declared in his own handwriting on the score of the 8th, "To live for you! To die for you!" to Alma who almost simultaneously was betraying his love. The tragedy of this infidelity was momentarily silenced the evening of September 12, 1910, when the crowd of 3,200 at the Neue Musikfesthalle in Munich came to their feet, first in reverent silence and then in thundering applause, as Mahler strode to the podium. The ovation after the performance would last a full one-half hour, marking this as one of the last great European premieres to precede the darkness of WWI which would follow four years later.

Mahler has increasingly grown in popularity, although there are those who still have not heard or do not embrace his compositional style. Even those devoted to him have individual symphonies with which they struggle. For some the 1st is too Romantic, for others the 2nd is over the top, the 3rd too short, the 6th too tragic, the 7th too confusing, the 8th a departure from his push toward 20th century angst. Leonard Bernstein, who was partially responsible for returning Mahler to wide popularity in the late 1960s, explained the ambivalence that contemporaries felt in the late 19th and early 20th century - Mahler's music reflected the growing disillusionment of those years and thus could not be embraced until the middle of the 20th century when the "age of anxiety" took its full grip on the globe.

Mahler endured being Jewish during the rise of anti-Judaism, sought acceptance and opportunity by converting to Christianity, suffered the loss of a beloved daughter, accepted the infidelity of his wife, and bore the intolerance of those who could not understand this complex and mysterious genius. Yet his music can stir us to consider our purposes in life and challenge us to consider carefully how we might be able to make our days on earth count.

I made the commitment to court Mahler lovingly and it has brought me incredible pleasure. And I'm searching for the best place in the world to hear Mahler's 8th Symphony on the 100th anniversary of its premiere on September 12, 2010.

Speaking with conviction

2009-08-21T22:24:00.000-07:00

One of the most entertaining, and relevant, portrayals of the ineffectiveness of modern-day communication is Taylor Mali's "Speaking with conviction." Taylor makes fun of, but directly critiques, the pervasive equivocation, avoidance of commitment, and vagueness of our language. Sometimes I struggle with this in my own communication because I seek to reach others with my ideas while doing it in a way that does not impose my ideas on them. I really believe that Taylor is on to something here. How to understand our own convictions, to share them with others in convincing ways, yet without presuming to force others into submission is key to leadership effectiveness.

Reza Aslan's 2nd book - How to Win a Cosmic War

2009-08-15T05:04:00.000-07:00

Reza Aslan's answer to How to Win a Cosmic War is not to fight it in the first place. Aslan's book is a great follow-up to his first, No God but God, particularly because it is likely to have greater popular appeal. How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror is also more directly related to the political, economic, and cultural times in which we live and is, therefore, very useful reading as we attempt to sort out what to do about Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other conflicted governments around the world.

The sad reality of the Bush administration was that it unwittingly (or manipulatively) was sucked into Osama Bin Laden's snare when it declared war on terrorism following the 9-11-01 attacks on New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. The war on terror was also peppered with derogatory reference to Islamic jihad. Unfortunately, the term "jihad" is one that for the majority of Muslims worldwide is a sacred struggle, or striving, to fulfill the way of God in one's life. Jihad is a struggle against our own passions, instincts and selfish narcissism that, left unchecked, has the potential to oppress our own souls as much as oppressing others (p.xvii). Letting the war on terrorism be perceived as a reaction to jihad reflects not only a fundamental misunderstanding of the idea but allows terrorism to claim a spiritual dimension that it clearly does not deserve.

As my blog commentary has gradually revealed, understanding the struggle against Bin Laden, against Al Quaeda, and the Taliban, requires understanding the historical evolution of the question and it requires a broader, and balanced perspective, of current political realities. Bin Laden's argument is based on the belief that the western world has been unjust in its treatment of the Arab and Islamic worlds. The origins of the injustice can be traced back centuries to the conflicts between the Hebrews and Phillistines in the ancient world. More recently (Paris, 1894), the emergence of anti-Semitism (more appropriately termed anti-Judaism) can be traced to the Dreyfus affair, one of the first moments in history when an innocent Jew was blamed for crimes against the state that exploited public opinion against Jews as a cultural group. The Dreyfus affair, coupled with marginalization and fear of Jews throughout Europe eventually gave rise to Hitler's diabolic scheme to elinate Jews and other minority groups as he marked them as the other, against which the Arians were to fight.

The persecution of Jews, and the complicity that Europeans and Americans felt after WWII, resulted in the Balfour Declaration and 1947 U.N. establishment of the State of Israel. Out of remorse, guilt, and frustration, Israel's borders were carved out of lands that had been shared by Christian, Muslim, and Jewish people for generations. In desparation for a solution and solitude, the new State of Israel committed atrocities against Arabs that the rest of the world had just seen imposed on European Jews and the rest of the "civilized" world stood by without comment. Under these circumstances, is it any surprise that the Arab and Islamic worlds would not accept, and would be deeply angered, by what had happened to them?

Overlay the injustice of external forces dictating national boundaries and the inhumanity heeped upon inhumanity and it is easy to understand why Bush's "war on terrorism" would be gasoline thrown on the fire of discontent. The war on terrorism immediately became an ignornant rallying cry for Americans in pursuit of retribution for 9-11-01 at the same time that it gave honor, recognition, and power to Bin Laden who had successfully picked a fight with the unequivocal leader of the western world. Could the scenario have been more advantageous to divisive, fanatical, and exploitive demagogues who wanted to discredit America?

The only way to counter the damage of the Iraq war that has now been proven to have nothing to do with 9-11-01, and the only way to diminish the impact of extremism on both sides, is to give voice to those who are reasonable. There are reasonable Americans, reasonable Arabs, and a growing number of educated people who can understand the complex environment in which we live. There are moderate Christians, Jews, and Muslims, who know that the search for spiritual meaning is one that we can all share rather than one that drives wedges among us.

Thank goodness that the "war on terror" is no longer part of American political rhetoric and thank God that we have the potential to reason with each other to explore past wrongs and find solutions that can bring us to peace. How to Win a Cosmic War provides a great, gripping, and relatively succinct description of how to move forward without it being about waging war.

Interfaith movement

2009-07-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Going back to my September 13, 2008, blog post where I reference "Integral Spirituality," I am reminded of Ken Wilber's assertion that conventional religious groups may be holding humanity back from an interfaith movement because of an unwillingness to engage "the other" in a curious and respectful way. Eboo Patel's Acts of Faith (2007) is a compelling example of how young people are beginning to seek the interfaith dialogue that Wilber foresaw as the beginning of second-order consciousness - consciousness that transcends a specific perspective, embraces others as having legitimacy, and deepens individual faith.

Eboo Patel's book relates the story of his youth in Chicago (Rogers Park) as the child of an Indian family who sought to improve their life by first seeking education and then residence and citizenship in the U.S.A. Although his parents raised him to understand Islam (i.e. reciting prayers to Allah, demonstrating modesty, and caring for others), he either withheld, or was shunned by his peers, into avoiding the discovery of his own deep cultural and religious background. When he arrived at the University of Illinois as a university student, he began to feel the freedom to explore his cultural background and began to embrace his Indian heritage and his Muslim spiritual identity.

Patel's discovery of his own faith identity drew him to relate to others with different, but related, faith commitments. Not until he encountered the Dalai Lama did he fully understand how important it is for those who want to engage interfaith questions to first understand their own faith. Without the solid foundation of knowing what we stand for, it is very difficult to be able to truly encounter another person whose views may be very different than our own. There simply is not enough secure, deep conviction to allow us to risk inviting exposure to another's faith. This is a key point of why many conventional churches and evangelical groups are reluctant about the idea of interfaith engagement. The fear of interfaith groups may expose their own weakness in the face of others' faith.

Patel has given voice to a youth interfaith movement that includes Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hindi, and more. This movement is intended to deepen the faith of each and every participant while demonstrating the transcending beliefs that these great religions, and their prophets, embrace. Mohammed, Prophet of Islam said:
O mankind, We have created you
male and female, and appointed you
races and tribes, that you may know
one another. Surely the noblest
among you in the sight of God is
the most righteous.
This statement acknowledges that God created races and tribes - "to know one another." Not to demean, to defeat, to kill - but to know. Patel and the interfaith movement are working to create the dialogue that allows young people to know one another; our global community needs them and their knowledge of each other so badly. This is the only way I can see that we will be able to deal with the current divisive tribes, some of which do not want to know, and therefore seek to destroy, others.

The rise of religious prominence in the 21st century is predicted to replace the rise of the nation-states of the 19th and 20th centuries. There are those who now believe that religion and how it connects across the nation-states will either be the divider that destroys or the connector that will help us relate and therefore aid each other in the pursuit of a better life. My vote is for faith that embraces and connects and it may just create a place for us all.

History of the World

2009-07-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

I recently finished what seemed to be a never-ending, but only 1,188 page, book. I've not read anything of this length (other than text books) since I read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand in the 1970s (that's another story - why I read it and how it influenced me). The book, History of the World (J.M. Roberts, 2007), is a massive collection of 4,000+ years of history across geographic borders, cultures and civilizations.

The thing I enjoyed most was that History of the World included a great deal on the Middle East, Asia, and Africa before turning to Europe and North America. My recall of the history classes I've taken is that not much beyond Europe and North America was covered in any depth. Maybe it was simply my ethnocentric and selective perceptions. History of the World gave me a sense of the flow of civilizations over history, how each influenced others, and the issues with which they struggled.

It's impossible to capture the essence of a book that is 1,188 pages in length so I'll not even try. Suffice it to say that the book is very authoritative and provides amazing detail about the contexts of history. When I realized that I was observing the march of humanity with its triumphs and struggles, I grew in my pride of what humans have been able to do with the resources and circumstances that we've been given. I also realized that humanity has faced many, many seemingly insurmountable threats over the millennia, including a number of times where it appeared that we were on the brink of destruction. The gift of humanity and God is that somehow the resources, the adaptability, and the creativity in our souls allowed us to survive. I believe this as much in contemporary times as it has been demonstrated throughout human history.

My critique of Roberts' work includes two broad issues. First, there is surprisingly little about the visual and creative arts and how they reflected or stimulated changes in our world. Second, the closing chapter claims that Europe and its influence on the world has had the most profound impact on human history and striving. Europe's Enlightenment, Reformation, Colonialism, and other periods have had broad and deep impact on the globe. However, it seems unnecessary to claim these human accomplishments as superior to the many others that have occurred across time and in so many different geographic pockets. In contrast to accepting Europe's domination of history, Roberts' history actually returns to one place more than any other across all time - the Fertile Crescent where Iraq and Iran now lie. Whether it was the first civilizations (Babylonia and ancient Persia), the first time that a seat of government portrayed peaceful allies (Persepolis), the by-land or by-sea crossroads of trade (the Silk Road), the first multi-cultural community governed by mutual agreement (Medina), or the spread of Arab-world architecture and culture throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe, I have trouble understanding why Roberts chose to say that Europe influenced the course of humanity more than any other. Especially as we look at much of the contemporary world's news, Iraq and Iran are most assuredly back in the news.

All in all, Roberts' history was extremely helpful and I now find myself contextualizing things I observe or hear in much deeper ways than ever before. It is well worth reading if you have several months to dedicate to it.

The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity...

2009-07-11T03:54:00.000-07:00

Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, quote William Butler Yeats' "The Second Coming" in Chapter 20 (p. 276), "Tea with the Taliban," in Three Cups of Tea:
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

As I came near the end of Three Cups of Tea I was troubled by this dismal quote and how there are many today who believe that this is the state of our world. Nevertheless, Mortenson's story of building schools to educate girls in the rugged mountains of Pakistan and Afghanistan where the Taliban are entrenched challenges any pessimist who might try to deny that one individual, working respectfully with and through others, can make a difference.

I found much to ponder as I read Three Cups of Tea and it renewed me as I returned to the work at Qatar Foundation. The work in Qatar isn't nearly so difficult as Mortenson's yet there are critical lessons to be taken from Mortenson's work. The first lesson (p. 150) that I found most helpful is in the title itself - a lesson about culture (accepting tea as a gesture of hospitality) and the importance of being patient and building relationships when we try to bring about change. The second lesson (pp. 299-300) is in the proof of Mortenson's work - exemplified when late in the book, the first of the girls to graduate from the mountain schools comes into a circle of men in a conservative Islamic village to ask for support in pursuing further education. This young woman, Jahan, demonstrated the power of education and its transforming impact when she saw more possibilities for herself and her village by continuing her education. This particular example was observed by a journalist who was so overwhelmed that he helped to place the story in the April 6, 2003, Parade magazine, which itself transformed Mortenson's fledgling enterprise into a major force for peace-making in this troubled area about which we all have concerns.

Patience, relationships, perseverance, and faith - lessons to sustain hope and to counter a pessimist's view that "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate (and sometimes destructive - added comment) intensity."

Islam - political or spiritual perspective

2009-06-29T10:37:00.000-07:00

As alarm about the Iranian election and the outrage around the world about what is presumed to be election fraud continues, I struggle to understand how Islam can be used to justify persecution, silencing, and violence. Iran is an Islamic country as are Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and others. Because they are Islamic, the familiar Western idea of separation of Church and State is not only unheeded, it cannot be understood by those who believe that one's spiritual life has to be acknowledged and expressed in family, relationships, work, and community.

The problem in Iran is that Islam has been high-jacked for political gain. Those who voice different perspectives are vilified as anti-Muslim rather than simply people with another voice. Ali Allawi's "Islamic Civilization in Peril" gets to some of the points that are most worth consideration. Most importantly, Allawi's commentary addresses the struggle between modernization and remaining true to the core beliefs of Islam - justice, moderation, respectful accommodation, and the rejection of oppression.

It is critical that Westerners understand what is at the center of Islam and that a dialogue that informs, rather than divides, underscores the public discourse.

President Obama's Paradox Tour

2009-06-06T05:09:00.000-07:00

President Obama's trip to the Middle East and Europe is making a difference. The speech to the Muslim world, although tempered with commentators' reservations regarding aspirations that will eventually have to be matched with actions, has been for the most part well received. If nothing else, President Obama has been acclaimed for truthfully expressing why things are so difficult in the Middle East and reaching out to change patterns that have been established over decades and centuries of conflict.

The overall diplomatic venture is a study in paradox. Beginning in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, a faith that embraces other faiths and advocates peace, yet has spawned some sects of Islam that are more hostile to Western ideas than any other. Speaking from Egypt, a country in the Arab/Islamic world but not one whose leadership characterizes the type of democratic leadership that the West might advocate. Commenting about Isreal's violation of agreements on territorial boundaries and unwillingness to acknowledge the legitimacy of Palestine yet going to Buchenwald with the Chancellor of Germany and one of the most notable of all holocaust survivors (Eli Weisel) to visit the death camp that most represents the abuse and denigration of Jews. Going to Normandy to commemorate the landing of Allied forces that, while sacrificing so many American lives, marked the turning point of WWII. A series of dramatic and stunning contrasts.

Some may see in this trip the unfolding of contradictions that could not possibly contribute to coherent foreign policy. Yet for a "Third Culture Kid" whose life has been spent in different nations, cultures, and socioeconomic pockets, this trip reflects the reality of a world that is divided and broken but that has to let go of the suffering and pain if it is to move ahead into a new age.

It will be interesting to see what ultimately comes of the June 2009 Paradox Tour of President Obama. If nothing else, it will have to be remembered as one that faced multiple conflicting realities that must somehow come to peace with each other - the definition of paradox.

Bism Illah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim

2009-06-04T01:19:00.000-07:00

President of the U.S.A. Barrack Hussein Obama, is making final preparations for his much-anticipated statement to the Muslim world. The controversy is already swirling about whether or not Egypt is a fitting choice for this potentially momentous occasion. There will no doubt be many who will line up on opposing sides but, for me, the point is that it is happening at all.

While the political or cultural choice for the Muslim World speech and its contents are being debated, a colleague shared a powerful statement about something else that is underway - ecumenical dialogue among Christians, Jews, and Muslims. This dialogue is captured in the Muscat Manifesto by David Ford. Delivered at the Grand Mosque of Oman on 20 April, 2009, it is a statement about the work underway among religious leaders of the three Abrahamic faiths. The Common Word initiative is bringing religious leaders together to discuss the common wisdom of the Bible, Qur'an, and Torah, especially as it relates to the challenges of our times.

While President Obama prepares and as others prepare to assess his intent and impact, if only we could watch first for the wisdom of his reaching out to the Muslim world and hope that this wisdom will stimulate others to join the conversation. Bism Illah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim, "In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful."

Pursuing the noble identity

2009-06-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

Jose Antonio Abreu reveals in this TEDTalks release why music is so critical to our global community. Abreu has found a way to unleash children in the pursuit of their noble identity, moving from the feeling of being no one to having an artistic voice that others will want to hear. Another demonstration of the power of music that can transform lives and governments...

Effective teaching to counter misinformation

2009-05-24T22:57:00.000-07:00

We are beginning the planning to host a joint study tour of University of Maryland masters and doctoral students and University of San Diego masters students in January 2010. We've created a new model of mutual learning where the visiting tours will engage with us before, during, and after the visit to understand Arab/Islamic world dynamics, learn about Education City, and engage with us in addressing issues that are important to our future success. I like to contrast this to the "edu-tourism" that so frequently occurs when groups visit Europe, Asia, or the Middle East. North Americans want to visit these places but we haven't had models to really engage in mutual learning so that those touring and those at the site benefit.

As part of our planning, we've begun to exchange publications and ideas about how to make the most of our experience. Susan Komives shared an article by Jack Meacham, "Effective Teaching to Counter Misinformation and Negative Stereotypes: The Example of Islam," (AAC&U Peer Review, Spring 2009, pp. 13-16) which I found particularly helpful. The basic premise of the article was that faculty may be reluctant to include potentially controversial content in their courses because these topics may stimulate negative reactions among students that will be disruptive in class and/or that faculty do not know how to handle. Jack also said that many times faculty invite experts to discuss controversial topics but that singling out the topic and having an expert detracts from the responsibility that all faculty and students should take in relation to difficult and contenscious topics.

A couple of the lessons that Jack Meacham concluded from his efforts to include Islam and Islamic history in his course were: start small and without the assumption of great expertise or profound impact (learn as you go along); treat Islam in the same way as other topics rather than singling it out as a special and more difficult case; use original sources (i.e. the Qur'an) to expose students to foundational rather than derived or interpretted views; start with "cool" topics and grow toward those that are more controversial; and finally, don't attempt to tell students what they should think, but let them come to their own conclusions. These may seem commonplace but they are very important when approaching a topic, like the Arab/Islamic world, that has been portrayed so negatively by Western government officials and news coverage. And, Jack found that his strategy worked because students' views changed significantly, and were less negative and stereotypic, by the end of the term.

The approach here seems to be one of normalizing the portrayal of something that is quite unfamiliar to students. The core of the Arab/Islamic world is much more like Western values than it is different, although a significant amount of the focus is typically on what's different. I'm not minimizing the differences because there are many and they are important. What I am saying is that the Arab/Islamic world as I've experienced it values education, family, balance, prosperity, and justice just as much as the West. The West and Arab/Islamic worlds approach these topics and others in different ways but, in order to grow in our understanding and appreciation of each other, we need to find ways of discerning the commonality rather than accentuating the difference. It appears that Jack Meacham's "countering misinformation" pedagogy has promise even in courses where first-hand experience is not possible. Imagine what can happen when the 2010 study tour actually visits with us and learns through direct exposure.

Indelible mark

2009-05-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

The May 29, 2009, Chronicle of Higher Education has a special insert, Senior Convocation '09, that continues to tell the story of what's happening through Qatar Foundation at Education City. While the summaries in the supplement are all interesting, one particularly reflects what we seek to accomplish in students' lives. Dana Hadan, recent CMU-Q graduate, reflects on her experience in "A Final Destination? No, 'Life-Long Learning'" by talking about the critical importance of pursuing a breadth of learning opportunities in and out of the classroom. In addition to the article about Dana in the Chronicle, there is an ongoing blog where she responds to questions raised by NYTimes readers about her experience.

The type of education offered at Education City doesn't fit or isn't even possible for all Gulf countries and it's important to understand why. The difference is essentially a matter of depth of engagement. Engagement is a broad term that reflects everything from the pedagogy used in the classroom (critical reflection, discussion, experimentation, team work, and other participative methods) to where learning opportunities are available (classroom, residence hall, student organizations, sports, service, travel abroad). While educators in the U.S.A. take these pedagogical and experiential opportunities for granted, it becomes very obvious when you're in a setting where this type of learning is so new for students and so different from the form of learning environment offered elsewhere.

The indelible mark being made in the lives of Education City graduates and on the country and region are significant. This is not comfortable or easy work and those who are dedicated to it know how important it is to strike a balance that makes the indelible impact acceptable at each step along the way.

Conviction and action

2009-05-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

I've had several e-mail exchanges with a former student over the last couple of weeks. He was a student I had in a first-year leadership seminar and saw only occasionally over the rest of his time at Miami. He completed law school and inquired if he could list me as a reference to pass the bar. Our e-mail exchanges caused me to ask at the end of one why he had come back to correspond with me after several years of no interaction. His explanation was what I've found repeated throughout the deeper relationships I've had with students - he described the "seed planting" that so often occurs which then germinates and takes root at a later time. The process goes something like this 1) solid foundation from prior family and educational experience, 2) leads to comfort and curiosity about others' experience, 3) resulting in discernment of core convictions, and 4) eventually leads to a willingness to act with courage.

This progression isn't earth-shattering but it does reflect the steps that we see in many young adult development theories and the progression is especially reflective of the stages of the "presence" model upon which Deeper Learning in Leadership is based. The progression also mirrors James Fowler's stages of spiritual formation where spiritual understanding begins with a solid base, strong enough to allow for questioning. Then the questioning and exploration of others' views allows for a deepening of one's own beliefs or convictions. Once the deepening occurs, it then becomes possible to act with greater courage because conviction has taken root inside of us, rather than imposed from the outside on us.

The challenge is that this progression comes in one's own time and it is influenced heavily by the cultural context. I've always understood that we experience the stages at the times when our heads and hearts were ready but I didn't realize how powerful the cultural context could be until I began to understand the Gulf, Asia, and other collectivist societies. In more collectivist cultures, the importance of family, kinship, and tribe are very powerful. In many ways the power of collectivism may look somewhat like the pattern of young women in North America coming to their understanding of values and core purposes through relational rather than differentiating (as is more characteristic of men) processes. Arab, Asian, and other groups have far greater reverance for their elders and deference for authority which may result in different dynamics during the curiosity and discernment stages.

My reencounter with a former student stimulated me to think of conviction in action and how it is in many ways the same across time and culture, but also how it might be different as well...

Qatar Foundation - status report

2009-04-26T10:01:00.001-07:00

The Qatar Foundation Annual Report for the previous year was just posted. I have to admit that I rushed to the index to see where evidence of the work of team members with whom I work was to be found in its pages. There's lots of evidence and it brings great satisfaction to know that we are making significant progress.

For those interested in knowing more about the breadth of the QF initiatives, the annual report isn't as boring as one might typically find. This really is interesting reading.

When some international media are questioning what's happening with higher education in the Arabian Gulf, the Qf report is clear evidence that the answer is, "A lot...!" The kind of growth that is underway is mind-boggling to say the least and it's incredibly exciting to be part of making even a small contribution to what's happening.

Working in the 21st century

2009-04-20T06:42:00.001-07:00

I had a simple, yet profound, meeting today that involved two faculty from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (one a female from Tunisia and one an African American male), an Indian national ex-patriot male, a Qatari male, and me. Each of us had our own accents, language and experiences but we were drawn together by the shared task of improving Qatar Foundation's acquisition process by engaging professors and students in project teams focused on various steps forward in the improvement process.

Seldom have I seen a group so open to each other and willing to engage in the give and take required to tap each others' insights and skills. It was the dual commitment to process improvement with the recognition of the need to learn and to foster learning for students that made it work. There wasn't one moment of hesitation throughout the 45 minute and I left feeling that this is the best of what higher education has to offer in the 21st century - diverse voices and intellects tackling tough problems together.

Simple pleasures of global leadership work...

Soulful to soul-full

2009-04-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

Diane has been in Qatar for the last week for her spring break. We had a wonderful time seeing all the new things that are now available since she was here last July. We saw our first camel race (what a hoot), visited the Pearl (residential development for 50K people in the Gulf), went to the new Museum of Islamic Art, shopped and ate in the new sections of Souq Waqif, had dinner at the new "W" hotel (very chik/sheikh), had friends over, spent time with Darbi, and more. We had so much fun that this morning's return flight at 9 a.m. came as a bit of a shock. Diane and I were both caught off guard by how soon the time had passed and we had a great deal of difficulty parting. I left the terminal to drive home and could hardly stand the feeling of loneliness without Diane. This was truly a soulful morning with which I could only attempt to cope by keeping busy. I cleaned house, did laundry, exercised, went for massage, and ended the evening at a Qatar Philharmonic concert.

I was tired and really not in the mood for celebration at the beginning of the QPO concert. However, the visiting conductor, James Gaffigan, was fun to watch from the very beginning. The concert started with the Beethoven Overture to "Egmont," Op. 84, a piece that typically has a lot of energy so I wasn't terribly surprised that it was an instantaneous attention getter. At the conclusion of this first piece, I turned to the guy beside me and said, "I've never seen the Egmont performed with such drive." The rest of the performance was a gradual crescendo to the final movement of the Brahm's Symphony #2 and an encore of Brahm's Hungarian Rhapsody. I literally sat in my seat during the encore laughing as the boundless energy and excitement of Gaffigan enraptured the QPO players. The audience erupted in applause the instant the last note sounded and Gaffigan was called back for three curtain calls.

Soulful to soul-full may seem a bit strange as a title for this post. I had a very soulful day when Diane departed and the reality of our life on two continents returned to my consciousness. It is not easy living so far apart, although many in this area of the world do this on a regular basis. People make huge sacrifices to pursue a life that they see as providing greater opportunity than elsewhere. But, it isn't easy for anyone. As the day went on, I didn't recover but I did resign myself to Diane and me being together soon (late June) and eventually together on a permanent basis. In the meantime, I was nurtured today by the numerous guards and service people with whom I've become acquainted. Darbi came over and took care of me for a while this afternoon. And, my heart was restored by listening to great music that can never be underestimated for its power. Soulful to soul-full was the journey of today. I miss Diane and the familiarity of the U.S.A. but I still cherish the experience that I'm having here in Qatar.

Offer what you have...

2009-04-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a quick trip to the U.S.A. for the annual convention of the American College Personnel Association. I also stopped by Oxford to visit with family which offered great renewal in preparation for my return to Qatar. The ACPA convention was both taxing and rejuvenating because I had to tell the story so many times about how I came to Qatar, what I do, and how this is such an unusual, challenging, and fulfilling place. I was exhausted by telling the story but I was rejuvenated when I reminded myself of the purpose of this work by tell others about it.

The only problem with this scheme is that returning to the work is a bit of a rude awakening. For an entire week I only talked about how great the work is and seldom did I allow myself to focus on the challenges we face. There is no judgment in this comment - just description. The fact is, for cultural, organizational, and many other reasons, this work is tough. I had two meetings today where colleagues were on the verge of saying that they couldn't continue to push. I empathized but recognized a struggle in working abroad in higher education that most other people don't face - the struggle is in the very natural resistance to change and to doing things through different cultural means. The only way I can figure to get out of this is to offer what you have, hope that it makes a contribution, and then let the chips fall as they may.

What I mean here is that it is very important to me that I give my all to my work but there are limits to my ability to bring about change. Others around me have to welcome it and see the opportunity in what I propose. There may be a variety of reasons why ideas I hold dear may not be timely, will never work, or need to be packaged in another way. I can also do everything to my best and things will still not turn out. The natural tendency for agenda-driven Westerners is to internalize the blame and get down about things not moving ahead. What I'm beginning to learn, and I believe is essential to ex-patriot success abroad, is recognizing that it is my/our responsibility to offer what we have but to let it go. To not let go would mean to harbor thoughts, questions, and to hold on to a type of grieving for what we hoped would unfold. My view is that this kind of internal struggle only festers and makes things worse and that seeing my responsibility as offering my best and then letting it go is the only way to maintain one's sanity.

Ex-patriot work is fascinating and so powerful but it is not easy. After all the questions I answered at ACPA, I returned with a proposal for my youngest daughter who lives in Qatar - to write a book introducing the dynamics of working as an ex-patriot in higher education. I drafted a book outline on the plane and hope that Darbi and I will be able to dig into this in the coming months. Much of our content will come from our respective blogs. So, if you have been reading our stuff, let us know of those things that have been most provocative. We'll be sure to include those as we forge ahead.

Modern day heroes

2009-03-17T02:48:00.000-07:00

I've had numerous encounters with people who I've grown to care deeply for since I've been in Qatar. Some have been very unlikely acquaintances that are brief but repeated and they are always across different cultures. Two Philippino guys are at the top of my list. One is Ryan who cuts my hair and the other is Marcos at the Intercontinental hotel where I treat myself to massage each week. The last time I went for massage, I found that Marcos was gone - an emergency leave. When I found this out, I asked Ryan what he thought might have happened to Marcos. Unfortunately, Ryan told me that "emergency leave" can sometimes mean that the person will never be back. I was very concerned about it and asked Ryan if there was anything that I could do. He said, "no," this isn't something over which any of us has much influence. At that point, he said, "You know, they call us the 'Modern Day Heroes.'" "What do you mean?" I asked. "We're the ones that leave our families and loved ones, crossing language and cultural barriers, to be able to earn a decent living and send it back home to our government and families. We're the ones who are saving our families and the Philippines from economic collapse," he said.

People like Ryan and Marcos are genuine, striving, and committed people who are truly "Modern Day Heroes." They serve as grocery store clerks, security guards, grounds workers, and many other roles. They are from throughout the world and they make an incredible difference because of their kindness and willingness to encounter each other. I'm renewed by them all...

Changing Qatar

2009-02-23T20:42:00.000-08:00

The picture above shows the progression of Doha's West Bay skyline as it has developed in just the last ten years. This is only part of what's happening in Qatar as other developments including "The Pearl," a series of residential/commercial islands for 50,000 people, the cultural center including a variety of galleries and performance spaces, and the Education City complex emerge from the sand. These are all amazing physical changes that shock me every time I drive somewhere in Doha but it's the accompanying changes in the people and culture that, while less visible, are the most stunning.

The moment I begin to feel that there is both movement forward and balance that protects the local culture, I read or experience something that startles me. The recent Saban Center for Middle East Policy report, "A New Millennium of Knowledge? The Arab Human Development Report on Building a Knowledge Society, Five Years On" celebrated a number of advances in the Arab world but bemoaned that there was still much more to do. Education City is mentioned prominently in this report as an example of improving the availability and quality of education but the report noted that there are so many other young people who need this type of education.

There is some evidence that we are becoming global citizens who see connections across continents and recognize the interdependence of our welfare. Figuring out how to embrace the community beyond ourselves and our own self-interest is the next hurdle that must be encountered. I'm struggling to sort out how to articulate this journey today. Maybe it's enough just to rest assured that a lot is happening - both visibly and invisibly.

Reflections on South Korea

2009-02-08T04:06:00.000-08:00

After getting back from South Korea, I continued to think of the people I encountered there, the issues they face, and the similarities and differences between South Korea, Qatar and elsewhere. I can't say that four days allowed me enough exposure to have any conclusive insights but at least I have some preliminary thoughts...

The energy among the faculty, staff, and students of Sookmyung Women's University was truly exceptional. I was so pleased that the various speakers for the conference complemented each other so well and that the ideas in Deeper Learning in Leadership made sense as a way of thinking about the future of their leadership programs.

The incredible hospitality that I experienced and the introduction to Korean culture I was given revealed some fascinating similarities between South Korea and Qatar. First, both countries are very old and very new; they have histories that go back centuries but they have been reborn in the last half of the 20th century. As both countries were reborn, they sought to modernize in order to take their places among other prominent nations, but the progressivism of both countries is coupled with a desire to preserve their unique cultures, uncompromised by modernization. Finally, both of these countries depend on diplomacy for their survival; South Korea is sandwiched between China, North Korea, and Japan and Qatar is sandwiched between Saudi Arabia, Iran, and any number of other countries that could be named around the Arabian Peninsula.

I couldn't help but wonder what Korea and Qatar could learn from each other. Korea started its climb to modernization in 1948 when it was freed from Japanese occupation and Qatar started in 1972 when it was relieved of British protectorate status. My impression of South Korea is that there are still vestiges of ancient Korean culture but not much. Qatar has protected more of its culture thus far but there are daily struggles to determine what should remain and how to do it in the face of massive change. My deep hope is that both countries can maintain the core of who they are far into the future and that they will be able to discern those things that are truly important to creating societies that are prosperous, progressive, and able to connect across generations and time.

My return trip from Seoul provided additional cause for reflection. During exchange of pleasantries with the Iranian guy sitting next to me on the return flight from Seoul, I expressed how much I wanted to tour Iran, especially the historic site of Persepolis. After a moment's hesitation that I could only interpret as surprise, we got into a great conversation. He worked for an engineering company in Iran and had chosen to continue to live there, even though he has been very dissatisfied with political conditions that have so deeply impacted his life and others. I shared that I've not been pleased with the U.S.A.'s administration either. There's much more detail about the conversation and what I learned from him about Iran but the bottom line was essentially the one I've come to in almost all of my encounters of travel - the people of the world are so much alike in their aspirations and in their desire for a better life.

We sometimes get caught up in our own fears, or in the case of Iranian and U.S.A. matters, we get caught up in the affairs of state. Korea and Qatar are on journeys to modernize and bring the best qualities of life to their people while protecting their cultural heritage. Two guys on a plane from Iran and the U.S.A. hope that our countries can figure out ways to put away the political wrangling in order to serve their citizens. We are more alike than we are different - no doubt.

Deeper Leadership at Sookmyung Women's University

2009-02-06T05:59:00.000-08:00

A fluke old friendship gave me the opportunity to discover Korea and a wonderful women's university. Sookmyung Women's University invited me to participate in the 2nd Global Leadership Conference on the recommendation of Adam Goodman, a leadership colleague and friend for over 20 years. Adam saw me last fall and said he gave my name to Sookmyung's director of their leadership program. I never expected to hear from them but, sure enough, they got in touch and I've spent the last three days in Korea.

Sookmyung is a select university with a specific focus on developing the leadership potential in their students. The motto for the university is developing soft power for a changing world. All students are touched in one way or another by the curricular and cocurricular programs. There were three panels of presenters - political, business, and educational leadership. I was on the educational leadership panel and, by stroke of fortune, was the last speaker. I joked as I came on that their had been so much wisdom shared that I didn't know if there was anything else to say. However, I went on with a presentation on deeper leadership based on Deeper Learning in Leadership.

I didn't know for sure if I would be able to connect with students due to a bit of language barrier and the cultural differences among students in Korea. I was delighted to find that they connected very well. In fact, the reaction is probably one of the best reactions I've ever had among a primarily student audience. The thing that was different culturally was that students in Korea have not been used to thinking of cocurricular involvement as part of their education and they have also not had the opportunity to participate in many student organizations and events. What was wonderful was that all the presenters, political, business, and education alike, advocated for deeper involvement and for testing the leadership theories they read in use in student activities. I was the last speaker and it was a pleasure to tie it together with ideas from DLL.

In addition to participating in the conference, I had my first chance to tour in Asia. It was very fun to see Seoul, a hustling, bustling, center of activity between China and Japan. One of the speakers commented that the only reason Korea has survived over the years is that it is constantly engaged in diplomatic exchange. It's interesting what geography will do to create character in a nation and its people.

The picture to the left is of the old Emperor's Palace - approximately 600 years old. It was the center of commerce and government during the period of Korean history when it was ruled by a monarch. The lifestyle was quite austere in comparison to the palaces I've seen throughout Europe. This is largely the result of the influence of Confucianism in Korea, China, and elsewhere in east Asia. However, there was a fascinating similarity between the Emperor's Palace and the Sultan's palace in Istanbul, and other palaces as well. Seoul's and Istanbul's palaces have several courtyards of increasing importance that lead up to the main palace and both have areas for the wives, children, and extended family of the monarchs. The palaces of Europe are most often multi-floor with towering ceilings while the Emperor's Palace of Seoul was one-floor, simple, and not characterized by the trappings of wealth. I found one of the most beautiful aspects of this culture to be the roof-lines of buildings, captured in the picture below that shows the layered roofs of the Palace as it extends in the distance.

Discovering Asia through Seoul, South Korea, was a wonderful way to begin to explore this area of the world. I'm likely to be back.

Bridge between the East and West

2009-01-26T20:47:00.001-08:00

The Al Arabia interview of President Obama is rocking my world, and hopefully the Arab and Muslim worlds as well. That President Obama would reach out in this way within a week of his inauguration is a very strong signal. In the words of Resa Aslan who was included among those reacting to the interview, I'm "giddy" with excitement over the possibilities.

The complexity and balance of President Obama's remarks were such a dramatic and positive change. When Obama defined his role as helping the West understand the East and vice versa, it was clear that a new and mutual era is dawning. To be sure, Obama noted that building the bridge will take time but he also offered comments reflecting the mantra that dominated his campaign for the Presidency - "yes, we can."

It will be extremely interesting to watch for the reaction through the Arab and Muslim worlds today and in the days to come. One of the most interesting reactions to watch will be that of Osama Bin Laden and his followers. As so many of those whose writings I've noted in previous blog posts have said, the days of the "war on terrorism" only gave more power to Bin Laden by firing up those who were empowered by divisive rhetoric. The rhetoric from the West now has balance and that will necessitate a response - now to wait for what it will be.

Obama's advocacy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and assignment of George Mitchell as the broker is another very positive move. I've previously held the perspective that the best thing for the U.S.A. to do is to stay out of the Israeli-Palestine issues. However, if balance in acknowledging the struggles of both Israel and Palestine is the starting place and if Mitchell's patience in diplomacy is as effective here as it was in Ireland, then there truly is hope.

Covering the news

2009-01-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

One of the things of which I've become acutely aware since moving to Qatar is that the news has more bias than I ever imagined. The difference in journalistic angle was most noticeable to me when I returned from spending time with family over the holidays. When I left the U.S.A. on January 3, 2009, the news of Israel's bombings in Gaza was being mentioned as a brief item in the national news - nothing in the local or regional news. By the time I got back to Qatar on the evening of January 4, 2009, the news was 75% about Gaza and it has remained that way. The news I watch in Qatar is CNN but it's not the same as the programming carried throughout the U.S.A. CNN in the Middle East carries some about the U.S.A., quite a bit on Europe, and a lot on the Middle East and Asia.

I've struggled to inform myself of the difference in angles between the West and Middle East during the last year and now more intensely during the recent Gaza crisis. I never questioned the U.S.A.'s constant support for Israel over the last sixty years. Now that what I hear from colleagues and in news media here is very different, I've been through a long and deep reorientation in my views. While previous posts reflect some of the changing orientation, the bottom line that I've concluded is that far too many lives have been destroyed and the death toll (documented by humanitarian agencies as exceeding 1,200 children, women, and innocent citizens) has been far too great in the immediate Gaza crisis. Battles have raged far too long as a result of the partitioning that took place in 1948 at the hands of Western countries that presumed to draw lines across lands that did not belong to them. The lines didn't make sense to many who lived in this region of the world then and resolution of the conflicts over the borders is unlikely until the West ceases to intervene to serve its own purposes.

At the same time that I've been watching the news, I've been reading about the news. Anderson Cooper, CNN anchor, wrote (2006) a book entitled Dispatches form the edge in which he recounts a number of the stories he has covered in his career. He wove among these stories of tragedy his own story of family and crisis. The major crisis, and the realizations of himself as he covered it, was Hurricane Katrina. A turning point in the book (p. 187) was when he described an encounter with a man in a bar who expressed surprise when he met Anderson and blurted out "When people say your name, they shake." When Anderson denied it, the man replied again, "No really, you have the power of a thousand bulldozers."

Anderson went on to describe his reaction to the encounter:
I've never paid much attention to the business of news - who is watching, how big the audience is, what time slot I am in. That information always seems to take away from the work. Katrina, however, is different. So may times in Africa I wanted people to know the suffering of others, but I long ago gave up believing that it would really change anything. Now people are watching and I feel that maybe I can be of some help. I see it in people's eyes; they talk to me on the street: "Hey, Anderson, somebody's got to do something about what's happening over in St. Bernard," they'll say. Or: "you gotta do something about the bodies. Why aren't they being picked up?" I don't want to let these people down, this city, down.

Why is covering the news so important? Because there are just some stories that are so important that we have to get it right. Anderson felt the weight of Katrina on his shoulders and he wanted people to know how badly handled the emergency response had been and how much it cost in devastation. It is our responsibility as global citizens to try to get the story right. Sometimes the media will help us and sometimes it will not. To sit in the comfort of homes soaking up what we presume to be true may result in incomprehensible wrong. Hey, man, you have the power of a thousand bulldozers...

Qatar Philharmonic at Kennedy Center

2008-12-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

The new Qatar Philharmonic will perform at the Washington, D.C., Kennedy Center on February 24, 2009. They will perform in Arabesque, a 3-week series involving ensembles and performers from 22 Arab nations. The Qatar Philharmonic will perform Marcel Khalife's "Arabian Concerto" and Beethoven's 5th Symphony; the juxtaposition of these two pieces may be a subtle, or not so-subtle, statement of the importance of Arab world music and Khalife's prominence as a contemporary Arab musician.

The Qatar Foundation and Education City community are planning a send-off concert in conjunction with the U.S.-Islamic World Forum, a conference held in Doha just before the departure of the Philharmonic for its U.S. debut. The performance will be a statement of the importance of cultural diplomacy, an idea advocated by former Ambassador and current faculty member at Georgetown University, Dr. Cynthia Schneider.

The importance of Arabesque and the Qatar Philharmonic's role in fostering western and Arab world cultural interaction should not be underestimated. Both are akin to the 2008 North Korean tour of the New York Philharmonic where the boundaries and bonds of political isolation were bridged through sharing music of western and eastern culture. Who knows where the Qatar Philharmonic will go... Buy your tickets and make your plans.

Contemporary and Islamic art

2008-12-11T02:37:00.000-08:00

When I was in the Swedish Architecture Museum, I browsed a book, I.M. Pei, his complete works. I've been aware of I.M. Pei for many years, including the first time I was aware of his style when the Center for Atmospheric Research was built in Boulder, Colorado, when I was a child. Later I was captivated by the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art when it opened while Diane and I lived in Maryland. To my great delight, the "complete works" includes Pei's latest and last contribution to the world of architecture, the Islamic Art Museum in Doha.

The description of the Islamic Art Museum is wonderful, including Pei's statement that the Islamic Art Museum is his most ambitious and complete work. Pei's selection as the architect resulted after a failed competition that did not yield a design satisfactory to Qatari visionaries. They went after Pei who demanded that the museum be built away from the Corniche on an island of its own so that other buildings on the Coniche would never be able to obscure its beauty. Pei painstakingly studied many Arab world and Islamic buildings for his inspiration. He also studied the intricate designs prevalent in textile, rugs, and tiles (one displayed in the new museum is to the left). The result of Pei's careful study and genius is a building where literally every centimeter is a reflection of the art and culture that defines the Persian, Arab, and Islamic cultures. And, in the most amazing artistic colision, Pei's life-long commitment to sharp, clean, expressive contemporary lines meshes with Islamic art in electrifying ways.

One of the most spell-binding colisions is in the center of the Museum where, when you look up, you see ascending and closing octagons (to right) with natural light at the top. In this picture, you also see the underneath of the huge arcing chandelier, covered with a beautiful surface of Arabic geometric patterns. The chandelier then becomes the connector between the height and floor of the Museum when you look down from one of the hanging staircases; there you see the amazing combination of geometric forms in the floor, punctuated by the sweep of the chandelier. In the picture below, you see the chandelier as it was intended to reflect the lamps that so often light the interiors of Mosques throughout the world of Islam.

Cultural encounters in Sweden

2008-12-10T21:29:00.000-08:00

One of the great bargains of Stockholm is the Stockholm card, a purchase that allows free or reduced-cost access to all museums. I got one and then set out to make sure I got my money's worth for three days - and I did. One of the museums I visited was the Swedish National Museum, a collection of art and furnishings representative of Sweden's history. As I was browsing through the 17th-18th century gallery, I noticed several fabrics and carpets to the side of the room. I went over to look at them and immediately recognized them as Persian in origin. To my delight, the text by the samples noted that these fabrics began to pour into Europe as easier travel and active trade routes developed. It also noted that the intricate geometric and floral designs became so widely incorporated into elegant fabrics throughout Europe that they became uniquely reflective of European high culture, although they were actually inspired by the Persian world. A little bit of Arab pride swelled up inside me.

The last museum of my Stockholm visit was the Medelhausmuseet, a collection of artifacts from the ancient Mediterranean world. The exhibit was closed for renovation but I picked up a magazine by the same name from the gift shop. I assumed that the magazine would describe the museum although it actually described the European Union's focus on the Mediterranean and near Middle Eastern world. The 1995 Barcelona Declaration established a path to build understanding among the citizens of the EU and the broader Mediterranean as well as protect the treasured artifacts that have been discovered in (and many times taken from) the Arab world. One of the projects sponsored by the Barcelona Declaration is the creation of a virtual museum that will bring together the resources about the Mediterranean to display them with recognition of their context, "thus maximizing mutual enrichment between the place of origin and the place of exhibition of the artifacts." (Medelhausmuseet, 3.2005, p. 26) Besides the opportunity to see objects that are now spread throughout the world, the virtual collection is intended to reflect the different understandings and interpretations in the Muslim versus non-Muslim world of the same historical events and "enriching the visitors' experience and encouraging them to visit the countries where the objects came from."

It's so very odd that for decades westerners have traveled to Europe as a statement of cultural awareness and privilege. The "Grand Tour" was a sort of "coming of age" experience for the children of the Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Mellons, Fricks and other wealthy Americans of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Only now have I begun to realize how much the Mediterranean and Middle East were exploited when their historical objects were taken to fill the galleries and museums of Europe. Some of the "acquisitions" of Europe were the spoils of war (i.e. Napolean). Regardless of how the objects got there, what would the Louvre, Pergamon, and even Topkapi museums be like without the many objects that were taken from the Mediterranean and Middle East? And just incidentally, the economic impact of museum collections isn't small; the Mediterranean region is the largest tourist draw in the world, a force for economic vitality taken away from those who were the descendants of the history we see in the galleries of Europe.

I was delighted to see the EU's initiative to help right the wrongs of artistic theft and incorporation. I was even more delighted to see reference to the fact that much of tourism "focuses on monumental forms of heritage, which more often than not commemorate war, conflict, conquest, and colonization - and say little about the people and how they got on with their day-to-day lives." Medelhausmuseet (3.2005, p. 32) refers to this as the valorization of war and conquest. No wonder that the people of the Mediterranean and Middle East are seen as always in conflict if that's all we see in our museums. The Mediterranean Voices initiative, a complement to the virtual museum, will bring to life the oral histories and natural cultural practices throughout this region, balancing the history of war and conflict with the nobility of everyday life.

The Medelhausmuseet is an important initiative, although a small voice in the broader museum industry. In addition, there are serious initiatives to bring the history of the Middle East, Arab, and Islamic world back to its origins. The new Museum of Islamic Art in Doha is one of the most serious examples. I returned to Doha ready to dig into understanding the art and artifacts that we now have at our doorstep.

Home of the Nobel Prizes and more

2008-12-08T11:13:00.000-08:00

Because the academic semester concluded last week, allowing many of my colleagues to leave Qatar over the weekend, I was facing a pretty lonely time in Qatar during the Eid Al Adha break. I decided to use up some frequent flier miles to go someplace that might feel like the holidays. I landed on Stockholm, Sweden, as my destination - a great decision for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was the beautiful Christmas Market to the right in Gamla Stan (the old city area of Stockholm).

Stockholm is an old city, serving throughout its history as the capital of Sweden and claiming rights as the unofficial capital of Scandinavia. Sweden became very prosperous during Europe's days of domination in shipping. It was one of the countries that prospered most; as a result, Sweden built many imposing buildings throughout the 16th and up and through the 19th century. The entire city of Stockholm is plotted on islands among waterways and canals. Like other cities of Europe where access by water was very important to their development (i.e. Amsterdam and Dresden), it claims to be the Venice of the north. I don't know which city has the most justified claim but water certainly plays prominently in Stockholm's history.

One of the most fascinating reminders of Sweden's history as a maritime power is a ship that sank on its maiden voyage from Stockholm in 1628. Because the ship sank twenty minutes after setting sail, and sunk in waters that protected it over the centuries, archaeologist were able to raise and restore it at the Vasa Museum. The ship that you see here is 95% complete with the original wood that shipbuilders used to construct it. The ornamentation is incredible, an assertion of the wealth and power of Sweden as it engaged in the "30 years war" that gripped Europe in the 17th century. I thought that the ships in "Pirates of the Caribbean" were impressive but they are dwarfed by the size of the Vasa. Standing by the side of this vast ship, I could just imagine what it must have been like to have the ship sail by, overwhelming everything in its path. The sinking of Vasa was the result of over-building with two decks of heavy canon and towering sails that capsized it when a strong wind tipped the ship, the balast rolled, and water gushed in through the canon portals. One can only imagine...

More impressive than the beautiful buildings and the amazing reconstruction of Vasa, the Nobel Prize overwhelms this city. I just happened to be here during preparations for December 10, which is the day on which the prizes are always awarded. It was awe-inspiring to say the least to see the Nobel winner museum and observe the preparation for the Nobel banquet at City Hall.

It's ironic that a city that built its wealth from domination by sea is the home to the recognition and celebration of people who have contributed most to the advancement of science, economics, and peace. The buzz of the city is palpable and a joy to observe. I have one more day left before I return to Qatar. My feet/legs are so tired I can hardly walk but I'll dive into several more museums tomorrow.

Making educational progress

2008-12-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

In case it is not obvious, this blog frequently serves as a place where I note publications or reports that I've found of interest (and don't want to forget) as well as where I attempt to integrate different ideas across fields, culture, and time. Because the work at Qatar Foundation is essentially about educational progress in Qatar and the Arabian Gulf and because the educational models we are using are from the U.S.A. and Europe, it's important to watch for the links between the educational work in the Gulf and the western world. Two reports, one from the Arabian Gulf and compiled by the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute, Aligning Post-Secondary Education Choices to Societal Needs, and one from the U.S.A., Measuring Up 2008, have been the focus of my attention over the last couple of weeks.

The RAND-Qatar Policy Institute report advocates that Qatar's scholarship programs focus on five goals: 1) meet workforce needs; 2) develop language, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills; 3) prepare future leaders; 4) build cultural awareness of and ties to other countries; and 5) meet civic and cultural needs. Further, authors of the report studied a number of scholarship programs throughout the world and concluded that five principles should guide the operation of Qatar's scholarship programs; 1) quality, 2) accountability, 3) efficiency, 4) flexibility, and 5) support. Prior to establishing the vision for, and directing the resources to establish, the new approach to K-12 and higher education in Qatar, a select number of young people attended universities in the UK and U.S.A. The majority of Qataris, especially women, did not have the opportunity to continue their educations. Now through enhanced opportunities provided through Qatar University, CNA-Q, and Education City, an increasing number of male and female students have a breadth of higher education opportunity that can be tailored to each of their backgrounds/preparation, their interests, and the needs of the country. Educational opportunity can now be found in Qatar or through select programs abroad.

Measuring Up 2008 critiques educational progress in the U.S.A., noting that the U.S.A. was successful in the past but is now slipping in comparison to a number of other countries around the world. The parallel elements between Measuring Up 2008 and the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute report are the importance of; 1) improving K-12 preparation so that students can attend university, 2) providing affordable access to higher education regardless of family socio-economic status, and 3) focusing on increasing and assessing the quality of learning so that young people are prepared for work that will serve their private interests and the public good.

While Qatar does not have the history and the numbers of students that the U.S.A. has had, it is very ambitious in its contemporary vision. A laser-like focus that incorporates the recommendations of the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute report is likely to achieve in a very short time a level of education that will be rivaled by few, if any, other nations. The key issue for Qatar is stimulating the imagination of its people to see the incredible potential ahead and to see that the hard work required to get there is justified. By contrast, the key issue that I'm growing to realize as important for the U.S.A. is that it must not abandon the commitments it made in the burgeoning days of higher education in the mid-20th century. Measuring Up 2008 documents that, unless the U.S.A. returns to the focus on education that it previously had, the baby-boomers will be the last generation to benefit from higher education in such significant ways - the future promise of the U.S.A. may suffer as a result.

Qatar and the U.S.A. - interesting partners in education and both able to learn from each others' experiences of yesterday and today... The U.S.A. has been in an enviable position because it committed so much to higher education after the depression of the 1930s and WWII. Things are tough again in 2008/09. Qatar is investing its resources in education. Where will the U.S.A. invest its resources?

Educating, engaging, and empowering our citizens at home and abroad...

2008-12-01T22:38:00.000-08:00

A new Brookings Institution report, Voices of America: U.S. Public Diplomacy for the 21st Century, proposes a variety of initiatives that will help to reestablish the U.S.A. as a positive force in the world. Coupled with the appointment of Barack Obama's new National Security Team, a new day is dawning. On the National Security Team, the headline in the LA Times says it all, "Obama stresses diplomacy with new national security team." Portraying the team as a renewal of diplomacy is reinforced by the fact that two of the seven new Security Team members have a relationship to the Brookings Institution; Rice (new Ambassador to the U.N) is a former Brookings Institution affiliate and Jones (new National Security Advisor) served on the Advisory Board noted in the "Voices of America" report.

President Bush's admission that the thing he wasn't prepared for was going to war sheds more direct light on the problem that the U.S.A. now faces. In the interview with Charlie Gibson, Bush declined to express regret for the faulty intelligence information that led to the war in Iraq but expressed satisfaction in his, "Recognizing we're in a war against ideological thugs and keeping America safe." Constructing the world as a battle against the "axes of evil" and a "war against ideological thugs" will be difficult to undo. However, The Brookings Institution report and Obama's appointment of a diplomacy-oriented security team is the beginning of the long road back to the principles that world-citizens admire about the U.S.A. A period of deep listening is ahead and my hope is that this results in realigning the U.S.A. with the needs of the world. The admonition that the U.S.A. must move forward by "educating, engaging, and empowering our citizens at home and abroad..." tapped one of the most important resources the U.S.A. has. Those of us abroad can listen carefully and we can demonstrate the eagerness of the U.S.A. to be a force for peace and prosperity in the world.

Mumbai terrorism, Obama and Arab youth, and Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T02:14:00.000-08:00

My journey in Qatar continues to include increasing depth of understanding about the political, religious, and other strife that seems to abound in the Middle East. The terrorism in Mumbai and the take-over of airports in Thailand represent the dynamics most often associated with the Middle East, only pushing them further into Asia. Why do these incidents continue to occur and what's the way out?

I'm not a political scientist nor an expert in Middle Eastern and/or Asian affairs. However, a letter that I received from a colleague reflected the hope that many young people around the world have as a result of the election of Barack Obama. The Center for Human Emergence Middle East issued An Open Letter on the Middle East to President-Elect Obama. Based on the enthusiasm of Arab youth, the letter proposes that one of the keys to possibility and peace is for the U.S.A. to take a more balanced role in relation to Israel and Palestine. In particular, the letter urges that the U.S.A. join with other countries (including Israel) to build the capacity of Palestine so that it can return to a position as a progessive, economically viable, and independent country. I encounter the angst over Palestine all the time in my casual interactions. Whether it's the black and white version of gotrah worn as a scarf by young Arabs or the music of activist artists, the message is unmistakable - stop privileging only one side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and recognize that there has been plenty of wrong-headedness and wrong-doing among all parties.

On Thanksgiving afternoon, the U.S.A. colleagues with whom I work decided to provide a Thanksgiving dinner for our Arab work colleagues, most of whom did not know much about the purpose and nature of Thanksgiving. I was asked to provide a little background while we feasted on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, candied yams, and pumpkin pie. I focused on the thanks given by religious refugees at the first Thanksgiving of 1621, refugees who had survived in the new world at least partially because native Americans had helped them. Then I offered thanks to our Arab colleagues that as a citizen of the U.S.A. I could worship as I wished in Qatar. In addition to this freedom, I and others have to be thankful for the Arab and other colleagues who have helped us survive a place that at times seemed exotic and strange. It's certainly not as hostile as the new world of 17th century times but I/we still need support.

Strife that surrounds us in a shrinking world... Obama and Arab youth... Thanksgiving for a year in Qatar... It's hard to say if there's a relationship. The core concept that ties them together for me is the importance of working to create peace and prosperity through reaching out to share ourselves and our bounty, even when it may seem that peace is only a distant hope.

Museum of Islamic Art - now open

2008-11-24T20:26:00.000-08:00

After a long period of preparation, the new Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar, is now open! The New York Times covered it and this is only the beginning. I plan to make this a regular destination on weekends when I have time.

The Museum of Islamic Art is complemented by the unfolding completion of Souk Waqif, the old market area of Doha, which is just a short walk from the Museum. By having both in sight of each other on the Doha Corniche, visitors can see ancient art and artifacts of the Islamic world and walk across the street to browse the alleyways and walking mall of the Souk. The only thing different about Souk Waqif compared with other souks throughout the Arabian Penninsula is that Doha's is cleaner, more artistic, has a variety of great restaurants, and you don't have to fight off the merchants who in many souks lurk around every corner attempting to drag you into their shops.

The Museum and Souk Waqif may seem trivial or commercial. They aren't - they are part of Qatar's statement of pride in its Arab origins and national heritage. A little country sticking out like a thumb off Saudi Arabia, originally inhabited primarily by Bedouin tribes... A progressive Islamic country trying to bring learning and prosperity to its people... A complex interplay of monarchy and empowerment of citizens to fuel the growing cultural, educational, business, and tourism initiatives that will assure Qatar's place as a future world player... In many ways, Qatar defies description because of its complexity and the rapidity of change that all who live here experience. One thing is sure. Even though Qatar may defy easy description, it is a place to watch.

Qatar's National Vision for 2030

2008-11-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

The incredible energy and ambition of this little country, Qatar, continues to unfold in amazing ways. Last week the Qatar National Vision for 2030 emerged as a way to put the issues of development on the table and to call all Qatari and ex-patriot citizens in Qatar to the work of building a future. The Vision is well worth reading. I think you will see that it conveys a vision that many developing countries pronounce and that Qatar is deeply committed to achieving.

Joseph Needham -"The man departs - there remains his shadow"

2008-11-09T21:16:00.001-08:00

This simple quote is inscribed in Chinese calligraphy to the side of the fireplace mantel of K-1 Caius College, Cambridge University – testament to the lifelong residence of Joseph Needham, brilliant British scientist turned Sinologist. A friend’s father lent me The Man Who Loved China by Simon Winchester (HarperCollins, 2008) for some unexplainable reason. I dove into it and found a love story coupled with deep and curious intellectual inquiry and political intrigue – all explaining the incredible array of scientific and technological contributions China has made throughout its history.

Joseph Needham started a brilliant academic career in the early 20^th century, contributing primarily through scientific discovery and publication of his findings which resulted in his invitation to join the Caius faculty as a young intellectual. He was eccentric to say the least and was supported by his wife, Dorothy, for over 70 years until her death, although he traveled extensively, had another lifetime lover, and many other encounters along the way. His love of Lu Gwei-djen (begun in 1937 and resulting in their eventual marriage in 1989) caused him to abandon the direct study of science to begin a journey of understanding how China had contributed so much across the ages. His series of books, Science and Civilization in China, are considered the essential documented record of Chinese innovation. In addition to documenting this history, Needham helped to preserve Chinese universities during the spread of Japanese dominance in the 1930s, he helped found UNESCO, and he created several Chinese-Western intellectual and friendship exchanges and partnerships.

Needham’s story is beautifully written and so enjoyable that it’s hard to put down. Aside from the biographical detail that drew me in, I was fascinated to have a first introduction to China, its past glories, and its growing role in our contemporary world. The “Needham question” that lingers throughout the book is how, after so many centuries of sustained contributions to scientific creativity, could China have fallen asleep in the 16^th century when the Western world began to rise? Ultimately, there is no answer to the question other than one speculated to simply be that China “stopped trying” (p. 260). Maybe it was the lack of a mercantile class, perhaps political and bureaucratic systems that thwarted individual effort, or the sheer size of the country and its people. Regardless, Needham lived to see the beginnings of what we now know will be one of the greatest economic and political forces of the 21^st century. Testament to China’s aspiration is a billboard posted on the outskirts of Jiuquan, the new city exploding at the border of the Gobi Desert and home to China’s space program. The billboard reads in both Chinese and English – Without Haste. Without Fear. We Conquer the World.

Chilling? Maybe… More than anything, Needham's testament and scholarship is a call for Westerners to understand and embrace the role that China is beginning to play in the 21st century. Needham’s story, and his lifelong mission of understanding China, provides a model seldom matched in academe but hopefully increasingly found in everyday life as we seek to understand the global community we are becoming.

Debut of the Qatar Philharmonic

2008-11-01T02:50:00.000-07:00

Qatar has a symphonic orchestra - and a very, very good one. This weekend marked the beginning of a new artistic era for Qatar and the Arabian Gulf as a result of two concerts by the newly formed Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. The two concerts had the same program but different conductors. The first and official debut concert was conducted by Lorin Maazel, a conductor of monumental stature and current Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. The second concert was under the direction of Andreas Weiser, who assists Maazel in his duties with the New York Philharmonic and is the Managing Director of the Qatar Philharmonic.

The program included Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Ravel's Bolero, and the world premiere of Marcel Khalife's Arabian Concerto. The final piece was the shorter Salute also by Khalife. The musicians are young, energetic, and obviously prepared and committed to the vision of building a world-class orchestra. Lorin Maazel showed obvious enthusiasm and deep pleasure in bringing this new artistic powerhouse into being. Although the first couple of Beethoven movement were a bit restrained (which caused me to wonder for a moment), by the time the final movements were on their roll toward ecstasy, I could hardly contain myself.

It really is hard to describe how technically accurate this group of young musicians was. The ensemble playing was perfection with no instruments inappropriately sticking out. The pitch was impeccable. The solo performances were extraordinary; there was not one error among the many solo wind and brass solos in the Bolero. As an audience, we could see Maazel growing in his flair as he began to swing, dance, and thrust his baton into the air during the new and exciting sounds of the Khalife pieces. The Khalife Arabian Concerto and Salute are sure to make an international stir as pieces that can bring the exotic sounds of the Arab world to people around the globe. Whether the new Qatar Philharmonic takes these sounds to the world in tours or if other orchestras attempt to play them on their own, the message is coming... The Arab world has a new artistic voice and it is one that will delight and hopefully connect us in significant ways. I can't help but imagine what it would be like if President Obama were to choose to produce an inaugural concert of world music that might include this amazing new Qatar Philharmonic playing Khalife's Arabian Concert. Wouldn't it be fun!

For those who know of my love of the music, my artistic soul is being fed again. One of the things I regretted most when I left Ohio was interrupting our commitment to the annual Cincinnati Symphony season. With any luck, there will be a Qatar Philharmonic season that will soon be coming our way.

The next step in Qatar's rising prominence as the Arabian Gulf's artistic center will the the opening of the Islamic Art Museum in Doha in December. More to come...

Global perspectives creating a smaller world

2008-10-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (Sunday, October 26, 2008) was a fascinating day of stumbling into global perspectives that continue to shrink my world. I got into the office and did my routine start-up of checking and responding to e-mail and then noticed an interesting meeting on my schedule - "Chinese Embassy Delegation re: exchanges." I ran off to the meeting wondering who would be there and what would unfold in the conversation. To my great surprise, I walked into the conference room only to find one of my Qatari colleagues finishing a presentation on Qatar Foundation and waiting to turn the meeting over to me. I've become increasingly comfortable in not knowing what to expect from moment to moment in my work but this one really threw me.

The Chinese delegation was guided by an under-secretary of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China and included four representatives from higher education and business in China. The programs represented were; Beijing International Studies University, Shanghai International Studies University, Northwest University for Nationalities, and the founder and president of "First Real-Name Blog Portal for Chinese Intellectuals." I asked if English would be acceptable for our meeting and was told, "yes." It didn't take but a minute for one of the Chinese participants to turn to my Qatari colleague to ask a question of him in perfect Arabic. Suddenly the communication shifted and I realized that the common language of the room was Arabic, not English or Chinese. Wow! Who would have thought... a meeting with Chinese intellectuals, conducted in Arabic, and translated by a Qatari for the English speaker who knew neither Chinese or Arabic (me). All in all, the meeting was a success and ended with an agreement that I would attempt to broker a meeting with my superiors so that the People's Republic Ambassador could begin to introduce the possibility of student and faculty exchanges between Education City and the institutions represented by our visitors.

Later in the evening I attended the Rand-Qatar Policy Institute celebration of five years in Doha and 60 years of the Rand Institute. Rand is a research and think-tank organization that has provided considerable assistance to Qatar in researching and proposing models for improvement of education, public policy, and capacity building. There were two panels of their researchers and other guests who explored questions about the status of the Gulf and the impact that the upcoming election in the U.S.A. will have on the area. The panels were interesting, although I was surprised at the off-handed references that reflected their ignorance or disdain for the Middle East - simple things like "I don't know what people over here think, but..." or inaccurate language such as using Arab, Persian, Muslim, Islamic, jihad, and other terms as simply colorful synonyms to depict the people "over here." Frankly, it was sad because these people are supposedly well informed about the Middle East but the imprecise and careless language was very telling.

The show-stopper for the Rand-Qatar Policy Institute celebration was when a Qatari in the audience asked the question of the panel, "What's holding us back from fulfilling the promise of our intellectual heritage? Why is the Arab world always subject to the advice and direction of the West?" I turned to a colleague beside me after the question was asked - "Breathtaking," I commented. This is a room with 90% Westerners and a precious few Qatari or other Arab people and this man was turning the microscope on himself. But, was he really? The panel offered platitudes like political will, visionary leadership, development that helps people understand the systems, and education. After considerable intellectual fumbling, the convener of the panel returned to the man who asked the question, "What do you think? What's the greatest impediment you see?" The room fell silent because we all knew that what this gentleman would say would eclipse the others' comments. "Empathy." A stunningly simple one word answer to what's holding the Arab world back. He developed the idea a bit but not so much to keep the word from hanging in my mind for the rest of the evening - empathy. But whose empathy for whom and what's not being understood?

I don't know for sure but the empathy that I see as holding us back is more about Westerners' lack of understanding than anything else. Lack of understanding for what it's been like to be at the epicenter of the world for centuries, first as a critical trade route and then as the custodian for the world's cheapest and most readily usable fuel source, and having others attempt to control you by political, military, or economic means. The best thing the panel convener said all night was that perhaps Barack Obama (yes, and the panel pretty well concluded that it's a done deal) should begin his Presidency with a "Listening Tour" that would travel across the globe to ask others what they think of the U.S.A. and the role it should play in the modern day. Yes, empathy may be what's holding us back more than anything and the question will be, how do we all foster the empathy for each other that will begin to take us to a new level? - global perspectives creating a smaller world.

If you want to understand Islam...

2008-10-18T05:46:00.000-07:00

If you want to escape the pervasive ignorance about Islam in the western world, No god but God by Reza Aslan is a must!

Aslan's credentials set him apart as an authoritative source on Islam and other religions. His knowledge is complemented by a writing style that is more characteristic of a novel than a historic analysis of theologies. This is a story of real people in history who struggled with a pagan and idolatrous world that worshiped many gods. No god but God traces the evolution of Islam from its origins as one of the major monotheistic religions of the world (a monotheistic perspective that shares many stories, prophets, and martyrs with Judaism and Christianity) to the splintered perspectives that are the source of so much conflict in the contemporary world.

Aslan helps us see that Muslims are very diverse in their perspectives and that most are moderate, committed, and seek the same things that Jews, Christians, and other religious groups seek. Islam's prophet, Muhammad, created a tolerant and peaceful existence for these three groups in Medina and he would never have tolerated the schisms that now exist.

One of the primary reasons that Islam struggles with splinter groups is that no successor was named when Muhammad died in the middle of the 7th century. This resulted in almost immediate competition for the leadership of Islam, a contest that spawned Shi'ah, Sunni, Sufi, Kharijite, Wahhabi, and other sects of Islam. They all trace their beliefs to Muhammad but the beliefs about what one should do as a Muslim vary considerably. Aslan's final thesis is that how these groups work out their differing views is essentially the same process that occurred during the Crusades and later in the Protestant Reformation. While there are Muslims who would take offense at this proposal, how likely would it have been for Crusaders or Reformation figures to have seen their wars and struggles as evolution toward a differentiated but shared faith?

The differences that exacerbate Islam's emergence include 1) colonial occupations throughout the regions where Islam is now a force, 2) modern competition for oil/gas and other resources in these lands, and 3) media that have created a transparent and real time world. These dynamics have denied Islam the opportunity to work out its theology and practice without the intervention of nations with vested interests. And, because there is so much ignorance about the various forms of Islam, the U.S.A. and other nations have all too often supported sects of Islam about which they had very little, if any, accurate knowledge. The strangest of the western allies was the Taliban who were recruited and armed by the CIA in the insurrection against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

Islam struggles today but this struggle is internal rather than external. Islam is not waging a war on democracy and the more the west behaves as if it is, the more power extremist Islam has in its competition with moderate Islam. Anti-Muslim sentiment and slogans only galvanize those who use this opposition to recruit more Muslims to fundamentalism.

If you're interested in watching a couple of videos that reflect Aslan's views, you could try the recent CNN interview related to Ahmadinejad's visit to Columbia University or view his analysis of the "cosmic conflict" that he believes undermines the efforts to establish dialogue between the west and the emerging Muslim world of 1.5 billion people. His point is that the rhetoric of the "war on terror" has only enhanced the position of Islamic extremists as it has given them material with which to weave the tapestry of grievance of anti-imperialism. What the western world does not understand is that the seeds of Al Qaeda were planted during British colonial rule and have been fueled by the economic imperialism of the U.S.A. as it has drawn oil and gas from the Middle East. Unfortunately, ignorance and intolerance has given Al Qaeda a ready agenda to use in recruiting its followers.

Alive or living?

2008-10-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

Eid break provided a phenomenal opportunity for Darbi and me to join a tour of the Moroccan Atlas mountains provided by the Intrepid organization. The tour was in the special "Intrepid Active" category which stimulated more than a little anxiety in me as I prepared for the trip. When our tour guide, Moha, informed me that I was the oldest participant in the active tours to date, I was more than a little relieved that I had completed the week of biking, hiking, and climbing without incident. Thus, the title of my post, "Alive or living?" I came to the realization that my work and personal life are more about living than I've ever had the chance to pursue. I'm not just alive. I am living a very active experience of exploring new cultures, new history, and new ways of being in the world - pretty amazing for this time in my life!

The Atlas mountains were a complete surprise. Having grown up in Colorado, I couldn't imagine mountains of any substance in Morocco. What I found was amazingly beautiful mountains and lush "oasis" valleys that are supporting a friendly and simple cultural group called Berberes. The Berbere people were originally distributed throughout North Africa prior to the colonial occupation by both Arab and French people at different times in history. The Berberes have been pushed more into the mountainous territories of Morocco, Algiers, Libya, and all the way over to Egypt. Moha was very clear that he was Berbere first, African second, and not at all Arab. There are many in Morocco who are actually of mixed cultural heritage but Moha was very proud of being Berbere and having grown up in a mountain village much like the scene to the left. Our exploration of the high Atlas included a 40 kilometer mountain biking excursion, a 16 kilometer hike/climb, and some of the most spectacular scenery I've seen for a while.

In addition to visiting the high Atlas, we visited the "little Sahara" which is a plateau valley between the high and "ante Atlas" range. This is where we found desert landscapes at the foot of the snow-capped Atlas range in the background. One particular village, Ait Binhaddou (pictured to lower right), was 700 years old and has been used as the backdrop movie set for many films including "Gladiator" and "Jesus of Nazareth."

It's hard to fully explain the insights I gained from this adventure to Morocco. I discovered, as is usual these days, that I'm missing much of the world's history and understanding of heritage and culture. Most of all, before trips like this, I've been afraid of other places that are strange, different, or have been in the news as politically troubled. Morocco has had its incidents but the people are very engaging and welcoming. I now understand that another culture, the Berberes, have a wonderful history that they seek to preserve and share with others. The Berberes are industrious, smart, and eager for the world to know of their contributions over centuries of productivity. And, they are attempting through tourism and new political activism to draw attention to their rights as people who inhabited this region of the world for thousands of years.

It appears in my posts that I've become a bit excessive in my travels - and, I probably have. But it is so fun and adds so much to my "living" to know about the world beyond the narrow North American perspective that I've had for so long.

Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit...

2008-09-13T05:27:00.000-07:00

As summer comes to an end in the Gulf, so concludes what has become a fairly predictable pattern of my existence. Summers in the academic world provide opportunities to escape mandatory work-related reading in order to explore more personally-related topics. Each summer I try to dig into something new in my reading that broadens my view of life, work, or just the journey of being. This summer was no different (except that summers for me are now a bit longer and hotter) and I've had a phenomenal awakening that has been stimulated by four books - Gates of the Sun (Khoury), Einstein's Violin (Eger), Integral Spirituality (Wilber), and Synchronicity (Jaworski). I had no clue how these four books would relate when I picked them up thinking there was no relationship - what a fool! They turned out to be deeply related, creating what Jaworski refers to as a predictable miracle in my life experience.

Earlier posts commented on Gates of the Sun and Einstein's Violin. I never commented on Integral Spirituality because I couldn't figure out what to say without becoming so complex and unfocused that it would be distracting. Having finished rereading Synchronicity today (I read it several years ago and put it away afterward.), I now see the relationship and it has to do with the title of this post - Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit.

Khoury is Palestinian and wrote cogently of the wrongs perpetrated on Palestinians from 1951 forward. Eger is a Jewish American who was awakened to a new perspective of the world when he visited Israel, Jordan and Palestine in the 1970s. I'm not sure how to describe Wilber other than a person who is having an enormous influence on many around the world through his integral theory ideas. Ultimately, Integral Spirituality is about his views that the world's religions are holding humanity back from a transformation of the human condition. An "integral spirituality" could make a place for all faith perspectives, could allow each of us to find meaning in our own cultural contexts, and could transform the warring and devastation we presently experience.

Integral Spirituality is complex and difficult reading. There are many times that my understanding simply could not grasp all the details and the evidence that Wilber quoted. But, the meaning that I drew from Wilber's perspective is what Jaworski described in Synchronicity. In life's journey we can either stumble through oblivious to our surroundings or we can allow ourselves to awaken to what's going on around us, thus unleashing that part of everyone one of us that wants to make a difference. Once awakened, we act in ways that are initially timid but then become more and more present and courageous. When that deep sense of presence is embraced, the great synchronicity of our conviction begins to interact with others and creates possibilities we never dreamed achievable.

The point of discovering purpose is profoundly practical and, if you want proof, talk to someone who has discovered their deep calling. This kind of calling is unavoidable, concrete, and transformational. When this depth of knowing emerges, it then connects to what Jaworksi and Senge describe as the implicate order which is the interconnected world that unfolds to us when we are ready.

I am deeply indebted to Jaworski for many of his ideas. I have to admit that I'm more than a little embarrassed that many of the ideas I propose in Deeper Learning in Leadership are very related to those Jaworski introduces in Synchronicity. I don't know what happened but somehow the consciousness of the connections just wasn't there. I referenced Jaworski but not in the ways I wish I had. As I finished rereading Synchronicity this afternoon, I was brought to tears as I realized the power we have within us and as we connect with others who are similarly awakened to more integral, inclusive, and transformational ideas. I also realized that at certain times in my career I "woke up behind enemy lines" (a very powerful Jaworski analogy) when I lost sight of the goals that I held dear. I guess it doesn't really matter when we awaken to our deeper potential . In fact, if we're truly alive, the potential is constantly being awakened within us. In this place in Qatar and with the opportunity I've been given here, truly Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit - translated from its original Latin, "Invoked or not invoked, God is present."

Four more months - "To take back the nation we love..."

2008-08-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

I can't help myself. I've been watching the beginning of the Democratic National Convention from afar. I always turn on CNN while I'm getting ready for work which allows me to see the 11 p.m. eastern U.S.A. news. This morning, following on yesterday morning (26 August), gave me great hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Michelle Obama's and Hillary Clinton's speeches were some of the most powerful I've seen on TV. Michelle's was particularly authentic, deep, and inspirational. Hillary followed with a clear and unequivocal message - how could those who supported her even consider not voting for Obama? It's not about Hillary! It's about the issues and the future of the U.S.A. and its role in the global community.

I will be voting absentee as we hope the nine million ex-patriots living abroad will do. I haven't traveled around the globe, although over the last year I've traveled to Canada, central Europe, and the Middle East. Hope is swelling throughout the rest of the world that the U.S.A. will return to its place as a democratic model rather than a military force. Citizens of other countries, even in places where they don't have the rights and privileges that Americans enjoy, are hoping for a return to a course of modeling the way and diplomacy that will improve the conditions of people throughout the world. I have not encountered anyone abroad who hasn't embraced the hope that Barack Obama brings.

Lest the world's enthusiasm be used against Obama in the upcoming campaigning by McCain, it is absolutely critical than citizens of the U.S.A. realize that globalization is about the shared needs and interdependence of all, rather than the "us against them" rhetoric of the "war on terrorism." Naive - I don't think so. When you live abroad, you see the needs, the struggles, and you see the disappointment when the U.S.A. falls short of its values. The fact that other nations are cheering for Obama is not cause for pause or suspicion, as I anticipate the Republican party will assert. The cheering from abroad is from a heart-felt yearning to see the U.S.A. return to the role of a guide for change in the knowledge-based society of the 21st century. With the rise of the economic dominance of Asia, South America, and the Middle East, it is clear that the U.S.A. is not the preeminent economy of the world - there's no way to reverse that flow. The U.S.A. has to find another way to influence the world other than its economic and military power.

The spontaneous cheering at last night's Democratic National Convention, "Four more months," and Hillary's introductory statement combine to say it all...

Big dreams will always outlive you...

2008-08-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was a very profound day for me. I had routine stuff in the morning but I was able to have lunch with one of our Qatari colleagues who is leaving for the U.S.A. for English and graduate school study. I thought I was only going for lunch but he took me to his private tailor to have two thobes made for me. He absolutely refused to allow me to pay for them and I am not quite sure how to respond - other than be grateful. The result will be that soon I'll have two full Qatari national dress outfits. I can hardly wait to wear them. Another aspect of the parting lunch ritual was to ask him about his experience and what we might do to improve our effectiveness with students. It was a great conversation and bodes well for the work he will do in the U.S.A. I can only pray that he will be treated with respect...

The other thing that happened was that I spent 1.5 hours on the phone and computer with a webinar on Deeper Learning in Leadership. I'm not sure that webinars are my favorite form of communication but at least the webinar provided the opportunity to talk about the importance of deeper leadership across many miles and with a wide spectrum of participants. I assume I'll find out over the next several days if the webinar was satisfactory.

As I prepared for bed tonight, I went for a walk and listened to Dr. Craig Barnes' sermon on Joseph, son of Jacob, who was sold into servitude in Egypt when his brothers became so irritated with his dream stories and "favored son" mindset that they couldn't stand it any more. Dr. Barnes had, as usual, a very different twist on the story. He likened being taken into Egyptian exile to the isolation and separation that results in adolescence when our children begin to rebel against the precious, perfect, optimistic images we generally hold of them. Dr. Barnes said that all children have to break free of the confining, idealized roles to which we confine our children, even if it takes doing outrageous things to escape our grasp - a very interesting interpretation of adolescence. The bottom line was that Joseph's exile from his family was very critical and, indeed, it saved his family and his family's families during the famine that would follow many years later. Joseph's own brothers didn't even recognize him when they saw him in Egypt, perhaps because Joseph had grown out of his adolescent pride and narcissism. After growing up, he was able to serve his brothers who came to beg for wheat, even though they were the very ones who were responsible for his exile. He had become a different person because of the humility he acquired during his separation from family and loved ones. Kind of speaks to the collegiate experience, doesn't it.

The parting reflection by Dr. Barnes was that Joseph had many dreams, dreams that he literally had no idea what they meant. However, his dreams became so great that they outlived his egotism and his youthful bravado. He had great dreams that helped Egypt, his family, and ultimately perhaps saved an entire generation of his people. Big dreams will always outlive you.

I go to bed tonight knowing that somehow maturity has blessed me with an understanding that my big dreams will, and have, outlived me. A colleague off to study English and student affairs to return to the Arabian Gulf to make higher education work here. A webinar that I never imagined 30 years ago in terms of technology, reach, or interest of others. What we started at Maryland in 1976 has far outlived my time there and has become so much more than anything we had imagined. Amazing how big, big dreams can become.

ILA webinar on Deeper Learning in Leadership - August 19

2008-08-06T00:20:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to welcome potential readers to my blog who are considering, or have signed up for, the August 19 ILA webinar, "Deeper Learning in Leadership." I thought it might help to provide this introductory post to explain the purpose of this blog over the last 2+ years I've maintained it.

I originally began the blog in preparation for a two-month teaching, research, and writing opportunity I had in November and December of 2005. I served as a Visiting Scholar at the Miami University Dolibois European Center (MUDEC) in Luxembourg during which I 1) taught an undergraduate seminar on global leadership, 2) researched the European Union's emerging approach to higher education, and 3) completed a substantial portion of the draft text for what would become Deeper Learning in Leadership. I had never blogged before but friends and family encouraged me to start the "Pursuing Leadership" blog in order to keep them informed about my work, travels, and emerging thoughts about leadership. If you go all the way back to the beginning of the blog in October 2005, you will see that I charted the anticipation and anxiety associated with the MUDEC time and then I reflected throughout the experience on my travels and what the travels and other encounters had to do, if anything, with questions of leadership.

Once I returned from Luxembourg in January 2006, I maintained "Pursuing Leadership" as more or less a public journal of my reflections on leadership, higher education, and general life questions. You will see that I post periodically on reading that I have found influential, I reflect on philosophical questions, and I even get into a bit of political commentary as well. You won't agree with all I post and that is only fair and right. The bottom line is that I am a life-long student of leadership and, even after studying it through reading and experience, I have lots of questions left. Sometimes I think I should "get over" these questions but the deeper I explore leadership, the more questions I have. I can find no other personally acceptable way to resolve the internal dialogue than to be honest about it and to share my own journey as I seek to understand leadership. I hope that, as a reader of the blog, and potential participant in the August 19 webinar, you will engage with me as a fellow traveler in this journey. It might be more comfortable to passively receive the wisdom of someone who has "figured it all out" but that just isn't authentic for me. If you're looking for an authority who has all the answers for you, you should probably seek another expert. On the other hand, if you're up for some exploration, we could have some fun.

A little bit about why Deeper Learning in Leadership... The book is a combination of a tribute to one of the greatest minds of higher education and student affairs in the 20th century - Esther Lloyd Jones (pictured at age 90 in 1991) and a commitment that I had avoided for almost a decade - updating and publishing a sequel to Student Leadership Programs in Higher Education (1981). I was blessed in my early career by the confidence of two colleagues, Dr. William L. Thomas and Dr. Drury Bagwell, who in 1976 decided that the University of Maryland should do something explicit about student leadership. Being young and ambitious, I took the challenge with literally no background or academic preparation. In a panic, I turned to the American College Personnel Association where I found a number of colleagues equally interested in student leadership. This group formed the base of what would become the beginning of the formal study and development of student leadership through primarily cocurricular means. And, the work of the ACPA team, as well as the shared work with my Maryland colleagues resulted in the publication of Student Leadership Programs...

I won't go into all the details of the early days of exploring leadership learning for that is in Deeper Learning in Leadership and other articles that have emerged in the literature in the last several years. Deeper Learning in Leadership celebrates the fact that the focus on leadership has grown to amazing proportions. However, what I do put candidly on the table is a concern that I presently have - that the explosion of interest in leadership in higher education (and in many other areas as well) has become so popular and trendy that its credibility is at risk. It is at risk because I fear that our work is sometimes not as substantial and deep as it needs to be. I do not criticize anyone (including myself) in this statement; I propose it as a perspective of my reality that pushes me to ask more questions. Deeper Learning in Leadership raises questions about how we understand leadership, models that have emerged to help us, and new theories or frameworks that might stimulate more effective work in this very important endeavor.

The combination of tribute to Esther Lloyd-Jones and the purpose of pushing the boundaries in understanding leadership learning is no accident, although my understanding of their symmetry continues to emerge. Esther Lloyd-Jones was deeply influenced by John Dewey's ideas of democratic education and she brought this perspective into the formation of student personnel work in the early 20th century. Many student affairs staff are unaware of these origins and therefore miss the critical and essential link of cocurricular and experiential learning with the purposes of individual development, the importance of community, and cultivating democratic capacity. Scott London summarizes as well as any piece I've ever read the philosophy of John Dewey and its relevance to higher education today. Organic Democracy: The Political Philosophy of John Dewey is essential reading that will help you see the connection between Esther Lloyd-Jones' contribution to education and the opportunities we face in leadership learning.

The most recent twist in my journey to understand leadership is that immediately after publishing Deeper Learning in Leadership through Jossey-Bass I left the U.S.A. I joined the Qatar Foundation in November 2007 and my world has changed again as a result of so many amazing encounters in this new work. My more recent posts reflect my struggles as I've sought to understand higher education and leadership in an international context. The experience thus far has been profound and my journey is far from over. In fact, my guess is that I'm no more than 10% down the path that I will eventually travel while in the Arabian Gulf. I hope you will see that I am struggling again and I hope you will embrace that with me.

Please browse some of my previous posts on this blog and pick up a copy of Deeper Learning in Leadership. Consider what I've written in the book and on the blog as my "take" which is intentionally designed to provoke your reflection. Then come back with your perspectives and questions so that we can push deeper leadership to a new level of understanding and practice.

Learning about early origins of culture in Istanbul

2008-07-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

We've had a great opportunity to reunite our family over the last couple of weeks. Diane is visiting and will be in Qatar for another week. We've entertained staff colleagues, shopped, eaten great meals, and just enjoyed being with each other.

We took a four-day trip to Istanbul last weekend. I had earlier opportunities to visit Istanbul but never took the chance, mainly because I had no idea of the richness of its history and culture. Darbi, Diane, and I were there for only four days and packed every minute of it so that we could taste the contemporary culture as well as understand the history of this fascinating place. We did everything from visiting Topkapi to the Grand Bazaar to the Spice Bazaar to a boat outing up through the Bosphorous region (where the Sultans built their palaces after Topkapi no longer served its purpose) to the huge water storage Cistern under the ancient core of the city. We were welcomed by friendly and engaging people, tourists from all over the world, and absolutely beautiful weather!

The most fascinating thing about Istanbul is its history. It has been a crossroads for Europe and Asia for almost 5 millenia and the greatest jewel of all of Istanbul is the Istanbul Archeology Museum, a collection that covers the full 5,000 years. We were utterly amazed to see one of the most extensive collections of sculpture of anywhere in the world, including the Louvre in Paris. Most of this collection was drawn from the Ottoman Empire during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Ottoman Empire overlapped, and was a threat to, the Habsburg Empire. In fact, the prominence of the Habsburg family was probably largely the result of its ability to defend against Ottoman invasions of eastern Europe.

Besides the archeological collection, Topkapi also has the religious "relics" rooms (picture to right is of the entrance because I couldn't take pictures inside). We were utterly stunned to stand before relics like Moses' staff, Joseph's turban, Saint John's arm, and a number of other things. We were left wondering, "how could this be?" The sense of awe upon seeing such artifacts, reported to being the originals of the worlds greatest prophets, was utterly amazing.

One of the most important architectural wonders is the Hagia Sophia, reportedly one of the seven wonders of the world. It was built in the 5th century to replace the original Christian church built on the same site by Constantine when he established Constantinople as the capital of the Holy Roman Empire (establishing Christianity as its religion). Constantine built the first church on this site which was destroyed in two subsequent uprisings. Artifacts of the earlier churches are strewn around the Hagia Sophia in gardens and ongoing archaeological digs. The Hagia Sophia pictured below is now in dire need of repair, although its former splendor is obvious beneath layers of stucco/decorated coverings. The golden mosaics emerge when the stucco is taken off, revealing the original Christian images that previously graced its walls and vaulted domes. When Islam took the church and converted it to a Mosque, all references to Christianity were removed or covered over. It now stands as a tribute to both religions, without being dedicated to the use of either.

We left Istanbul wanting to learn more and believing that we had a wonderful (and hopefully first) exploratory visit. Upon arrival back in Qatar and while unpacking from our journey, CNN broke the news of the terrorist blasts that killed 17 people and wounded many more a mere few miles from where we stayed in Istanbul. A very sad, sad sign of the strife that still exists among religious groups in Istanbul. Ultimately the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers' Party) was identified as responsible by the pro-secularist Republic People's Party, a claim rejected by the PKK. Knowledge of this violence causes hesitation to return to a place that seemed so welcoming and so enjoyable. Until global divisions and idealogical differences are accepted as normal and embraced as a necessary and useful part of the human condition, Istanbul and many of our other communities throughout the world will continue to be vulnerable to violence.

Einstein's Violin and social transformation

2008-07-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been pretty quiet for me, other than a couple of ex-pat 4th of July celebrations on Friday. Darbi is in Ghana on a Habitat for Humanity trip which I have no doubt will bring some incredible revelations. Check her blog for details once she gets back the middle of next week. Saturday (July 5) was absolutely spectacular - bright blue sky and warm (hot?) temperatures. I got out to wash cars, worked in the yard a little, and did a lot of reading.

I finished a book that Jon gave me, Einstein's Violin, by Joseph Eger. I didn't know what to expect because the sub-title was A Conductor's Notes on Music, Physics, and Social Change. Eger has concertized as a French Horn player and was the music director of the Symphony for United Nations and principle guest conductor of the Central Philharmonic Orchestra in Beijing when he wrote the book. What I found in his writing was a very interesting combination of ruminations about music as the universal cross-cultural language, quantum physics and string theory, and deep political commentary. What I enjoyed most about it was Eger's stories of people with whom he'd work or had met. They include the likes of Leonard Bernstein, David Bohm, Queen Noor al Hussein, Eleanor Roosevelt, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and more.

Eger's proposal is that forces beyond our understanding are acting in our lives to bring social transformation, even among those nations that appear to be locked in unresolvable conflict. One of the most startling assertions Eger made related to the book I noted a couple of posts ago, Gate of the Sun. Eger is Jewish and his beliefs about Israel and Palestine were radically changed when he visited Palestine, Jordan, and Israel. During these visits, he was greeted with respect and appreciation by people from various religious and political perspectives, causing him to think that perhaps there actually could be a solution to the conflict between Israeli and Palestinian factions. Ultimately, he published his beliefs in an article in the September 15, 1980, Newsweek entitled "Is it Good for the Jews?"in which he espoused the belief that the welfare of Jewish people and the future of the state of Israel were tied to fair and compassionate treatment of the many Arabs who have been driven from Palestine.

The connections made possible by music operate in the same way that string theory proposes infinite relationships among all things throughout our ever-expanding universe. It is these connections, and the actions and reactions that echo across light years of space and time, that are bringing us together to recognize that our destinies and very survival are mutually linked.

This kind of world view may be a bit much to absorb but Eger's analysis, and particularly his citations of Einstein's views on science and social change, were pretty compelling. At a time when so many things are unsettled around the globe, and when so many of us are doing things to rectify the imbalances, our decisions are becoming so much more important. We shape our destiny and impact the future of others at every turn and we need world leadership who recognize that we are all one together rather than warring nations attempting to destroy each other.

Shining eyes - the result of "conviction in action" leadership

2008-06-30T23:33:00.000-07:00

My passions for music and leadership are pretty transparent - at least I hope they are. As I've matured, I'm pulling them closer and closer together in my daily behavior. Perhaps (and probably), this is the quintessential convergence of "conviction in action," the definition I've chosen to adopt for deeper leadership in our world.

This morning I was browsing my Facebook profile when I found that one of my "friends" had discovered a video of Ben Zander that was recorded last February 2008, Classical Music with Shining Eyes. The piece is about Zander's belief in the universality of classical music and its connection to living our lives in ways that result in shining eyes in others. This is a pretty profound piece and I hope you'll take a quiet moment to view it.

Gate of the Sun - Elias Khoury

2008-06-29T10:51:00.000-07:00

Summers are essential to my psyche because I'm usually able to read more than during the academic year. I continue to read during the other times but I just don't have the chance to concentrate. One of the books that I've been reading, and just finished, is Elias Khoury's Gate of the Sun. Khoury is a professor of Arabic literature at NYU and has written eleven novels. Gate of the Sun is the story of Yunis, a hypothetical Palestinian freedom fighter, who is nursed on his deathbed by a younger Palestinian who is the narrator of the story. The story is a compilation of many stories of Palestinians who left, or were driven out of, their homes and villages in 1948 and during the subsequent Israeli incursions into the land that was Palestine's.

Living in the Middle East has caused me to be much more curious and concerned about the circumstances of reestablishing the state of Israel and the international political controversy that rages over the unequivocal support of the U.S.A. for Israel's actions both in 1948 and today. The sense of being wronged is so deep and most Arabs believe that establishing an exclusive Jewish state was equivalent to the genocide and ethnic cleansing that was so abhorrent to all during the Holocaust. A quote from Gate of the Sun, speaking of Palestine:

"I believe, like you, that this country must belong to its people, and there is no moral, political, humanitarian or religious justification that would permit the expulsion of an entire people from its country and the transformation of what remained of them into second-class citizens; so, no - don't worry. This Palestine, no matter how many names they give it, will always be Palestine. But tell me, in the faces of those people being driven to slaughter, didn't you see something resembling your own?"

The point being made was that Palestinians were driven out of their land and were persecuted, denied their property and belongings, tortured, raped, and killed, in profoundly disturbing ways that mirrored the atrocities of the Nazis. I know that I'm going into significant political comment that may make some readers uncomfortable but the Arab world believes that the western world has never recognized the devastation that Palestinians have endured. Part of the controversy of the state of Israel is about this lack of acknowledgment and the rest is about the presumption of the rightness of a one-state solution of Israeli occupation when Arabs believe that a two-state solution is possible and is the only just thing to do.

I'm still absorbing information and trying to sort out what I think about the controversy of Israel and what solution may be conceivable. I realize that my own ignorance and inability to take a stand is part of the problem. I dare say that most westerners don't understand why the occupation of Israel has resulted in such sustained and deep intolerance throughout the Middle East. Rather than blindly and ignorantly accepting the present state is defensible, perhaps broader understanding would allow for acceptance and peace to emerge.

Help me here... What more do you know and how might a broader segment of global citizens become better informed and thereby become agents of resolution and peace in this part of the world?

Qatar in Time Magazine

2008-06-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

If you didn't see it, Qatar is profiled in a recent Time Magazine article. This offers fascinating insights on the dynamics of change in Qatar and other Arabian Gulf countries. Incidentally, it reinforces the Miditerranean post below. Very interesting reading so don't miss it.

Miditerranean

2008-06-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't misspell Mediterranean. I discovered the term Miditerranean through a conversation with a colleague today. Evidently, there are those who live in what they believe is the emerging center of global change who have coined this term. The geography includes southern Europe (the Mediterranean), northern Africa, the Middle East, and over to parts of Asia.

The point is related to what others have written or referenced when they talk about a flattened globe, emerging nations, or developing countries. Where are these emerging powerhouses located? - the Miditerranean. It feels a little strange being a citizen of the U.S.A. and realizing that there is already terminology that describes the decline in comparative importance of my country of origin. However, what it says to me is that it is very critical that I am (and others are as well) in Qatar, working with those who are building this area of the world, and creating partnerships that will allow the U.S.A. and Europe to continue to be prominent, instead of preeminent, in the global century that is upon us.

Think about it...

PBS piece on Education City

2008-06-03T03:13:00.000-07:00

If you're interested in continuing to learn more about Education City and education in the Arabian Gulf, a PBS documentary does a great job with it. The documentary is balanced and provides insight on both the challenges and opportunities of this work. Enjoy...

European/U.S.A. exchange - realizations

2008-06-02T10:29:00.000-07:00

It took a while for ideas to settle out in my head from the Student Affairs Practice in Europe tour. During our travels, I kept mulling over a number of issues and I couldn't determine which would be the 3-4 items that were most critical. After getting some distance, I arrived at three essential areas; the promise of the arts, balancing care and independence, and forming the dialectic that allows us all to learn.

The promise of the arts was very graphically demonstrated at the Universite du Luxembourg conference that pulled EU universities together. The universities who participated in the conference are attempting to implement the Bologna Declaration - the EU educational integration statement. One of our colleagues at Universite du Luxembourg, Francois Carbon, has a huge commitment to the arts and uses it as a way to involve students positively with each other. His description was most interesting because it focused solely on how it happened, as opposed to what difference it made. It became abundantly clear that Francois' use of the arts was involving students in cultural exploration that was very powerful. His students, along with faculty/staff and community members, prepared for and performed the play, "Three Penny Opera." Hearing how effective this was caused me to wonder why multicultural education is so difficult in the U.S.A. The sad reality in the U.S.A. is that universities try so hard to provide multicultural and diversity programs, only to have them poorly attended or accomplish little in lasting change. In the case of the Europeans, using the arts became a stimulus for multicultural dialogue, thus reducing the tension, engaging students with each other, and letting them learn naturally through their experience. I don't have evidence but my guess is that this strategy is far more effective in stimulating learning across and between student cultures.

Another confirming example of using arts to bridge cultural barriers is the recent New York Philharmonic trip to North Korea. If you haven't seen the CNN documentary on this, you should make a point of it. The documentary references the decades of antagonism and suspicion that preceded the tour, only to see it evaporate when exposed to the universal language of music. Wagner, Gershwin, Dvorak, and the North Korean and U.S.A. National Anthems all brought performers and listeners together in profound exploration of sameness as well as difference. Is this not multicultural education of a different, and perhaps more effective, sort?

The focus on care versus independence in European and U.S.A. higher education results in a very stark contrast. Europeans repeatedly expressed their confusion related to the degree of oversight institutions in the U.S.A. exercise in order to care for their students. There were so many examples where European students are expected to behave as adults, take adult responsibility, and suffer or learn from the consequence of their actions. The safety nets and care provided by student affairs and other staff/faculty seemed incongruous with the goal of fostering autonomy and self-sufficiency. There is another side to this question and that is which system is most successful in graduating students. Although most of our European colleagues were not able to provide figures, it seemed apparent that there is much less attention placed on student success as measured by graduation rates. But what is the best measure of student success - gaining a degree or being responsible for one's own learning and progressing through university at a pace that is balanced with family, work, and launching oneself as an adult? Probably there is a middle ground where Europeans could take more care but there is likely to be increased "success" of students in the U.S.A. if they were required to take more responsibility for their own learning and life.

The importance of dialectic is my final realization and it is the result of the other two. Whether it is multicultural learning or helping students become successful, it is respectful dialogue that helps us all progress toward the models that will allow us to achieve the most. Throughout the two weeks traveling with my colleagues, we consistently expected to go into European settings to help "them" learn how to implement student affairs principles and practices only to find out that what they were already doing had significant merit from which we could learn as well. This is mutual and appreciative inquiry, maximizing curiosity, and the evolution of practice that can help us all do our best in fostering student learning. We all hopefully learned a lot!

Charles University's global reach

2008-05-29T14:34:00.001-07:00

Our last heavy day in the Czech Republic was spent at Charles University in Prague. We had a jam-packed and fascinating day looking at this very old, complex, and expanding institution.

Charles University was founded in 1348 by King Charles. They presently have over 40,000 students and maintain over 1,000 global partnerships with other universities around the world. Charles is very typical of old European universities in the autonomy that each academic department has over its affairs. The departments are so strong that institutional decisions have to be made at the separate college levels and coordination across the colleges may or may not be forthcoming. On the other hand, they foster innovative partnerships with universities that support student, faculty, and staff exchanges and even allow for joint degrees all the way up to, and including, the Ph.D.

Part of our experience at Charles was visiting the Carolinum, the most historic and central building of a campus spread throughout the city. The picture above is of the courtyard of the Carolinum. We also saw the graduation hall, the robes, and degrees for graduates (picture to right). The ominous picture is of King George and the rest of the diploma is beautiful.

We ate in a student dining hall where I had a fascinating conversation with a young woman studying theology who now works on the Charles staff. She is a Jewish student and is going to study both Judaism and Islam during her master's work. She is pursuing this as preparation to work with international students who number around 4,000 each year. I was amazed at the potential connection between theology and preparation to work with international students. Many of my experiences have revealed that one of the most difficult differences for students to negotiate is religion. The lack of understanding of faith and the stereotypes about the many perspectives that students hold are frequently divisive. This young woman's preparation in theology may be a perfect match for international education.

The European tour has been fascinating for so many reasons. One of the things that is so different about this trip is that I really had the chance to compare the various forms of education emerging through the Bologna process. European higher education is changing and will change even more in the coming years. These changes will impact higher education in the U.S.A., the far east, the Arabian Gulf, and elsewhere. Keeping an eye on all these changes will be essential for those institutions that seek to maintain global status.

This was my last picture from Prague - this was taken in the late evening in the old square in the center of the city. As I strolled through the square with so many others around me, I wished so much that my family had been with me. There will be other times...

Prague - saved from the devastation

2008-05-27T14:45:00.001-07:00

Prague has stood for almost 800 years as one of the great capitols of Europe. At one time it was third only to Rome and Paris in size and it clearly had vast opportunity as one of the Hapsburg dynasty's most wealthy territories. It was spared major damage during the World and other wars because somehow it managed to avoid violent take-overs, even when various other armies, rulers, and dictators took it over from time to time.

We had a fascinating tour guide who considered himself Palestine, even though born and living in Prague. His parents were political refugees from Palestine from the 1940s and 1950s. He wasn't bitter about this but his status as a person whose identity is Palestinian definitely influenced comments that he made. One particular point that he made that startled me was that he said that the Czechs have always been willing to give in to others, thus saving their art and architecture, but perhaps sacrificing their principles and self-determination. This was a fascinating point that I will continue to explore.

The most prominent point in all of Prague is the Palace on the hill above the city, one that includes St. Vitus' Cathedral. The majority of the architecture in the city is either Baroque or Art Neuvo (in the case of St. Wenceslas' square). By contrast, St. Vitus Cathedral is Gothic (interior view to left) and contains many beautiful windows and historical elements. Included in the historical elements are the burial sarcophigi of all the former rulers of the area presently occupied by the Czech Republic and a special chapel where "Good King Wenceslas" is buried.

The last thing of the day included finding the music - again. There is lots of music offered in Prague but much of it is light classical music that tourists can attend and think they are actually listening to a substantive classical concert. It's a pretty sad statement that there are so many of these mini-concerts that allow people to go through the motions of attending more challenging concerts. We were lucky that we found a concert of a medium-size orchestra performing works of Smetana and Dvorak (busts pictured to right are of these two composers) that offered a little more creative substance.

Prague is now attracting seven million tourists a year and May is at the height of the season. The crowds were massive but manageable. It was great to discover another fascinating and historic European city. Thank goodness it was saved from destruction, no matter the means. I was able to go to the site of one of the Czech people's greatest moments in coping with and challenging the occupation of other governments. Wenceslas Square was the place where 300,000 people gathered day after day, rallying around Vaclav Havel who lead them in chants of "it's time to go." The result of this "velvet revolution" was the withdrawal of Soviet forces without one military encounter or lost life. This is an amazing story of courage and of positive change without violence.

Rebuilding and relearning in Dresden

2008-05-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

The next stop was Dresden, the city that was known as the Florence of the north before Allied forces bombed it at the end of WWII. Dresden was a city built at the height of the Baroque period and every building you see is a flourish of architectural and artistic genius. This is why it was bombed - as a sort of "pay-back" for the bombing of Conventry in England, another area known for its beauty and fine cathedral. The Frauenkirche was a particular target (seen rising above the streets of Dresden as it has been rebuilt) because it was perceived to be one of the most beautiful in all of Europe.

Seeing the amazing work that is underway to rebuild Dresden convinced me that Dresden will be one of the biggest tourism draws in Europe within the next 5-10 years. The other reason we visited Dresden was to stay overnight in student housing sponsored by the Studentenwerk of Dresden and to talk to students and staff who work with it. What an eye-opener. We found a very formal administration committed to serving students through the provision of financial aid, housing, and food. They believe that they have no role as it relates to learning. Student leaders are more or less bargainers for improvement in student conditions, rather than young people engaged in learning how to govern, how to influence their environment, and moving through their collegiate experience in predictable developmental ways.

I was struck by the impact of over forty years under Soviet control that fostered dependence, drudgery, and stifled hope. We were only there for less than twenty-four hours so it may be unfair to judge. However, it's hard not to observe that Dresden, and probably other institutions in a similar state, are in a process of developing capacity to engage more actively and collegially to improve their institutions. The conditions are what they are - it's critical to understand how Dresden got the way it is and what the opportunities of the future might bring.