Maybe different languages aren't always a barrier...

I had a very fun experience on Monday that gave me a new appreciation for the importance of language. I've been meeting with the Agence du Benevolat of Differdange and Luxembourg City to see about the possibility of including service learning in MUDEC students' options. The conversations have been wonderful, welcoming, and full of possibility. The only problem is that I'm the only person out of seven who attended last Monday's meeting who is solely or even primarily English-speaking (how bad is that?). Anyway, the group is very gracious in keeping me in the loop and I speak to people directly or through Dr. Stiller when interpretation is necessary. Well, I had a moment of awakening when the group became so energized about the ideas that they completely forgot to translate for me. I mean everybody was popping all over the place until someone finally realized I wasn't catching anything. Actually, I didn't mind at all. I sat there completely content because I realized at the moment that the conversation broke loose that they had shifted to owning the question - they were so invested that I was no longer necessary!

Sometimes when we deal with people who share our language we're deceived. They say all the right words but they don't really share the commitment we think they do. The wonderful thing about language difference is that constant translation keeps everyone in the conversation but, when the question is owned, there's no need to translate. Everyone knows what's happened and it's totally OK. What a lesson to learn from different languages.

Sharon Parks Daloz - Influences in our lives

The other thing I did this weekend was finish Big Questions - Worthy Dreams by Sharon Parks Daloz. It was quite a fitting end to the weekend as I road through the countryside east of Paris. The timing of my reading this is a little more than uncanny. I'm working diligently on Deeper Learning in Leadership and have now completed four chapters. I have one more chapter that I intend to complete while here which will make me more than half done toward the goal of delivering the manuscript on May 1, 2006. I may even beat the deadline.

The book is focused on how to address questions of the purpose and organization of higher education related to developing deeper leadership potential in our graduates. Sharon's book has stimulated lots of new thoughts about the book, both in terms of style and substance. As a result, I've modified the thrust of the chapter I begin this week, which is focused on examples of leadership programs that drive understanding deeper.

One of the interesting examples that Sharon proposes as a helpful catalyst for young adults' inner journey is travel abroad. When I decided to come to MUDEC I didn't know entirely what I needed to learn but Sharon put her finger on at least one of the great lessons of this experience. She said that "international travel can evoke deepened recognition and connection and interdependence" by "awakening curiosity, evoking awe, deepening compassion, informing the mind, and opening possibilities." Wow! I couldn't even begin to describe my experience better than this. Even when you do your study abroad as a mature professional, there's so much to learn and it does take you to a different place.

Another part of my presence in Europe relates to a point Sharon made about nature being a stimulus for insight as well. She says about outdoor activities like hiking, camping, climbing, etc., "Also in relation to people, it teaches you how important it is to care about others. If you get into trouble, you need people or you will probably die - what to do if nobody cares enough to help." I've had this experience repeatedly in my travels - what to do if nobody cares... At first, I was afraid to ask due to language barriers or simply that tough, "I can do this on my own" thing. The result - anxiety, fear, loneliness. Traveling on weekends has taught me to reach out to others. I now even have people asking me for help and I try as I can. The chance encounters and brief interactions with truly wonderful people everywhere is infectious. Note to self - Letting go and realizing I will receive care is one of the most freeing experiences of my life.

Teaser for "return to Paris"

On Sunday I went for a search of the best placed and most reasonable hotel room in Paris. I went back down to the central museum area and discovered that somehow I'd missed the Louvre the day before. I started by taking pictures from what I thought was the main entrance only to find out that the real thing was 20 times that size. I was absolutely stunned at the proportion of the collection and can't wait to go back with Diane and Darbi.

I searched and searched for hotels, checking rates as I went and have two nominees - one a block from the Louvre (my personal favorite) and the other a block from Sacre'-Coure pictured below. So, the choice will be up to Diane and Darbi whether they want to be in the downtown museum and attractions area or out in Montmartre. Either way, I'll be thrilled just to be back. Paris is a very special place.

One museum - just one!

As I said, I was judiciously avoiding things that I know Diane, Darbi and I will do. I chose to go into the Musee Rodin because I doubt that we'll have time to go back there three weeks off. The Museum was originally built in 1728 as one of the finest houses in Paris. It passed through several owners, serving as either a grand residence or a wonderful "ball" staging facility.

The house was used as an artists' colony called Hotel Biron from 1904 to 1911. Rodin lived there with other notables like Isadora Duncan, Cocteau, Matisse, Rilke, and others. During this time Rodin became inspired by the house, gardens and the wonderful natural environment to complete his artistic work. The house now is a museum with collection inside and with some of Rodin's most renowned works outside in the natural garden setting. Below are pictures of the REAL sculptures that I've seen pictures or copies of for decades. The first - The Thinker. Second - The Burghers of Calais. Third - The Gates of Hell which combines The Thinker with a number of his other sculptures.



All in all, the Musee Rodin is an incredible collection of one of the 19th century's greatest artists.

Paris - amazing city

I left for Paris early Saturday morning and arrived by noon. It was snowing in Luxembourg but I didn't expect it in Paris. When I arrived, it was still coming down and it was wonderful to feel the city in winter. I've discovered that I enjoy getting to know cities by walking (as evidenced by the Berlin blog entries). Well, I did it again.

If you know anything about Paris, the Saturday afternoon/evening walk started from Paris Est rail station, proceeded to il de la Cite' (the island where Notre Dame, Palais de Justice, and the Conciergeric are), through the Latin Quarter, St. Germain, to the Hotel des Invalides, the Grand/Petite Palais, up the Ave des Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, across to Montmartre, and back to the area of the Paris Est rail station (where I found a $50 Euro hotel).

I took several fun pictures that I hope you'll enjoy. The first below is Notre Dame. The second is the bridge looking back from the Grand Palais toward the Hotel des Invalides with the Dome Church of Louis XIV's reign in the background. The third is my first picture of the Eiffel Tower.



This entire walking journey was designed to familiarize me with the city while not doing things that I knew Diane, Darbi, and I would be doing when they get here. All in all the walk, with stops, took the next nine hours after I got to Paris. The last image I'll leave you with is the Ave des Champs Elysees just after the holiday lights came on. This event was absolutely hysterical. There were tens of thousands of people on the avenue at dusk when all of a sudden the entire area lit up with lights. The crowd cheered and ran for the middle of the street (obviously the location of my picture as well). The flashing of cameras was almost as bright of the lights. It was great celebrative fun and I called Diane while it was happening so that she could experience it vicariously.

Snowy day in Luxembourg

We woke up to a dusting of snow this morning - the first in my experience with Europe. It wasn't a deep snow but just enough to make it pretty. I spent the morning writing and then took a walk after lunch and snapped a couple of pictures. The first is looking out across the Differdange valley from the top of a hill.

The next picture is looking back up the hill to the place where I just took the other picture. The clouds come in and out and the flurries continue. The flakes right now are the big beautiful feathery kind - just gently floating through the air. There are still patches of blue sky between the clouds bringing the snow.

I'll be off to France tomorrow morning and will be back mid-afternoon on Sunday.

Thanksgiving in Luxembourg

Thanksgiving in Europe is a little strange. Those of us in the U.S., including me, just don't think about the fact that other countries don't celebrate this holiday that is so symbolic to us. Thanksgiving is about family, sharing stories, feasting, walking it off, and watching football. None of that here... But, it was beautiful as the first snow began to fall when we were going into dinner.



Ekkie Stiller (above), the director of MUDEC, made sure all of us wayward Americans had a way to join together, regardless of being away from our country and our families. We had a good turkey dinner. (Notice I didn't say great!) But, it was good. There's just nothing like Diane's way of putting on a feast and it was obvious I was not enjoying the home-cooked gourmet meals to which I have become accustomed.

Thanksgiving is an interesting thing. I think of the full and prosperous lives we live in the U.S. and I think about the bounty others experience as well - Europe certainly is a place of great opportunity and luxury. However, there are many others world-wide who don't have these things. With any luck, the growing integral world that we inhabit will become a fairer, gentler, and more loving place.

Sharon Parks Daloz on valuing others' wisdom

While I've been exploring integral theory with Oliver Triebel, I've simultaneously been reading Big Questions: Worthy Dreams by Sharon Daloz Parks. I've found many complementary concepts between Parks' ideas and those of integral theory. I sent a quote (p. 87) to Oliver from Parks' book as a thank you for our meeting:

One now becomes increasingly angered and saddened by assertions of truth that exclude the authority of the experience of others. For example, a manager may have been tolerant of shared inquiry and decision making, and even affirmed the notion ideologically - all the while silently harboring a sense that her own inner experience, knowledge, and intuition would lead to the best decision. When she dwells in this more interdependent conviction, however, she perceives dialogue to be not merely politically expedient but essential. Yet she can still bring to that dialogue the strength of her own capacity to author truth - a strength that is now joined with a capacity to listen to others with deepened attention and responsiveness.

Oliver Triebel - McKinsey and integral theory

I sorted through my notes and summed up a few more of my reactions to the meeting with Oliver Triebel in Berlin. My notes follow...

The inquiry with Oliver began with my request to hear about how McKinsey, through Oliver’s leadership, has used integral theory, to improve the effectiveness of the consultants who work for the company.

One of the most interesting transformations of McKinsey’s practice through the Berlin office is that integral theory is being integrated into a number of things spanning workplace environment, to creating inclusive environments, to helping executives who are McKinsey’s clients discover the core of their purpose and how to be more mindful in their work. One of the implications of doing deeper work informed by integral practice is that McKinsey discovered that they could not count on internal staff to bring the kind of perspective they need. They have hired some external trainers/consultants who provide training to consultants. One example is Gita Bellin, an Australian who now provides consultation on spiritual training called “Dynamic Mind Practice.”

Oliver has experimented with completely new forms of consultation practice. Instead of coming to a client with prescriptive notions about what needs to be addressed and how to do it, he begins by asking participants to brainstorm with him what it takes to create a good learning environment (sounds a lot like the Baxter-Magolda "Learning Partnership Model" doesn't it?). Oliver has found that, given the opportunity to generate the qualities, the participants will almost always compile a list that relates to the integral “four-quadrant” model. I can't draw the four-quadrant model in this post but it is a 2X2 quadrant with Interior/Exterior at the top and Individual/Collective down the side. The combination of these results in quadrants labeled "I," "It," "We," and "Its." These refer to different areas of focus necessary to create a holistic and healthy organization.

The reason the four quadrants are so important is that the holistic principle involved means that each quadrant is connected to the others and each affects the others. Sickness in one creates sickness in another and health begets health. In other words, the four-quadrant model is a way of thinking of a holistic personal, interpersonal, cultural and environmental system. Integral theory suggests that advancing human development and the status of life is dependent upon addressing all areas of the four-quadrant model. This description is a gross over-simplification of a model that is much more elegant and interesting than I can describe here but I hope it provides an introductory snap-shot.

Oliver has learned over time that the best strategy for change is to use existing systems and reshape them to confirm or adopt notions of integral theory. Using integral theory as a superimposed model invites only resistance and disconnection. He is currently designing a corporate university model using spiral dynamics to address multi-cultural organizations. In this approach, the spiral is used to help everyone see that others operate at different levels in terms of their understanding of the value of others in the workplace. Knowing this allows the organization to appeal to those things that make sense for each organization member.

Part of the challenge of using integral theory in training is that, with young/younger professionals, you don’t have the developmental maturity for them to relate to the stages of spiral dynamics. However, Oliver’s strategy is to propose the world of idealism and an improved world and this is very attractive to young, bright people who want to make a difference. Intelligence helps because these kinds of individuals are motivated by achievement. If integral theory can help them be more successful, they’ll give it a try.

A fitting end to a day in Berlin - Verdi in the Dom

As I was stumbling through the afternoon enjoying all the sites of Berlin, I made my way to the Berliner Dom, which is the Protestant Cathedral at the end of Strasse des 17.Juni. The Berliner Dom was built in 1747-1750 as a monument to Protestanism; in fact, there are statues of the major early figures in the Protestant movement including Luther and Calvin. I went to the Dom (picture at top form a distance), only to find that I couldn't get in. I asked why and discovered that there was a final rehearsal underway for a 6 p.m. performance of Verdi's Requiem by the Berlin Philharhomic and chorus. Well, it took 2 seconds to decide what I would be doing at 6 p.m. I bought my tickets and timed it to return in a couple of hours (more later).

In the meantime, I visited the German Historical Museum, which includes the new I.M. Pei addition. I strolled the streets with all the Christmas Festival booths and I mingled with the tens of thousands of people shopping in this amazing area.

When I returned to the Dom for the Requiem, I found that my seats were high up in one of the balconies - not a problem because it was the sound I was eager to hear. As people were shuffling in nervous excitement, I knew I was in for something special. The orchestra, chorus, and conductor came out. A moment of hushed silence and then out of nothingness the quiet breath of violins floating through the Dom's interior space so imperceptable that you could hardly hear it. The Requiem was underway and I gazed above me to the towering interior, adorned with gold, marble, sculptures and every kind of decoration you can imagine. I took some video inside but do not have any still photos, however, a close up of the exterior that gives a little idea of the intricacies is above.

The Requiem was utterly amazing. For those of you who don't know it, the Dies Irae (Day of Reckoning) repeats several times. In the Dom setting it was absolutely stunning. The first tympany that accompanies the chorus is freightening but the second phrase convinces you that literally the doors of hell have been unleashed. I'm getting the chills all over again as I even think of it. I don't remember many other musical moments this realistic or revealing about the depths of desparation of the human spirit. (Well, maybe the Mahler No. 2 (Resurrection) beats it...)

I had the great pleasure of sitting behind a couple with a young son - probably only six years old. This child was perfect throughout almost two hours of the Requiem. The only exception was each repeat of the Dies Irae at which times the little boy reached up around his mother's neck, hugging her tight for security, and reassurance. I was struck by the natural response and how appropriate he was in understanding the reality of what he was hearing. I wish I had someone to hug as well.

The trip to Berlin was a bit disorienting because it was so long. But, I wouldn't have missed it for anything. I feel that I've seen a critical part of modern history and I cherish the opportunity.

Berlin - an afternoon in the new "West"

When I left the meeting with Oliver, I asked for advice on what not to miss in Berlin. He directed me to go to the new West Berlin area, beginning with the Brandenburg Gates (first picture). This was absolutely amazing - to know that these gates stood to separate East and West Berlin for so many years. When they were originally built, they were simply part of the succession of monuments flowing through Tiergarten Mitte.

What I didn't realize is that actually most of the major nomuments and public buildings were all in this area. One of the major buildings was the Reichstag (second picture), a building constructed in the early 20th century to house governmental meetings and officials. This is a very historic building with a huge dome over it.

Newly constructed beside the Reichstag is an entirely new governmental complex - sleek, new, but still monumental in scale (third picture). This area is composed of major historic buildings and everything new. West Berlin was so devastated by the period of separation that all the lesser buildings were torn down to make room for the new.

One of the most chilling of scenes is the fourth picture above. This is a view from a series of granite blocks that represents the over 3 million Jews who died at the hands of Nazi persecution during WWII. The blocks literally form canyons of despair and confusion that serves to remind us of what a devastating period of human history this was. And, before we point the finger too quickly at the German people or its government, we have to remember how much the U.S.A. knew of what was happening before unwillingly entering the war. Beyond the blocks rises the new city of West Berlin. Everything in this new area is gleaming and beautiful. It is full of trendy stores, entertainment and everything you could possibly want in a now modern and progressive city.

A new colleague and friend - Oliver Triebel

The reason I went to Berlin was for an appointment with Oliver Triebel, a person to whom I was referred by another colleague who is an executive coach, member of ILA, and devoted to "integral theory." I discovered integral theory last summer as a result of a gift certificate from Jon Kroll (I will forever be thankful to Jon for the introduction). If you are not familiar with it, the main guru is Ken Wilber and a growing number of people around the world are devoting their energy to understanding integral theory and how it can be used to help transform the quality of organizations, our relationships, and eventually the future of the planet. Wilber's most recent book is "A Theory of Everything" so you might assume that the ideas he communicates have more than lofty aspirations.

My meeting with Oliver was nothing short of transformative. Because education circles have not embraced integral theory as yet, when you mention it, you either get a blank or questioning look. Oliver is a McKinsey Consultant and actually on his second stretch with them. He joined them immediately after graduating with his masters. He worked for them for several years and then thought that he would pursue more lucrative work in banking. He tried the banking industry, stopped out to re-center for a year, and returned to McKinsey when they urged him to come back. He came back because he saw more opportunity of transforming the world through having influence on organization culture and climate and helping leadership in corporate and non-profit settings better understand the dynamics of the world within which we live.

I am always amazed at how small the world really is. Oliver is German and completed his undergraduate studies in Germany. He went to Med school but didn't find fulfillment their. As a result, he looked at other avenues to make a difference and landed on attending the JFK School of Government at Harvard for his masters. Oliver studied with both Robert Kegan and Ron Heifetz and the influence of each is very obvious in the way Oliver sees the world.

There's is so much I want to capture about the meeting with Oliver but I need to sort it out a bit more before posting it to the blog. So, those of you interested in more details about Oliver, integral theory, and the implications for the study and practice of leadership should come back a bit later. The realization is that some of the things that we've been doing, or have considered, at Miami are very much in line with the latest thinking but need refinement. I learned so much about new and exciting possibilities about how to enhance our leadership focus. And, what McKinsey Consulting is doing provides some support for the possibilities we might pursue.

Berlin - Marathon walk

I knew that I had my meeting at 11 a.m. so I got up early, thinking that I'd go for a walk to get more comfortable with the city, take some pictures and have plenty of time to find my meeting location.

My best guess is that I walked 6-8 miles from 8 to 11 a.m. I was so proud of myself for about 3/4 of the trip until I suddenly couldn't find my place on the map. (Is this scenario beginning to sound familiar? Forgive me, family, but I really am trying to use maps.) The fact that I had to seek help in getting back is a small detail by comparison to what I saw. I walked from my hotel, through the commercial district, and then to Strasse des 17.Juni - the huge avenue that runs straight through Berlin and the center of Tiergarten Mitte (a wonderful park in the center of the city). The remnants of the major cathedral standing before WWII are in the middle of the commercial area; only the front facade of the cathedral still stands and a new tower has been erected behind it (picture at top).

Strasse des 17.Juni is punctuated by traffic rotaries and huge monuments. On one end is Ernst Reuter Plazt, Sieges-Saule in the middle (next picture), and the Brandenburg Gates on the far end (previously the divider between east and west Berlin - pictures on that later). After I walked Strasse des 17.Juni, I walked through the embassy row area and back into the area of what was previously east Berlin. It was obvious throughout the walk that the history of the east was carefully protected throughout the division of Berlin - neighborhoods have lots of character and charm.

One of the things that most struck me about Berlin is that it is a city inspired by ambition. No monument is small and every one of them reflects great artistic inspiration. I couldn't help but think about how ambition can be such a stimulus for greatness - achieving things far beyond imagining. However, knowing the history of Germany and its strife as a country, I also couldn't help but wonder how ambition can be more effectively kept in check so that it doesn't end up abusing or destroying others.

Berlin - Study in contrasts

I took off for Berlin on Friday and got there in time to do some browsing before I needed to get to bed. The train ride took me from Luxembourg City, through Trier, to Koblenz, Koln, and on to Berlin. The first treat of the train ride was the Mossel valley - absolutely spectaclur - exactly like I would have anticipated. The Mossel river follows through a mountanous ravine with steep vineyards rising up the hillsides. It is absolutely amazing that those cultivating the vineyards can actually climb as high as the vineyards go. The river valley is dotted with little villages all along the way. There are a few castle ruins and loads of churches up on hillsides - I found out later that these churches are built up on steep hillsides in order to provide "pilgrimage" experiences for parrishoners who live in the area. This also explains the picture back in Luzern of the chapel almost at the summit of Mt. Pilatus. Koblenz is where the Mossel and Rhine meet and it is a town obviously dominated by the wine industry. Surprisingly enough, from Koblenz to Koln is not nearly as beautiful as the Mossel valley but, from what I understand, the other direction for Koblenz to Frankfurt is the best part of the Rhine valley - I'll do that sometime in the next month.

I made all my connections, including a six minute train change in Koln to get on to Berlin. Half way through the ride to Berlin, a terrific young man returning from a Brussels' EU Commission meeting for the Ministry of the Interior sat down beside me. He is an IT specialist for the Ministry of the Interior in Germany; the meeting he attended in Brussels was about how well Europe is preparing for the technology needs of the future. Well, as you can imagine, we spent the next two hours talking about the EU, about Germany and the U.S.A., and about the challenge of EU and other western countries as they continue to try to compete with Asia. The bottom lins is that, with the growing availability of cheaper labor and the ability to mass produce on scales never imagined before, any western country had better be on their toes, developing new products, new technologies, new services, or Asian countries will catch up and pass us. It was a fascinating conversation, full of challenge and opportunity.

Once I got to Berlin, I was disoriented in terms of where I was so I jumped a taxi. The only problem with the taxi was that my cabbie didn't speak English very well so I wrote the address of my hotel (Jenaer Strasse) on a piece of paper. Well, I gave the cabbie the note with the street name, except the "J" looked like a "T" to the cabbie and I thought he was going to choke me - not exactly a welcoming feel for my first encounter. I got to the hotel - pleasant, small, clean, and cheap are the operating expectations. Once I got settled, I went for a walk and in search of dinner. I was totally amazed by the activity level of the city. The shopping and entertainment areas were in full tilt. It was very fun to see Berlin first at night. I found a little restaurant to have dinner, sat down and ordered, had a "relaxation" beer with dinner, and then it struck - I wasn't sure I could make it back to the hotel and I didn't have anything on me that gave the address or had a contact number. I could have collapsed in panic but, instead, took a big deep breath to see if I could retrace my steps - Note to self - When you're in a strange environment, keep track of important details and markers if you ever hope to make it back!

The EU and leadership - more emerging insights

One of my purposes in coming to MUDEC was to have the opportunity to explore the ideas behind, and the current status of, the EU. I have to admit, I think I represent the more or less typical citizen of the U.S.A. who knew very little about the EU before preparing to come to Luxembourg. I've grown to appreciate it more each day I've been here. That's not to say that it is a flawless system (I doubt that any government will ever achieve this), but it certainly has merit. The greatest merit I see is the way it reflects much about the newest theories on leadership.

This week's discussion in the "Global Leadership" seminiar was based on a comparison of the EU and Jean Lipman-Blumen's "Connective Leadership" theory. We looked at the core ideas and questions and decided that, for the most part, the concept and delivery of the EU is very synchronous with these ideas. In connective leadership, leading is a process of bringing the right people to the table, asking for everyone's best contribution and perseverance. In this type of leadership, the leader does not presume to have the answers nor all the skills to address any particular question. Instead, the leader's role is to find the resources and resource people, convince them that their contributions are needed, and engage disparate voices in the pursuit of a mutually beneficial outcome. The EU is precisely the same thing. The EU follows centuries of conflict among its member nations, yet, it is committed to advancing EUROPEAN interests through appropriate consultation and following the dictum of "subsidiarity," which is pushing every issue to those people and systems most able to resolve it. Leadership in the EU is not easy. It includes conflict. It is cumbersome and adaptive. But, it attempts to get the job done for the greater good of all.

There are many details about the EU that I still only vaguely grasp. I had the great fortune of sharing dinner on Monday night with one of MUDEC's visiting professors from Belgium - Mr. Guy VANHAEVERBEKE. Guy is a very colorful person; he reminded me of the image I have of great diplomats from Europe during the 20th century. The primary difference is that Guy has been working for the EU since 1958, patiently negotiating systems to bring about positive change. It was wonderful hearing Guy's stories and it led me to ask when he was going to write his memoirs. He humbly said he didn't have time for that...

As I was preparing to go to bed last night, I was watching a CNN interview with the French Foreign Minister about the recent unrest and riots in France. The Foreign Minister accepted in candor that life shouldn't be like it has been for the families and young people who have been protesting. He also went on to say that the French government is taking this opportunity to study and to resolve the discontent felt so deeply by many. He also proposed that the journey was a two-way struggle with the government and people working together to make a better life for all French citizens. Ironically, he closed the interview by paraphrasing John F. Kennedy's famous inaugural remark, "Ask not what France can do for you but what you can do for France." While such a quote may seem odd in the context of modern times, it represents the core of democracy in France and in the U.S.A. We have become so used to expecting the government to make us happy and satisfied, yet what do we contribute to our communities and to governance to make sure we are all progressing toward better lives? As a citizen of the U.S.A., I'm embarassed that I've allowed what should be perceived as responsibilities of citizenship - voting, commmunity involvement, paying my taxes - to be turned into burdens of having to go to the polls, reading the paper, and especially "tax relief." Note to self - while these investments in the quality of our common life are not always easy, they are a debt I owe to those who made liberty and opportunity available to me and they are an investment in the quality of life for future generations.

Finishing Luzern and off to Basel

Once I managed to get myself down from Mt. Pilatus, I enjoyed browsing around shops, walking the park that rings the lake, and going to Luzern's Transportation History Museum. All these were wonderful experiences. I also walked the city walls at night to be able to see the city from above after dark. Luzern has been a prominent city for many centuries but came into its prime in the 19th century. The reason it is such a beautiful place with so much shopping, entertainment, and history is that it was an early European tourist destination. Tourism started in the steamship days when it was discovered that these could quickly bring tourists from a variety of other places to the resort village. There were many notables of the 19th century who found their inspiration in Luzern - Richard Wagner, Victor Hugo, Queen Victory. All of these people were mesmerized by the natural beauty and the man-made comforts of this wonderful place.

I bid farewell to my beautiful little room early this morning. It was overcast when I jumped on my train. I took off thinking I was going to return via the German route. However, the closer I got to Basel (the decision point of whether to go through Germany of France), the more confident I was that I should try going through France. I arrived in Basel by 10 a.m. and found that the train to Luxembourg City wouldn't leave until 1:30 p.m. I immediately went to the travel information center to find out what I could do for 3 hours. To my delight, I found that today was a city-wide celebration of autumn and that all sorts of vendors and people would be flooding into the marketplaces soon. In addition, I had already heard of the 14th century cathedral and wanted to check it out. I took my map in hand and headed off down one of the avenues, only to find the first Starbuck's I've laid eyes on for three weeks (Wow! Can you imagine?). So, my day was off to a very good start. I arrived at the cathedral in time to hear the closing of the morning service, including organ postlude - magnificent. I wish I had pictures of this but I was taking video at the time. The second picture above is of one of the side streets leading to the cathedral, a very typical kind of path to walk throughout the city. I also walked behind the cathedral to find the Rhine quietly flowing through what is called the "knee" of the Rhine - the place where it switches from a westerly to a northerly flow.

All in all, the weekend was a combination of pure terror and pure joy. I'm increasingly becoming accustomed to not knowing what I'm doing and being willing to trust those around me to help. I had someone ask me for help in the Basel train station and, to my surprise, I was actually able to help. As I road through the countryside of France through Metz and Nancy, I was listening to one of my favorite CDs - "American Jubilee" with the Cincinnati Pops. I like listening to it because it has many of the old patriotic icons of music - God Bless America, America the Beautiful, the Stripes and Stipes Forever. I was struck by the beauty of the music and how it conveyed the vigor and hope of America. I was also struck by the quiet and deep beauty of Europe, the warmth of its people, and the new possibilities it has in the European Union. I was a little embarassed that I've assumed for most of my life that America was somehow superior to this place. Note to self - don't judge other people until you risk of yourself enough to encounter them and, just maybe, walk a mile in their shoes.

Mt. Pilatus

Both Devin and Darbi had told me that I absolutely had to go up Mt. Pilatus. I got up early Saturday morning so that I could get on my way. When I walked out of my hotel, I found the entire lake rimmed with market vendors of every sort. It was absolutely beautiful - people all over the place and such a positive feeling. I browsed around a bit, got some breakfast, and then began to explore how to get to Pilatus. I bought a ticket that handled transportation to the tram center and then all the way up the mountain. The one picture of me precariously leaning on the cable railing was a real test of my wits. Had I stumbled or slipped, I would have dropped no less than a thousand feet off the cliff. The top of Mt. Pilatus is 7,000 feet in the air. The pictures give you some feeling of how high it is but it really doesn't do it justice. There are a few buildings up toward the summit - one the little white church which is very near a rock slide area that I assume will eventually take it. I can't imagine who thought of building a church at this altitude and I have further trouble imagining who attends it.

The Swiss Alps are in the distance behind Mt. Pilatus. Most of the people who go up spend several hours at the top hiking around. I met numerous people and struck up wonderful conversations. Without exception, the Swiss are very warm and welcoming people. They are curious about the U.S.A. and no one made even close to politically-oriented comments. Everyone was a delight. I loved being at the top, although I have to admit that my fear of heights was a bit problematic. Suffice it to say, I stayed close to the inside of all the trails.

Switzerland - first step was getting there...

I took off to Switzerland about noon on Friday. I had been told that it shouldn't take more than 6-7 hours. However, I was paranoid of the unrest in France so I decided to go to Germany (Trier --> Mannheim --> and down) for a safer journey. The thought was nice but the details were a mess. The short of it is that it took me 11 hours to make it to Luzern, Switzerland, because much of my back-roads train schedule was cancelled or modified before it was all over. Not to prolong this too much, but I was fine through Trier and then was snagged in Saarbrucken. I had asked a guy who seemed to know what he was doing what to do as we were coming into Saarbrucken; I knew I needed to change trains. Come to find out, he was a history professor (focusing on Jewish Studies) at the University of Trier and spoke both fluent English and German so he was a huge help. He was trying to get to Mannheim as well but our train was cancelled. He handled me completely so I took him for coffee while we waited for the next train and then we spent about 2 hours together talking about amazing things in terms of the various isolation and discrimation experiences Jew have experienced over the years in Europe. This spun into a conversation about the EU and about whether or not Turkey should be admitted. This led to a fundamental question about how culture is defined and how societies can create environments where culture is either affirmed or obliterated. I wish I could give you all the details but it's way to deep. The fact is, by taking a chance to ask, "Do you speak English?" I got some help, made a friend, and learned a lot.

When I got to Luzern, it was about 10 p.m. I had a hotel picked out via the internet and struck off to find it based on the directions on their web site. Well, again, it was 10 p.m. and I was tired and had trouble finding it. So, I stopped at a little hotel up a walkway, asked if they would give me a "last minute" rate which was 77 Swiss Franks (probably 60 Euro), and took a chance. The room was small, but it was clean and comfortable. The next morning I woke up, noticed that instead of windows, I had doors. I opened the doors to look out across the lake at Mt. Pilatus (the picture above) and then panned my camera to the right and the left to see the other views above. To say the least, for 60 Euro, I thought I found heaven.

Manfred Kets de Vries at ILA

I was just reviewing my notes from the ILA conference and thought I'd post a few notes from one of the most fascinating of the keynote speakers - Manfred Kets de Vries (Raol de Vtry d'Avaucourt Chaired Professor of Leadership Development and Director, Global Leadership Centre, INSEAD, France). There are so many presentations that I could summarize but it would take way too much of my/your time. Manfred's insights were particularly helpful so I provide some of the high points below.

The beginning proposition was that our world is changing so fast that we have to adopt new ways of being and new methods of leading in order to survive. "If you're not confused, you don't know what's going on..." was one of his most startling assertions. We are in the midst of massive global change and anyone who pretends to have it figured out doesn't have a read on reality. He also said that what is essential in beginning to chart a positive future is getting the "people stuff" right. His belief is that many organizations are woefully ineffective because they rely too heavily on cognitive intelligence (IQ) versus emotional intelligence (EQ). He quipped that in the workplace, IQ gets you the job but IQ allows you to keep it. His research indicates that there is a 40%-60% incompetence rate in leadership in most organizations. The reasons include; unwillingness for leaders to exercise authority, tyranny of subordinates, micromanagment, and a lack of succession planning. Now, we could all join the BMW (Bitch, Moan, and Whine) club but that does little to address the problem.

Instead of adopting the conventional BMW perspective, Manfred recommended that the challenge of leadership is to create "authentizotic" organizations. This word is derived from the combination of authentic and exotic. Authentizotic organizations have eight key characteristics. First of all, they have direction and focus; in such settings leaders are the merchants of hope. Second, authentizotic organizations have a high performance (coaching) culture; everyone's purpose is to help each other be more effective. Third, there is careful selection and placement of talent. Fourth, authentizotic organizations are customercentric. Fifth, there is a spirit of entrepreneurship - but a connective entrepreneurship that continues to bind colleagues together. Sixth, the members of authentizotic organizations have voice - they are empowered to speak honestly and do not have to fear retribution for anything they might say or advocate. Seventh, these organizations are accountable - individually and collectively. Last, authentizotic organizations have a deep and profound level of trust that pervades the organization.

Manfred was quite possibly the fastest talker I've ever witnessed so some of my notes may have missed important details. However, I hope the essence stimulates your thinking about leadership in healthy, thriving, and cutting-edge organizations. The Division of Student Affairs is hosting Parker Palmer on November 18 for a program on "Authenticity in Our Work." It seems that Manfred's ideas may relate to, or prepare the way for, Parker Palmer's visit.

Manfred was quite humorous in his lecture and I missed noting most of the jokes. However, I was able to capture one that pretty much captures the dilemma of learning and leading - "The challenge of life is to die young as late as possible." Maintaining a young, curious, and energetic perspective helps us live life more fully and may even provide the opportunity for greater longevity - at least productive longevity.

MUDEC and engaged learning

The Director of MUDEC, Dr. Ekkie Stiller, periodically hosts faculty and students for receptions and dinners, which is a wonderful community building effort. Last night was a faculty dinner, my first since being here. The faculty who are here presently, all very conscientious and thoughtful people, got into a discussion about the fact that a frequent response to MUDEC visiting faculty upon their return to Oxford is asking how their sabbatical/vacation went. The immediate response was that faculty here believe they work harder, pay more attention to students, and that teaching in Luxembourg is anything but a sabbatical. They went on to describe how living in the Chateau makes them constantly available to students, about how connecting with students in small classes creates a bond that makes grading more difficult, and about how study tours and other beyond the classroom activities are time consuming but pay off in such dramatic ways.

I listened intently and silently for quite some time, partially because the animation of the conversation made it hard to interject and the remainder because I simply wanted to listen deeply. The bottom line of the conversation was that the faculty were complaining about the fact that they thought they had discovered this amazing experience of holistic learning with students and they were bemoaning the fact that this kind of thing doesn't happen back in Oxford. When I joined in the conversation, I explained that the silos that we've created in Oxford and at other institutions result in faculty not knowing how rich students' lives really are - on a regular basis. I also explained that, in large measure, attending to the very kinds of things they were describing are what student affairs work is all about. The unfortunate part of it all is that many faculty don't even know that out of class learning is underway and that, when given the chance, Miami faculty are increasingly disengaging from students - disengaging from the kinds of experiences that the MUDEC faculty had just been expressing were the core of the experience here.

Well, you would have thought I set off a bomb - a good one. The faculty were totally with me on this point and we had a very lively continuing conversation about the struggle to maintain the focus on teaching that Miami has traditionally had as a strength. There were a variety of issues posed as responsible for eroding the teaching/learning focus of Miami, among them the tipping of P&T criteria toward grant funding and research, the fact that more faculty live out of Oxford than used to, and busy contemporary lifestyles. In essence, the Luxembourg program creates the quintessential colonial college with faculty in residence and readily available for interaction and tutoring; those who experience it immediately recognize it as a superior and deeper form of learning. The unfortunate part is that the answers to how one might offer such an experience more broadly and consistely are illusive. Maybe it's enough that these faculty and students have this opportunity and it becomes personally and professional transformative. Maybe that's not enough and we need to look more fundamentally at how the nature of our learning environment and elsewhere is changing.

Note to self... Upon a bit more reflection, it occurs to me that bemoaning the loss of the idealized learning communities of the past is futile. In fact, our contemporary reality is plummeting in the other direction and this trend is not likely to reverse. That is, unless the public and consumers catch on and begin to ask more of higher education in regards to deeper undergraduate learning. The public backlash is always a possibility. In the meantime, the only way I can maintain my sense of purpose and integrity is to be engaged where I can to create deeper learning (like MUDEC) and to talk with faculty and student affairs colleagues alike about the essential values we hold in common and how we approach our work to further student engagement.

Unfolding insights after the ILA Conference

The students taking my "Global Leadership" seminar (pictured above) attended the ILA conference with me. I asked them to attend the four keynote speakers and at least six of the nine program times available for papers, workshops, etc. Our ongoing seminar met tonight and we discussed what they discovered from their experiences at ILA.

The first question was, "What ideas about leadership were confirmed by what you saw and heard at the conference?" The answers fell into six areas. One student noted that the focus on service leadership reinforced notions that she had always embraced. In the service (or servant) leadership model, the focus of the leader is to serve first, letting the role of leading emerge from the commitments among leaders and collaborators working together. Another student drew from one of the keynote speakers, Kumi Naidoo (Secretary General and CEO, CIVICUS), who included a story about a boyhood friend who was jailed with him during the South African resistance movement. As Kumi left his friend after a period of incarceration as a fifteen year old, he commented that the ultimate in leadership must be to give one's life to the cause. The friend said, "No, it isn't to give it away but to live for your convictions." Within days afterward, the friend's life was taken by authorities attempting to quel the resistance. Another student found confirmation in presentations that identified different standards and expectations between men and women; to have others recognize what she has experienced helped her to realize she was not alone. Yet another student drew from one of the other keynote speakers, Manfred Kets de Vries (Professor of Leadership Development and Director, Global Leadership Centre, INSEAD, France) who ended his remarks by reinforcing that life and leadership is a journey, not a destination. Finally, a couple of students noted that they struggled with the unexamined privilege of many of the participants from the U.S.A. There were numerous examples where a U.S.A. presenter would make reference to "us" or "here" and it was obvious that they meant "Americans" (as if all in the room were from one country) and that, in fact, the meeting was in North America. The sensitivity acquired from studying at MUDEC helped Miami students be more aware of this potentially offensive bias.

The second question we explored was, "What were the surprises that challenged your perspectives about leadership?" The first challenge was a woman student who was surprised that there is a lot of evidence in the research on leadership that women's leadership behaviors are more effective than men's. Examples are that women are frequently more attentive to quality control, customer satisfaction, relationships in the workplace, processes, and that women are inherently more dedicated to transformational leadership purposes. This realization led to the insight that men and women have different gifts that they bring to leadership and that the key is making sure that all of these talents bring benefit to the organizations men and women serve. Another surprising insight came from a presentation that explored surface versus deep action in leadership. This presentation addressed what happens when leaders are involved in crises. When in the midst of the crisis, leadership may operate more at the surface because to deeply recognize the tragedy may be more than the individual can handle while still attempting to serve others who need leadership throughout the organization. The final surprise was not about the content of leadership studies or development but about the way the ILA conference attendees conducted themselves during the conference. From students' perspective, the degree of true dialogue and discourse was minimal, which students believed hindered participants in learning as much as they could.

All in all, the students enjoyed and gained a great deal from attending ILA. It is a tribute to Miami students that they were comfortable enough to utilize critical thinking and reflection insights to make sense of what they heard. We will continue to explore the insights gained from ILA as we look at some of the most prominent reserachers and theorists in leadership studies.

MUDEC and Universite du Luxembourg

We had another meeting of the faculty between MUDEC and the Universite du Luxembourg this afternoon. We are attempting to devise an ongoing relationship that can serve both institutions. As I expressed in one of my previous posts, they are very interested in the concept of democracy and how it is manifest in modern times. After much discussion and struggling with how to approach this, a faculty member for Universite du Luxembourg (Martin Uhrmacher) and I were asked to draft something to get our respective students started. I took the first crack at it and expect Martin to come back with some revisions. The text that I suggested follows:

Most European and U.S. colleges and universities have included the goal of fostering civic interest in their students from their very founding days. This has taken many different forms including courses, lectures, student organizations, service and others. These opportunities have usually only implicitly encouraged student participation in democratic and leadership endeavors. The growing complexity of our global community and the failure of leadership in various settings (business, politics, education, social change) is producing a resurgence in the explicit attention given to civic engagement and leadership in many modern colleges and universities. If higher education is to be effective in sustaining democratic learning, students must be involved in shaping how democracy is to be approached and they must be involved in helping to define the form of democracy that will serve the purposes of those around the globe.

One of the challenges in educating students about democracy is "whose democracy?" How is it defined across a variety of circumstances and in the unique historic and national contexts in which it can be found? In order to understand what the options are, we return to three ancient views of democracy - Socratic, Stoic, and Epicurean. These three views are more straightforward than many of the complex systems we see today. In order to understand the original and core ideas of democracy, you are encouraged to consider how you believe democracy could be protected based on one or a combination of these perspectives. Brief definitions for each are:

1) Socratic democracy advocated that all responsible citizens should be involved in governing. While not all citizens were truly free to engage in these democratic deliberations in ancient times, all those who were eligible were expected to give of their time and effort to be informed, to discuss with others, and to exercise their civic responsibility. Democracy was dependent on civil service to friends, family, and community.

2) Stoic democracy advocated that citizenship was demonstrated through virtue and acts of brotherhood. In many ways, the Stoic perspective is very practical rather than philosophical. What mattered most was character, behavior, and how one treated his/her neighbor. Democracy was manifest through the bond of brotherhood or sisterhood expressed in community policies and practices.

3) Epicurean democracy advocated that governing was most effective when it assured that all citizens were free from pain and that they could pursue pleasure at will. In some ways, an Epicurean philosophy could be perceived to be hedonistic, except that Epicurean democracy sought for all to be able to pursue pleasure, not just oneself. Democracy in this way of thinking should create a better and more enjoyable quality of life for all.

You are being asked to consider these three core views of democracy and to write your own version of democracy in the modern day. In a short statement (no longer than those above), state what you believe the fundamental purpose and intent of democracy should be today.

The idea of democracy is one that is very important to EU citizens. They look at the U.S.A., the primary advocate for democracy in the world, and wonder if our ways of governing are as effective as we claim. The renewed sense of being players in the world community may result in young and old alike taking a more careful look at democracy and tackling the issues to make it more effective.

Amsterdam - last night

Our last night just happened to overlap with Amsterdam's "Museum Night," an evening where every museum in town was open until 2 p.m. I started at the Anne Frank house where we had the opportunity to view the environment that was the inspiration for Anne's beautifully written diary, one of the most profound demonstrations of the impact of Nazi abuse. Then we went to a contemporary photo gallery where MTV was hosting a huge party. We walked around the canal to go to a 17th century mansion that was the home of the man who founded one of the first Dutch trading companies with the far east. Then we went to see the Rembrandt and other masters and ended the night at Van Gogh. At Van Gogh they had live bands, food, drinks, and hundreds of people all over the place. The amazing thing about Amsterdam is the level of activity all the time. It seemingly never goes to sleep and people from around the world enjoy the many facets of this historic and dynamic city.

The other thing that I have to mention is that the new Il Divo album was released at a signing at the department store across from the Krasnopolsky while we were in Amsterdam. Since Il Divo is one of my favorites, I had to get an autographed CD. So, when I get back to the U.S.A. family and friends will have the chance to hear their latest and greatest (picture above).

Leadership - protecting against toxic and bullying leaders

One of my favorite sessions at the ILA was Jean Lipman-Blumen and her daughter talking about bullying and toxic leadership. Jean introduced the program by connecting her work with that of her daugher's on parenting education. One of the things that this presentation raised for me was why people bully, regardless of the setting. What has been found is that those who bully or are toxic leaders either have an inflated sense of self-worth or are compensating for low self-confidence. The most skilled bullies have elaborate rationale to justify their belief or expression of superiority or domination. The big question is how to counter this kind of destrucive behavior. One way is to foster environments that discourage individuals who present themselves in heroic roles. Another strategy is to empower bystander action. Examples of bullying behaviors include; withholding information, excluding, setting unrealitstic expectations, meaningless tasks, and excessive monitoring of work progress. Bullying is often small, not dramatic, hard to spot, and hard to complain about. The most successful resistance is intervening before a pattern is established. There are huge beneifts for bullies to continue their behavior, primarily because they are seldom confronted. Therefore, joint efforts of those who are subjected to various bullying, even minor cases, should bind together with others to confront it. One of the primary ways children are being advised is for them to help bullies understand how to get what they want without becoming the bullying and toxic people others dislike.

The primary way out of tolerating bullying and toxic leadership is to get bystandres involved and active. Bystanders are complicitous if they don't act. We also need to focus on prevention rather than remediation. The bottom line is that an organization culture should be encouraged that sets expectations and provides for effective peer influence.

The "Dignity at work" initiative of Marks & Spencer in the UK was identified as a particularly effective initiative that combines confronting bullying with workplace discrimination issues. Their strategy is not to outline the response to bad behavior but to set the standard for a positive environment.

This particular program was one of the highest attended sessions at the conference. When asked how many people in the room had experienced bullying or toxic leadership, approximately 75% of the room raised their hands. Clearly, Jean's role in bringing this to the attention of those interested in leadership is a very important contribution.

International Leadership Assoc Conference

From the beginning of the ILA board meeting through getting the MUDEC students into Amsterdam, preparing for presentations, and reconnecting with colleagues, the ILA conference was incredibly busy - and productive. I'm going to provide just a few highlights of speakers or meetings in which we participated. The picture at the top is off the Wintergarden which is one of the major meeting/dining facilities at the Krasnopolsky, the hotel where the conference was held.

The first two speakers at the ILA conference were particularly noteworthy. The first was a clinical professor at INSEAD (France) and international consultant, Manfred Kets de Vries. The second was Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Economy and Planning of the United Arab Emirates and CEO of Tejari. One of the most interesting questions raised during the discussion with the second speaker was when Jean Lipman-Blumen (author of The Connective Edge and The Allure of Toxic Leadership) asked what was different since 9-11-01 in the UAE. Her response included that over 100 years of relationship building had been undone and that she was working even harder now to visit the U.S.A. to develop trusting relationships. In addition, she said that inter-faith dialogue has expanded dramatically. Another question was what are the leadership challenges for the UAE. The response was that sustaining economic prosperity, responding to human need, and creating an environment inclusive of diverse cultures.

We had the opportunity to attend several programs that were specifically focused on the EU and leadership. The dynamic of this was very interesting because in some cases it was Europeans talking about the EU and in one case it was professors from the U.S.A. The EU and its relationship to leadership is a fascinating issue, one that is still emerging and can't really be understood or predicted at this point. The sad truth was that the U.S.A. presenters were poorly imformed and presumed to talk about things on which they had little expertise. Thankfully, the Europeans in attendance were not shy about raising questions and making sure that misconceptions were not perpetuated.

Amsterdam - November 1

Getting up to a wonderful breakfast, watching the sun rise through the window as it peaked over the Rijks Museum, the Concert Gebauw, a little music store with everything I could want and more, and finally the Van Gogh Museum (the picture to the left is of the Concert Gebauw with Van Gogh to the right). And that was just the morning. This day was pretty amazing to say the last. Oh, and then there was stumbling into seeing Vladmimir Putin laying a wreath at the Palace Square (picture above).

The capper for the day was having Diane call me as I was walking back to my hotel. (I finally got Darbi's Irish cell phone to work so I could receive calls.) It was so great hearing her voice and knowing that the girls and she were alright.

Amsterdam - October 31

This is a tourist entry so don't anticipate much in significance, other than getting a little insight on a very cool city - Amsterdam.

I went to Amsterdam on Monday, October 31, to prepare for the International Leadership Association Conference. I was worried about getting to Amsterdam so I started off from Differdange at 8 a.m. I got to Luxembourg City before 9 a.m. so decided to jump right on the 9 a.m. to Brussels. That went well and I got to Brussels about noon. I had a chance to hop right on the Amsterdam train so I kept rolling.

I got to Amsterdam about 3 p.m. I was feeling so proud of myself that I decided to start walking to where I thought the hostel was. Well, that was pretty courageous but not so smart. I knew the general direction but wasn't sure of the details, especially since the streets are extremely irregular in Amsterdam. I walked for block upon block, drinking everything in along the way. I finally got in the neighborhoold (Voldenpark) but had to ask three times before I got useful guidance. Once I got to the hostel, I discovered they couldn't handle me so I asked for a referral. I was referred to a place a couple of blocks away - pretty funky but it worked. I was in a room five flights up (the steepest steps I've every seen in my life) but at least I had a clean room and some privacy. Actually, it was a pretty neat place for $50 Euros per night. The coolest thing about it was that it was right in the heart of the museum area - across the street from the Rijks Museum which is where all the Dutch Masters are held.

I surprised myself in the travel to Amsterdam. I struck out on my own, had to exercise a little flexibility, and made it work. Wow! What a difference a week can make.