Re: At's message to Diana
I was encouraged to hear from At about his struggles with being caught in
the change of paradigms. It stikes me that one of the gifts/talents, or
whatever it is, that some people have, is the ability to push that change
of paradigm, while still being integrated to what is conventional. I've
looked back of my career, and have found that I was always of the
periphery of the group or organization or setting. That in many ways, I
was an outsider, only because I chose not to accept the conventional
wisdom of the time. If fact, I've discovered that my benefit to groups is
that I can become the "intimate outsider," and provide real service
through that juxtapositions of knowledge and distance.
As I began to look at pursuing a Ph.D., I had difficulty finding a field
that encompassed all my interests. I began in the Presbyterian parish
ministry, but not in the traditional pastoral role, but as a community
minister. My two years actually pastoring a church, convinced me that was
not the right place for me to serve. It was not on the edge of the
paradigm shift, enough. As a result, I ended up as a college chaplain,
directing student leadership programs, and teaching Western Civilzation.
Through my search for a Ph.D. program which was broad enough to empass all
my interest, I found a Doctor of Ministry program at Pittsburgh
Theological Seminary which allowed me the opportuntiy to study leadership
from many angles, not just theological, but from the pov of business,
psychology, education, and sociology. The faculty wasn't prepared for
that, but they were willing to learn along with me,and we had a wonderful
learnign experience. And I still believe that integrated approach makes
sense.
I just want to affirm what At is saying to us. That some of us find that
traveling on the edge of the paradigm's is where we find our place. For
others, its deep in the conventional nature of modern organizations,
acting as agents of hope and change. Wherever we are can have meaning,
dynamism and a genuine sense of accomplishment, if we are willing to
follow where it will go.
The Learning Organization paradigm is a great one, because it allows us
who have never found a conventional place to fit, to continue to grow with
the changes that are happening around us.
Ed Brenegar
brenegar@bulldog.unca.edu
--Edwin Brenegar III <brenegar@bulldog.unca.edu>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>