Leadership and Scholarship in Co-Habitation
Leadership and scholarship, do they co-exist? Are they complimentary? Adversarial? Perhaps both? Is it possible for a leader — a business or ministry practitioner — to, at the same time, engage in scholarly thinking about her work while attending to the busy-ness of her leading? These are the kinds of questions I find myself considering while engaging with Ramsey’s articles this week. For many leaders, there is a pervading sense that to study leadership (from an academic perspective) is antithetical to the actual practices of leadership. This sentiment is captured in the idiom: “Those who can, DO. Those who can’t, TEACH.” This week I am considering why this great divide has taken hold and can we merge the two streams into a helpful flow of learning that becomes circular. Can academic thinking fuel praxis which in turn generates new innovations to be considered within the academy? Caroline Ramsey considers this to be a possibility if leaders will become attentive to a scholarship of practice.
Ramsey “argue[s] for a scholarship of practice that centres attentional attending-to as its core.”1 This brand of scholarship will not allow for learning to happen for its own sake but rather, demands that learning has a practical end. This terminology (”scholarship of practice”) creates intriguing and somewhat juxtapositional, verbal bedfellows! “Scholarship” and “practice” encapsulated within the same term?! Hmmm… Interesting, but is it really possible? Ramsey holds them together effortlessly.
To pay attention to surroundings in real-time and expect meaningful learning to emerge from within the context of praxis is a valuable leadership contribution. The silos that separate academic inquiry from the practical application of learning can effectively be broken down if leaders will embrace a reflexive self-view, posturing themselves as embedded learners engaging in vocations that also serve as laboratories for innovation. Ramsey identifies three “domains of attention” which, if attended to, will facilitate this “silo-breaking” and stimulate new streams of learning. These three are regular engagement with new ideas, a consistent orientation toward inquiry and the intentional navigation of relationships,2 even when difficult. When leaders give attention to these arenas, their organizations are incited to learn and mature. A “provocative relationship” between theory and praxis ensues and the circularity begins!3 I am realizing more and more that I can’t demand any new learning from individuals within my organizations but I can provoke them. I am working on becoming a learning provocateur! Although at times I must admit it feels like a covert operation…
Within my particular “tribe” the introduction of meaningful reflection on action seems to be minimized, instead preferring to just jump from action to action as seemingly disconnected initiatives. There are a few “academic types” that speak for a continuity of theory and praxis but for the most part, they are just shouting into the wind as those who hold structural power continue to jump from place to place with our church in tow. Frenetic activity stands as a hollow substitute for reflective deliberation and meaningful dialog. There is a lot of discussion but very little authentic dialog. Every year seems to bring a new round of activity, disconnected from the previous year’s with no apparent context-making for the next. There is very little, if any, “scholarship” connected with our “practice,” just activity void of reflection. So, I am thinking about these things this week, hoping I can take steps toward a scholarship of practice that provokes learning among those for whom I do have some measure of influence. One day at a time…
1. Caroline Ramsey, “Management Learning: a Scholarship of Practice Centred on Attention,” Management Learning, 45: 6 (January 23, 2014) 7.
2. Ibid. 15.
3. Caroline Ramsey, “Provocative Theory and a Scholarship of Practice,” Management Learning, (March, 2011) 7.
About the Author
Jon Spellman
Jon is a husband, father, coach, author, missional-thinker, and most of all, a follower of Jesus.12 responses to “Leadership and Scholarship in Co-Habitation”
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“There is very little, if any, “scholarship” connected with our “practice,” just activity void of reflection.”
As I read the articles I was thinking about the disconnect due to the “scholars” making decisions that effect others and trying to implement practices that are not practical. Your insight reminds me that the other is also true—disregarding scholarly reflection can be just as dangerous.
Thanks Jon.
Jon, You spoke of your tribe and it seems very similar to mine. You said, “Within my particular “tribe” the introduction of meaningful reflection on action seems to be minimized, instead preferring to just jump from action to action as seemingly disconnected initiatives.”
This week I’m preaching on Eph. 2:8-10. “Created in Christ Jesus to do good works…” I’ll be landing on the idea that the Creator of all things doesn’t need us to just “do more stuff” and “get more done” but He wants to do these good works together. It’s about the relationship. Being mindful and attentive means as I lead I must slow down and help myself (and all around) see what the Spirit is guiding us towards. That’s so hard sometimes…but definitely provocative.
Hope the preaching went well, Nick. I was thinking of the word Caroline uses: social poetic – from the root word of poem, one translation of the Ephesians 2 passage for “work” – meaning it’s a creative expression of how God made us. I think ultimately that’s part of what Caroline is reminding us – our leadership, our management, our attending to meaningful work are all part of the creative expression of reflecting the image of God. Let me know how your sermon went.
(by the way, as I wrote the “root word,” I couldn’t get out of my head voice of the dad from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” where everything ultimately comes from the Greek language, according to him)
Jon, Love your line . . . “The silos that separate academic inquiry from the practical application of learning can effectively be broken down if leaders will embrace a reflexive self-view, posturing themselves as embedded learners engaging in vocations that also serve as laboratories for innovation.” I just got done writing “a letter of documentation” for field experience for a church planter to be considered towards his ordination requirements. We will soon see how much our “institution” values a scholarship of practice vs. a traditional scholarship of seat time. 🙂 I am definitely a both/and believer, but think we continue to under-sell the praxis, practice, field-based, hands on, in the street experience the formulates what and how we do with all we know.
Phil, it is so interesting to me to see how our denominations seem to be wrestling with similar issues but from opposite ends of the continuum. The Foursquare church has historically discounted the academic, opting instead for experiential, “in the field” learning to be held up as credential.
We’ll see how our tribe continues to move toward an embrace of more formal ed to accompany the praxis-orientation that we have traditionally embraced…
Thanks!
jon
Phil and Jon – isn’t always a conundrum that we go to one side of the spectrum or the other? It really isn’t a either/or but a both/and. Praxis, Knowledge, and from Caroline’s word “Provocative” – I think a tension that forces reflection is what holds all of it together.
So a “both – and – AND”
Jon, I appreciate your perspective on your tribe. I’m not in a position of influence in my tribe but I’ve appreciated our recent direction. Those in power seem to have taken a breather to reflect and to refocus, I’m not sure how scholarly their reflection is however. I know much of it’s based on based on the heart and mind of our new president. That does seem a little risky, if his reflection is based on a body or community outside himself then it can have a more lasting impact… Anyway, thanks again for helping me understand provocative.
Dave – I’d beg to differ on your inability to influence your tribe. From what I read in your article you offered to have us read while back, I see a man who quietly yet passionately and creatively impacts those who are willing to engage with him.
First, I’m not sure I’ve mentioned how much I appreciate your articulation of thought and reflection. I enjoy reading what you write because you explain in words what I haven’t yet been able to formulate. Besides, you willingly share the process of your own discovery, a gift in your transparency.
Second, I find myself wanting to quote many of your phrases. For instance, “To pay attention to surroundings in real-time and expect meaningful learning to emerge from within the context of praxis is a valuable leadership contribution” strikes a chord in my own life. Leadership means paying attention, but unfortunately, I have often devalued paying attention because it doesn’t seem scholarly or practical enough in professional settings. Yet, it’s my first bent. Curious how I am learning, albeit a bit late, what I originally intuitively wanted to offer in my work/ministry life was actually on track.
Keep up the writing – I’m learning from you as I practice 🙂
Thanks Mary
Jon, praxis and academics should work together. I am finding it important to incorporate both into my life as I travel this journey in life. As i posted in my post “theory and practice” our theory has to meet up with our practice and our practice as to meet up with our theory.”Don Thorson” our dean at Azusa Pacific!