Bloggers I particularly like/use

There are a number of great blogs...too many to follow all of them as I wish I could.

Here are some I find essential:

Peter Levine's blog.
Deric Bownds' MindBlog.
JOHO -- David Weinberger's blog.
Wirearchy -- Jon Husband's blog.

Each of these four blogs have influenced me as much as any writing I have read in any other form...book, journal, etc. I'd like to think that in some ways my blog fits in with those, but that is shooting very high.

I should also add Chris Anderson's work from Wired...the long tail theory stuff: HERE.

I collect many other links on Tumblr HERE. You are always welcome to browse there.

The core of Web 2.0 is RSS/atom or other forms of simple syndication...I like the following chart to depict role: SEE IT HERE... or on page 1 or 2 of my Tumblr notes.

Audience

Who do I define as my audience? I suppose my primary audience is myself, which seems an odd thing to write. But it is true to the extent that I write more out of an need to extend my thinking than I do to impress someone or move something. That is, in this avatar, I am not an activist. I am of course not without ego, but the main part of my work is to say things politely to myself. I am...learning, sort of.

What I take to be polite and what others do will, at times, differ. When I am in doubt, I will refer to my own standards and keep an open ear (and hopefully an open mind) about what others think. Collaboration and dialog matter a great deal, but so does individual responsibility which must be in tension sometimes with collaboration. Some things also cannot await collaboration. Action is its own imperative; writing is a form of action. One hopes (that is, I hope) that things always come back to a dialog...but I don't count on it, particularly in any sort of timely fashion.

Beyond myself, I would be flattered if teachers, learning scientists, human ecologists, social theorists, and people with interests in these areas found their way to this blog. In my last blogging effort, I was overwhelmed by the response. But I took the easy way out of linking to lots of other folks' good work. I don't expect as many readers here, and that's OK. I hope more for thoughtful participation than I do for "marketshare." I've never much believed in eyeballs as a measure. Whose eyeballs has always mattered more to me. I'm not selling anything, not even myself.

What this blog is about...

I want to explore what I think is my own take on how leadership is evolving. I call that evolution "Leadership as Enabling." I got into the idea based on my own background in learning sciences and social studies of various forms.

The core idea is relatively simple: "Old leadership" was about identity. Identity is a way of gathering people to a common goal. It's politics are the politics of agenda. It's manifestation is organizational structure or institutions.

Because the world is increasingly interactive, people need identity less and support more. They are transitioning from institutions like nations, states, firms, and families to ad hoc linkages that are spontaneous, continuous, emergent and usually without leaders or agendas. We tend to gain esteem in these new spontaneous elements by our ability to adapt and to learn rather than our ability to command identity.

Collaboration, flatness of order, transparent governance and free association are important elements of these new forms.

Because I am interested in emergent organization, I research ecology in various forms, sociology, philosophy and learning sciences / teaching. My main area of application is the formation of responses to disasters--disaster relief. I also have a professional and personal interest in training enablers in governments and civil societies.

This is the merest pastiche of what I am talking about, but I hope something here clicks and you take an interest. Welcome.