Praxis and reflective practice “Praxis is the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, embodied, realised, applied, or put into practice. “Praxis” may also refer to the act of engaging, applying, exercising, realising, or practising ideas” (Wikipedia). As its title suggests, this post therefore seeks to assist nonprofit leaders to reflectively apply… Continue reading The Dimensionality of Thought and Ethical Leadership – Part 2 (Praxis)
Tag: innovation
The Dimensionality of Thought and Ethical Leadership – Part 1 (Theory)
How often have you witnessed a ‘debate’ in which various of the participants are on different wavelengths? One sees the issues as ‘black and white’, while another sees many ‘shades of gray’, and yet another sees layers of complexity in full colour. Even when directors share a common ‘moral lens’ though, their stakeholders don’t. Dealing… Continue reading The Dimensionality of Thought and Ethical Leadership – Part 1 (Theory)
Foundational Thinking for Nonprofit Leaders
The Meta-Taxonomy of Foundational Thinking (MTFT) model was introduced in my previous post (First Principles First). That version has been inverted and expanded in this explanatory article, to address the wider range of considerations involved when using the model for problem solving and decision-making. The header image (From Root to Fruit) uses a tree metaphor… Continue reading Foundational Thinking for Nonprofit Leaders
First Principles First
Thinking about first principles, the oft-quoted line from philosopher-comedian Groucho Marx, “Those are my principles, and if you don’t like those … I have others” comes to mind. Beyond the moral ambiguity implied, might there be a hidden reference to other legitimate sets of first principles here? If so, what would this mean for nonprofit… Continue reading First Principles First
Divergent Thinking a Pre-requisite for Convergent Thinking
Whether we call it analysis/synthesis or differentiation/integration, we swap iteratively between divergent and convergent thinking while undertaking most governance and management tasks. While divergent thinking is often associated with informal and creative processes, it plays a crucial role in the formal and structured context of decision-making by directors and managers. We can’t carry out effective… Continue reading Divergent Thinking a Pre-requisite for Convergent Thinking
Counting What Matters: using non-financial accounting
Einstein’s observation that “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted” rings true for most nonprofit leaders. This is not to dismiss the importance of responsible financial management, but rather to acknowledge that there is more to governing a nonprofit than staying ‘in the black’. Key non-financial metrics… Continue reading Counting What Matters: using non-financial accounting
The Wisdom of Epimetheus: Igniting Sparks & Fighting Fires
Paradoxically, nonprofit leaders are charged with igniting sparks of creativity and innovation while at the same time being watchful for grass fires, or worse, burning platforms. ‘Stealing fire from heaven’ In Greek mythology, Prometheus was associated with innovation. His name meant ‘forethinker’, from which we can discern his role as an archetype of all futurists,… Continue reading The Wisdom of Epimetheus: Igniting Sparks & Fighting Fires
Foolosophy in the boardroom
Archetype lenses In systems thinking, we often use mental models, of which the archetype is one variety, to provide us with a lens that helps to simplify the ‘story’ of what’s happening in our work and social environment. Archetypes come in many shapes and sizes. At the macro level, system archetypes decompose the elements and… Continue reading Foolosophy in the boardroom
Driving value or being driven by fear
A response to ‘apocalyptic’ change narratives Some people love horror movies. They enjoy the adrenaline pumping through them as they imagine themselves the victims of some malign character or force, all the while knowing that it is a fantasy – a waking dream from which they will wake when the movie ends. There is an… Continue reading Driving value or being driven by fear