> Within the communication sphere of the LO, has anyone given any
> thought to the methodology for developing a shared linguistic domain in
> organizations (i.e., the mixing bowl within which consensus might be
> stirred up)?
The most vivid illustration of a shared linguistic domain that I have seen
recently was the Quest for Excellence conference held in Washington, DC,
this past February. This is the conference at which the Baldrige Awards
are made. It was attended by 1800 business people, all of whom seemed to
be convinced that the Baldrige criteria provide a very useful method of
self-assessment and improvement. What struck me most vividly was that at
all of the sessions -- on leadership, information and analysis, etc. --
people from a wide variety of companies -- manufacturing and service,
large and small -- were using the same language. Nothing remotely
comparable exists in any school of management I am familiar with in this
country. (The University of St. Gallen in Switzerland may be an
exception.)
Stuart Umpleby, umpleby @gwis2.circ.gwu.edu