"Replying to LO367 --
I have been reading the notes on gossip with interest. I
am working on a project where we have helped the client
apply the Diffusion of Innovations Model (Everett Rogers?)
to diffusing a self managing team structure. We formed
a team of workers not involved in the design of the new
structure and asked them to become missionairies - both
formallyw forming a another team to move throughout the
organization to make home videos of teams and players
working together to solve problems or tackle challenges.
Has anyone else tried this kind of approach?"
After a lifetime of working with film and video in a variety of
applications, I urge you to be very sensitive to the separation of the
observer from the observed. Video in and of itself has no value (indeed,
I have concluded that it has negative value, because people believe they
are seeing "reality") and ALL of the value of this work lies in the
debrief - that is, the attempt to arrive at shared understanding of what
is being shown on the screen.
The eye of the observer imposes content which may or may not be there, but
which is likely to be denied by the observed, and the actions of the
observed are dramatically changed when they know (or even fear) that
observation is taking place.
Furthermore, very little of what adults "learn" from watching video
sticks. What lasts is the impact of the medium itself (as described by
McLuhan), which may be very different from the desired "learning".
Charles, I would like to know more about the Diffusion of Innovations
Model. And perhaps you could clarify the meaning of "both" in your
original message -- I got confused...
-- jack@his.com Tell me, what street compares with Mott Street in July? Jack Hirschfeld