Revelation on adapting

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

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

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

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

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

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

Care of the Soul

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

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

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

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

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

The hand I hoped was there...

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

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

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

Super Freakonomics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exploring the Mediterranean

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maverick

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

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

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

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

Ayn Rand's We the Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Education City in Qatar expands to European partners

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

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

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

Qatar Young Professionals Institute - reflections

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion of Qatar Young Professionals Institute

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

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

Too much late!

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

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

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

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

Starting a new year - 2010

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

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

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

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

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

Leadership - backwards and in high heels

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."