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  • 1.  The Art of Zero-G Management

    Posted 10-18-1997 17:19
    Hi Steve,

    My of my all time favorite books is "Ender's Game," I imagine for similar
    reasons that it appeals to you. The idea of reorientation which you
    portrayed for us in your snipit is so simple, but so powerful. (Einstein
    is supposed to have said that if you can't say it simply, no matter how
    complex, you don't understand it yet.") If you had not repeated it here,
    however, I don't think I would have cued into your subsequent thoughts
    about reorientation in business. The graphic illustration is worth its
    weight in gold, here.

    So, I'm surprised to hear you say that the metaphor hasn't been that
    relevant to your project! It seems to have everything to do with it. And,
    I would say that it is antithetical in a way to the idea of using
    narrative, believe it or not.

    The thing is, narrative is a linear framing of things, in a story.
    Reorientation has to do with framing of pattern, not linearity. Once the
    reorientation is complete, it can then be formulated in a linear narrative;
    but, that is afterwards!

    If we want to be flexible in these sorts of ways in business, then we have
    to deal more in the realm of pattern (right brain, I would say), with some
    comfort. Any attempt to forge this into a "normal" linear (left brain)
    construct in an attempted by-pass of the right brain stuff is doomed to
    (very familiar) failure, in my opinion.

    >From: Steve Finegan <steve@HUNT.COM>
    >
    >In Orson Scott Card's classic sci-fi novel "Ender's Game" the main
    >character is a boy genius named Ender Wiggin. The main action in the story
    >takes place in a zero-gravity (zero-g) chamber called the Battleroom. ....

    >For the past six months or so I've been researching and outlining a white
    >paper (book?) that deals with the subject of how narratives are used in
    >organizations to organize the lives, work, interactions and productions of
    >people (April post). The project is finally starting to take shape. In the
    >process, I came up with this zero-g metaphor which has just kept nagging
    >and nagging at me. It really hasn't been that relevant to my project, but I
    >keep coming back to it. I'd love to use the theme: "re-orienting in zero-g"
    >in my upcoming paper if I can find a way to integrate it; perhaps I will.

    Don Austin, Ph.D.
    _____________________________________
    Department of Organizational Behavior
    Case Western Reserve University
    Cleveland, OH 44106 (216) 932-8421
    _____________________________________

    Researching processes with which small
    groups create valued organization.

    Creating Appreciative Dialogue.


  • 2.  The Art of Zero-G Management

    Posted 11-14-1997 12:37
    Hi,

    I am not familiar with the original post that refers to zero-g management.
    would someone in possession, please send me a copy? i appreciate it.

    At 05:19 PM 10/18/97 -0400, you wrote:
    >Hi Steve,
    >
    >My of my all time favorite books is "Ender's Game," I imagine for similar
    >reasons that it appeals to you.  The idea of reorientation which you
    >portrayed for us in your snipit is so simple, but so powerful.  (Einstein
    >is supposed to have said that if you can't say it simply, no matter how
    >complex, you don't understand it yet.")  If you had not repeated it here,
    >however, I don't think I would have cued into your subsequent thoughts
    >about reorientation in business. The graphic illustration is worth its
    >weight in gold, here.
    >
    >So, I'm surprised to hear you say that the metaphor hasn't been that
    >relevant to your project!  It seems to have everything to do with it.  And,
    >I would say that it is antithetical in a way to the idea of using
    >narrative, believe it or not.
    >
    >The thing is, narrative is a linear framing of things, in a story.
    >Reorientation has to do with framing of pattern, not linearity.  Once the
    >reorientation is complete, it can then be formulated in a linear narrative;
    >but, that is afterwards!
    >
    >If we want to be flexible in these sorts of ways in business, then we have
    >to deal more in the realm of pattern (right brain, I would say), with some
    >comfort. Any attempt to forge this into a "normal" linear (left brain)
    >construct in an attempted by-pass of the right brain stuff is doomed to
    >(very  familiar) failure, in my opinion.
    >
    >>From: Steve Finegan <steve@HUNT.COM>
    >>
    >>In Orson Scott Card's classic sci-fi novel "Ender's Game" the main
    >>character is a boy genius named Ender Wiggin. The main action in the story
    >>takes place in a zero-gravity (zero-g) chamber called the Battleroom. ....
    >
    >>For the past six months or so I've been researching and outlining a white
    >>paper (book?) that deals with the subject of how narratives are used in
    >>organizations to organize the lives, work, interactions and productions of
    >>people (April post). The project is finally starting to take shape. In the
    >>process, I came up with this zero-g metaphor which has just kept nagging
    >>and nagging at me. It really hasn't been that relevant to my project, but I
    >>keep coming back to it. I'd love to use the theme: "re-orienting in zero-g"
    >>in my upcoming paper if I can find a way to integrate it; perhaps I will.
    >
    >Don Austin, Ph.D.
    >_____________________________________
    >Department of Organizational Behavior
    >Case Western Reserve University
    >Cleveland, OH 44106    (216) 932-8421
    >_____________________________________
    >
    >Researching processes with which small
    >groups create valued organization.
    >
    >Creating Appreciative Dialogue.
    mweisman@packet.net
    tampa, florida
    -------------------------------------------------------------
    CHAOS IS MERELY A FUNCTION OF
    THE GRANULARITY OF THE SAMPLE