Reconnecting after a period away.
Been traveling an unusual (for me) amount these last two weeks. First a week in Ghana (Accra and Akosombo), then to NYC for some business development and learning.
In Africa, the focus was on leadership transition and group interaction. Over three days we worked to successfully prepare an office of sixty for a new way of engaging with each other and with clients. Because of changing internal and external environments, we chose to spend a significant time defining a common purpose for the group’s work, an important anchor.
Lots of lively conversation that led to a commitment to take a systematic look at the office’s work program and overall portfolio and agree on what it means to create value for clients.
Back in the US, I spent three action-packed days in Manhattan learning about complex adaptive systems and a few practical organizational applications of the concept.
I am particularly excited about this as I have been picking up various ideas about complexity over the years and seeking ways to integrate these into my work. The smart people at Cognitive Edge seem to have figured a lot of this out.
Many thanks to Michael Cheveldave and Laurie Webster who so generously gave their time and experience to neophytes like me.
As I’m still digesting my drink from the fire hose, I expect to be writing a lot more about what was covered in the program and my own experiments with the material in the coming days and weeks.
The time in NYC also allowed me to reconnect with friends and business associates. It didn’t take long for me to get back into the pace and rhythms of New York, especially as I was commuting in from the CT suburbs.
While it’s great to be home in DC, it’s also good to be reminded that New York is only a short train ride away.