Leadership - backwards and in high heels

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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 expatriate 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.

Expatriate 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

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

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

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

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

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

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...