By: Pam Lau on January 23, 2024
Praxis leaders[1] Dave Blanchard and Andy Crouch presented a webinar in the Summer of 2020 called, “Leading Without a Forecast: What to Do When You Really Don’t Know What’s Coming,”[2] on the heels of their timely article, “Leading Beyond the Blizzard: Why Every Organization is Now a Startup.”[3] In their introduction, Andy tells the story of the…
By: Tim Clark on January 22, 2024
I’ve always felt comfortable leading. From early in my life, I could naturally envision a preferred future, could see obstacles to that future, and then rally others around overcoming challenges to accomplishing that vision. I’ve been professionally serving in some form of leadership for over 35 years, and along the way I picked up a…
By: Jennifer Vernam on January 22, 2024
A Call to Action In my organization, we have historically been led by a Catholic order of Sisters. Just over 10 years ago, that group of They developed a booklet that we refer to as Hopes and Aspirations. Offered as a gift, it was a collection of guidance for future leaders. It is filled with…
By: John Fehlen on January 22, 2024
In the Amplified Version of Ecclesiastes 12:12 Solomon says: “But beyond this my son, [about going further than the words given by one Shepherd], be warned: the writing of many books is endless [so do not believe everything you read], and excessive study and devotion to books is wearying to the body.” To that end,…
By: Kim Sanford on January 22, 2024
Written against the backdrop of the COVID19 pandemic, Rethinking Leadership: A critique of Contemporary Theories by Annabel Beerel succeeds in its stated goal. In her opening pages, Beerel stresses the need for “sharp leaders who are cognitively savvy and emotionally astute” to lead us into the future.[1] She writes to emerging, learning leaders in order…
By: Kally Elliott on January 22, 2024
The world is changing and fast. We’ve been reading about some of these changes, especially when it comes to the world of AI. In her blog post, Eve Poole writes, “Whether or not – and when – the robots will take over is a moot point.”[1] It’s happening. With the pace of my personal and…
By: Travis Vaughn on January 22, 2024
When Pulitzer-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy was asked by leaders at the Santa Fe Institute[1] to help “spruce up” their mission statement, McCarthy took what they handed him and promptly “wadded it up and pitched it in the trash.”[2] He then proceeded to develop a mission statement for SFI in a way that only he could.…
By: Dinka Utomo on January 18, 2024
As humans we are designed for greatness, and we have the capacity to make far greater creatures, ones that are even more human than us, not less. -Eve Poole- My denomination underwent a significant shift in theological framework. Since its founding in 1948, our denomination has consistently positioned humans as the focal point of…
By: Jana Dluehosh on January 18, 2024
“The Creation of Adam” by Michelangelo “The concept of the Divine Spark has captivated the human imagination for centuries, transcending cultural and religious boundaries to illuminate the profound essence that resides within each individual. Rooted in various spiritual traditions, philosophical teachings, and mystical experiences, the Divine Spark represents a source of divine energy or consciousness…
By: Mathieu Yuill on January 18, 2024
As a frequent visitor to the Ontario Science Centre in my youth, I was always drawn to the “Computer psychiatrists” exhibit. These early forays into artificial intelligence, albeit rudimentary, sparked a lifelong fascination with the field. Fast forward to today, where AI has evolved to an extent that it almost blurs the lines between human…
By: Todd E Henley on January 18, 2024
Consider the following headlines, which are all based on true policies: Homeless Shelters Perpetuate Homelessness Drug Busts Increase Drug-Related Crime Food Aid Increases Starvation “Get Tough” Prison Sentences Fail to Reduce the Fear of Violent Crime Job Training Programs Increase Unemployment1 What is going on here? Why do seemingly well-intentioned policies produce the opposite of…
By: Jonita Fair-Payton on January 18, 2024
“It is frustratingly clear to those who seek to eliminate mystery from life that the spirit and soul bring us right up to the edge of some of the most profound mysteries of our existence.”(1) Whew! This discussion about souls is a heavy one. I confess that I have a healthy fear of AI. I…
By: Scott Dickie on January 18, 2024
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a double-edged sword, a technological marvel that Eve Poole beautifully encapsulates in her insights. Let’s embark on a journey through the positives and negatives of AI, guided by Poole’s wisdom. The Positives: 1. Amplifying Human Potential: Eve Poole eloquently articulates the positive potential of AI, stating, “AI has the potential to…
By: Adam Harris on January 18, 2024
In the original Jurassic Park film, where prehistoric titans are brought back to life and wreak havoc on an island, Dr. Ian Malcom famously says, “Yeah, yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, that they didn’t stop to think if they should.” This question seems to be on a…
By: Jenny Dooley on January 18, 2024
I am a bit chagrined to admit that I haven’t given AI much thought. I am not the most technologically minded person. I find the concepts of AI hard to grasp. My understanding is limited to what I have been exposed to through our reading last semester, the very helpful Zoom session last week with…
By: Cathy Glei on January 17, 2024
“By the time you read this, there will be several more lists of new laws, and the regulation debate will have moved on yet again. but the argument of this book is less about these details and more about how we need to rethink our first principles. Well first generation AI may require Draconian control,…
By: Russell Chun on January 17, 2024
Hágase la luz! Let there be light (Spanish) Introduction Part 1: What my peers and others are saying. Part 2: What I took away from Poole. Part 3: How this impacts my NPO Epilogue Introduction: 11 January 2024, During a bible study, an elderly gentlemen shared his testimony. He spoke of his assignment in 1950…
By: Esther Edwards on January 16, 2024
I remember growing up watching a show called “The Jetsons.” The Jetsons lived in the Sky Pad apartments in Orbit City, Outer Space, and possessed futuristic amenities including a robot maid named Rosie. Even as a little girl, watching it had me dream of the day I wouldn’t have to clean my room and a…
By: Tim Clark on January 15, 2024
The Ultimate Computer was an episode of Star Trek[1] that featured the character Dr. Richard Daystrom, a scientist tasked to upload his powerful “M5 computer” into the Starship Enterprise so it could control the ship for upcoming wargames. This efficient supercomputer quickly turned deadly, first killing a crew member (because it was in the way…
By: Pam Lau on January 15, 2024
“ . . .The crew never believed they had failed. Instead they believed that each idea led them a bit closer to finding the better option. And that allowed them to come to work each day engaged and excited even in the midst of confusion. This is key.”[1] In 2014, Ed Catmull wrote a…
