What This Blog is About

A long time mentor and friend, Cicely Berry, often says: "all we do comes from our need to survive".

Cis is the Voice Director of The Royal Shakespeare Company. Her profound work and deep appreciation of the human spirit has affected diverse communities all over the world.

http://www.im21stcentury.com
http://www.salvatorerasa.com
Will take you to my current work.

This blog is dedicated to the belief that the overall health of a community or organization is a clear reflection of their ability to communicate.

"Cada cabeza es un mundo" - Cuban proverb

"Every head is a world"




Thursday, July 26, 2007

Mistakes to Learn From - Datability Minus Ego

Just a few years ago, it would have been astonishing for a foundation, particularly one as traditional as Carnegie, to publicize a failure. Today, though, many of the nation’s largest foundations regard disclosing and analyzing their failures as bordering on a moral obligation.

“There’s an increasing recognition among foundation leaders that not to be public about failures is essentially indefensible,” said Phil Buchanan, the executive director of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, which advises foundations. “If something didn’t work, it is incumbent upon you to make sure others don’t make the same mistake.”

New York Times, July 25, 2007 Foundations Find Benefits in Facing Up to Failures
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/26/us/26foundation.html

Foundations seem to be making advances lately that other organizations have talked about but not really enacted.

Have you seen instances of collaborative behaviors, changes in jurisdictional attitudes or organizational transformations that are putting foundations in the avant of accelerating cultural shifts?

If so, please join in.

Sal

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Near Misses

"If the airspace is totally under the control of the air traffic controller, there is a tremendous sense that Big Brother is watching on radar and that the pilot doesn't really have to look out the window."

The problem for pilots is that as they approach major airports, they must concentrate on the controllers' signals, diverting their visual attention from the skies. Concludes the report, in a considerable understatement: "A way must be found to resolve this very real dilemma." - Charles Spence, spokesman for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Time Magazine, July 2007
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,916714,00.html?promoid=googlep

The article in Time is called Sky Jams. The reference from Charles Spence dates back to 1979.

Here's my point. Business travel is a concern for all of us and the recently reported "near misses" at congested airports have revealed a complicated set of issues.

Infrastructure, long out dated computer tracking technology and lack of appropriate investment are key components to near misses.

Taking a breath from the reality of this situation, it becomes obvious that the overall metaphor for business practices in M&A situations, innovation initiatives and cultural accelerations may indeed, suffer the same set up for near misses.

Human interaction often comes into play at the last moment to counter the loss of updated measurement criteria, communication realities and networking abilities.

Just as the pilots have to look to the "controller's signals" and not out the window at what really exists -- is it possible that we have created the foundation for people in position to routinely make decisions without a clear picture of what they are facing?

Near misses. Has this become an accepted way of doing business rather than taking the time and money to update what is needed to be able to view a genuine current state?

At this point, the technology and the human interaction are more than available for the update.

Sal