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Author: Kenwyn K. Smith Publisher: Jossey-Bass ISBN: Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 316
Book Description
During the past decade, leaders have increasingly relied on self-managing work groups, multifunctional teams, and cross-national executive groups to create the organization of the future. Yet groups are not a panacea for organizational problems; conflicts between individuals or factions within a group often create seemingly contradictory situations?paradoxes?that can prevent the group from reaching its goals. In this groundbreaking classic, Kenwyn Smith and David Berg offer a revolutionary approach to understanding groups and overcoming the problems that often paralyze group members, the group as a whole, and relations among groups. They explore the hidden dynamics that can prevent a group from functioning effectively. And they show how an apparently paradoxical suggestion?for example, inviting a success oriented group to risk failure, or affirming the benefits of going nowhere to a group focused on moving ahead?can break action barriers, overcome conflicts, and improve group performance. Smith and Berg offer a different way of thinking about groups that will open new avenues of inquiry for professors and students of group behavior, and they propose many innovative ideas that will prove valuable to consultants, trainers, therapists, and others who work with groups on a regular basis.
Author: Kenwyn K. Smith Publisher: Jossey-Bass ISBN: Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 316
Book Description
During the past decade, leaders have increasingly relied on self-managing work groups, multifunctional teams, and cross-national executive groups to create the organization of the future. Yet groups are not a panacea for organizational problems; conflicts between individuals or factions within a group often create seemingly contradictory situations?paradoxes?that can prevent the group from reaching its goals. In this groundbreaking classic, Kenwyn Smith and David Berg offer a revolutionary approach to understanding groups and overcoming the problems that often paralyze group members, the group as a whole, and relations among groups. They explore the hidden dynamics that can prevent a group from functioning effectively. And they show how an apparently paradoxical suggestion?for example, inviting a success oriented group to risk failure, or affirming the benefits of going nowhere to a group focused on moving ahead?can break action barriers, overcome conflicts, and improve group performance. Smith and Berg offer a different way of thinking about groups that will open new avenues of inquiry for professors and students of group behavior, and they propose many innovative ideas that will prove valuable to consultants, trainers, therapists, and others who work with groups on a regular basis.
Author: Andreas Wagner Publisher: Dar El Kalema Publishing House ISBN: Category : Psychology Languages : ar Pages : 225
Book Description
What can a fingernail tell us about the mysteries of creation? In one sense, a nail is merely a hunk of mute matter, yet in another, it’s an information superhighway quite literally at our fingertips. Every moment, streams of molecular signals direct our cells to move, flatten, swell, shrink, divide, or die. Andreas Wagner’s ambitious new book explores this hidden web of unimaginably complex interactions in every living being. In the process, he unveils a host of paradoxes underpinning our understanding of modern biology, contradictions he considers gatekeepers at the frontiers of knowledge. Though we tend to think of concepts in such mutually exclusive pairs as mind-matter, self-other, and nature-nurture, Wagner argues that these opposing ideas are not actually separate. Indeed, they are as inextricably connected as the two sides of a coin. Through a tour of modern biological marvels, Wagner illustrates how this paradoxical tension has a profound effect on the way we define the world around us. Paradoxical Life is thus not only a unique account of modern biology. It ultimately serves a radical—and optimistic—outlook for humans and the world we help create. (20100201)
Author: Kenwyn K. Smith Publisher: Outskirts Press ISBN: 1977211089 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 256
Book Description
This book is for young adults and their parents striving to navigate the turbulent waters of this transformational epoch. We are partway through a period of change that probably began when a young Albert Einstein penned on a scrappy piece of paper e=mc2. In time this will most likely be characterized as among the most significant in history, perhaps even more impactful than the Renaissance. One feature of this reformation is sure to be the development of a deep appreciation for the place of abundance in both nature and our lives. Today most people, organizations and communities describe their existence as a struggle to survive. Rarely does anyone report on how much they are thriving. That is strange because never before has humanity as a whole been so wealthy, so bathed in abundance. One reason is that most of contemporary life is governed by economic systems predicated on scarcity. Because it is not possible to make money unless there are natural or artificially-induced shortages, we are prone to reason about tradeoffs using a scarcity logic. As with every reformation, this era is both exciting and taxing. Once this transformation has taken root we will come to recognize that all of life is predicated on abundance. And with that realization we will begin to make major shifts in our thinking and our prioritizing. Of special import will be the addressing of an ancient folly that still haunts us. In his famous economic text Adam Smith signaled this dilemma by rhetorically asking why we assign zero monetary value to water, which is essential for all lives, but pay a small fortune for diamonds whose utility is purely symbolic? Economists have mostly ignored this issue, although the British fiscal maestro, Maynard Keynes did gratituously dub it the water-diamond paradox. Given the current socio-political complexities, the global world cannot possibly be sustained by an economic system based solely on scarcity. It needs to be augmented by a new financial infrastructure centered on abundance. As a precursor to this anticipated economic shift we face a large task, to develop a coherent and collective sense of abundance. This will take time. Since we already know a great deal about scarcity it seems wise to prepare for this evolutionary inevitability by learning to describe every-day events using the principles of abundance. Abundance is a way of seeing, a method of thinking, a form of emoting and a manner of intuiting. So is scarcity. Diamandis and Kotler, in their book Abundance, present a compelling and optimistic case that the future is better than we think. In the past people have treated shortages as evidence of scarcity and have spoken about abundance in terms of excesses. Such notions are now being re-conceptualized. Abundance involves balancing consumption and replenishment, decay and regeneration, expired pasts and future dreams. It also depends on the restrictions and regulatory actions of Yin-Yang-like rheostats. As with a pregnancy approaching full-term, when the confining function of scarcity subsides, the landscape of what-is-to-be emerges. In an artful way this book shows how everyday events can be experienced as either awash with abundance or burdened by scarcity. If we so chose, we can all be guided by a self-created and communally-sustained sense of abundance. Learning how to see the best and the worst of times with an abundance rather than a scarcity lens is the special gift of this book.
Author: N. Graham Standish Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press ISBN: 9780664223267 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 204
Book Description
"To be strong, we have to be weak." "To become mature, we have to become children." "To live, we have to die." N. Graham Standish challenges readers to explore these and other biblical examples of paradox. With questions for reflection, discussion after each chapter, and helpful appendixes, this book is ideal for either personal or group study.
Author: Chris Mowles Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1317550358 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 182
Book Description
The reality of everyday organizational life is that it is filled with uncertainty, contradictions and paradoxes. Yet leaders and managers are expected to act as though they can predict the future and bring about the impossible: that they can transform themselves and their colleagues, design different cultures, choose the values for their organization, be innovative, control conflict and have inspiring visions. Whilst managers will have had lots of experiences of being in charge, they probably realise that they are not always in control. So how might we frame a much more realistic account of what’s possible for managers to achieve? Many managers are implicitly aware of their messy reality, but they rarely spend much time reflecting on what it is that they are actually doing. Drawing on insights from the complexity sciences, process sociology and pragmatic philosophy, Chris Mowles engages directly with some principal contradictions of organizational life concerning innovation, culture change, conflict and leadership. Mowles argues that if managers proceed from the expectation that organizational life as inherently uncertain, and interactions between people are complex and often paradoxical, they start noticing different things and create possibilities for acting in different ways. Managing in Uncertainty will be of interest to practitioners, advanced students and researchers looking at management and organizational studies from a critical perspective.
Author: Barry Schwartz Publisher: Harper Collins ISBN: 0061748994 Category : Psychology Languages : en Pages : 308
Book Description
Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting a long-distance carrier, applying to college, choosing a doctor, or setting up a 401(k), everyday decisions—both big and small—have become increasingly complex due to the overwhelming abundance of choice with which we are presented. As Americans, we assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis, anxiety, and perpetual stress. And, in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression. In The Paradox of Choice, Barry Schwartz explains at what point choice—the hallmark of individual freedom and self-determination that we so cherish—becomes detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. In accessible, engaging, and anecdotal prose, Schwartz shows how the dramatic explosion in choice—from the mundane to the profound challenges of balancing career, family, and individual needs—has paradoxically become a problem instead of a solution. Schwartz also shows how our obsession with choice encourages us to seek that which makes us feel worse. By synthesizing current research in the social sciences, Schwartz makes the counter intuitive case that eliminating choices can greatly reduce the stress, anxiety, and busyness of our lives. He offers eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on those that are important and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.
Author: Paul Hornschemeier Publisher: Fantagraphics Books ISBN: 1560976535 Category : Comics & Graphic Novels Languages : en Pages : 81
Book Description
The Three Paradoxes is an intricate and complex autobiographical comic by one of the most talented and innovative young cartoonists today. The story begins with a story inside the story: the cartoon character Paul Hornschemeier is trying to finish a story called "Paul and the Magic Pencil." Paul has been granted a magical implement, a pencil, and is trying to figure out what exactly it can do. He isn't coming up with much, but then we zoom out of this story to the creator, Paul, whose father is about to go on a walk to turn off the lights in his law office in the center of the small town. Abandoning the comic strip temporarily, Paul leaves with his camera, in order to fulfill a promise to his girlfriend that he would take pictures of the places that affected him as a child. Each "chapter" of the story is drawn in a completely different style, with strikingly unique production and color themes, and yet, somehow, despite (or perhaps because of) this non-linear progression, it all comes together as one story: a story questioning change, progress, and worth within the author's life.
Author: Wendy Smith Publisher: Harvard Business Press ISBN: 1647821053 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 188
Book Description
An insightful and inspiring book on using "both/and" thinking to make more creative, flexible, and impactful decisions in a world of competing demands. Life is full of paradoxes. How can we each express our individuality while also being a team player? How do we balance work and life? How can we improve diversity while promoting opportunities for all? How can we manage the core business while innovating for the future? For many of us, these competing and interwoven demands are a source of conflict. Since our brains love to make either-or choices, we choose one option over the other. We deal with the uncertainty by asserting certainty. There's a better way. In Both/And Thinking, Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis help readers cope with multiple, knotted tensions at the same time. Drawing from more than twenty years of pioneering research, they provide tools and lessons for transforming these tensions into opportunities for innovation and personal growth. Filled with practical advice and fascinating stories—including firsthand tales from IBM, LEGO, and Unilever, as well as from startups, nonprofits, and even an inn at one of the four corners of the world—Both/And Thinking will change the way you approach your most vexing problems.
Author: Tim Elmore Publisher: HarperCollins Leadership ISBN: 140022831X Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 241
Book Description
Become a next generation leader—rich in emotional and social intelligence and orchestrating outstanding collaborative results—by mastering these eight status quo-shattering paradoxes. The Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership unpacks the fresh strategies and new mindset required today from a next generation leader. Author Dr. Tim Elmore helps leaders of all kinds navigate increasingly complex, rapidly changing environments, as well as manage teams who bring a range of new demands and expectations to the workplace that haven’t been seen even one generation prior. After working alongside John C. Maxwell for twenty years, Tim offers counter-intuitive paradoxes that, when practiced, enable today’s leader to differentiate themselves and better connect with their team and customers. The book furnishes ideas that equip leaders to inspire team members in a way a paycheck never could. Having trained hundreds of thousands of young professionals to develop into leaders—Dr. Elmore shares the secrets of next generation leaders who have practiced the unique paradoxes outlined in this book and inspired their team members in a way that a paycheck never could. In The Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership, readers will: Learn how today’s team members require a combination of different qualities from their leaders than they did in even the recent past; Grasp the importance of eight key paradoxes that are critical for next generation leaders to put into practice right now; Be inspired by historic and modern-day leaders who lived the eight paradoxes; and Understand how they too can lead with the eight paradoxes, guiding them to emotional and social intelligence that resonates with their teams and leads to outstanding collaborative results.
Author: Somesh Mittal Publisher: Notion Press ISBN: 1649517572 Category : Self-Help Languages : en Pages : 85
Book Description
The least possible way to find happiness is to look for it. Contradictory enough? Welcome to the book about paradoxes. From a century-old paradox to a paradox not even a decade old, this book has those contradictory statements that can be proven true either way, but will it be the same if we apply them to our lives? Isn’t ambiguity a leading cause of depression these days? If the answer is contradictory, then shouldn’t the question be changed? Welcome to the true life’s paradox.
Author: Kenwyn K. Smith
Author: Kenwyn K. Smith
Author: Andreas Wagner
Author: Kenwyn K. Smith
Author: N. Graham Standish
Author: Chris Mowles
Author: Barry Schwartz
Author: Paul Hornschemeier
Author: Wendy Smith
Author: Tim Elmore
Author: Somesh Mittal