I can’t vouch for the authenticity of this piece, A Samurai Creed, but it speaks volumes about practice. A Samurai’s Creed Anonymous, Circa 1300I have no parents; I make the heaven and earth my mother and father. I have no home; I make awareness my dwelling. I have no life and death; I make the tides of breathing my life and death. I have no divine power; I make honesty my divine power. I have no means; I make understanding my means. I have no magic secrets; I make character my magic secret. I have no body; I make endurance …
Back in June of last year I facilitated a one day Open Space event for a group in Vancouver called the United Community Services Coop. The event was called “Leading Change” and was itself an outcome from a 2005 Open Space event with the same group. Both these events were loking at issues of emerging leadership in the not-for-profit sector (or the “for-benefit” sector, as I am starting to call it). One of the strong desired outcomes was a strong network of practitioners in the field. The other day, Justin Ho, one of the sponsors, emailed participants to report on …
Michael Herman sends along a great find to the OSLIST. It’s an interview with Paul Stamets on the lives of mushrooms. Jensen: In your book you say that animals are more closely related to fungi than they are to plants or protozoa or bacteria. Stamets: Yes. For example, we inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide; so do fungi. One of the big differences between animals and fungi is that animals have their stomachs on the inside. About 600 million years ago, the branch of fungi leading to animals evolved to capture nutrients by surrounding their food with cellular sacs – …
I work a lot with chaordic process and language. Dee Hock, the founding CEO of VISA International (the credit card) coined the word “chaord” to describe the form of an organization that brings just enough order to flow through chaos. Chaordic design, a cornerstone of my practice these days, invites teams of people to bring just enough structure to get work done without closing down the creative and generative elements that come from interaction with constantly changing dynamics. In short, self-organization at work. Trying to tell people about this kind of work is really difficult, but luckily …
From Mushashi’s Book of Five Rings, the way of strategy: Do not think dishonestly. The Way is in training. Become acquainted with every art. Know the Ways of all professions. Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters. Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything. Perceive those things which cannot be seen. Pay attention even to trifles. Do nothing which is of no use. What if strategic planning was like that?