Human Dymensions Newsletter

Human Dymensions Newsletter–October 2014

Book Launch 21 November 2014

DOWNLOAD THE FLYER WITH CONTACT LINKS Follow-Leading in Risk Launch Flyer

Rob and Craig are pleased to invite you to the launch of book 4 in the series on risk. The details of the book launch are pictured above and the book will be on sale on the Human Dymensions website from 24 November. Those attending the launch will receive a complementary copy of the new book.

About the book: The book is a collaborative effort between Rob Long and Craig Ashhurst. Craig is currently completing his PhD in ‘Wicked Problems’ at ANU. The book tackles the nature of following and leading in risk. Whilst many books in the leadership genre are immersed in the ‘hero myth’, this book promotes collaboration and reciprocality in the following-leading dynamic.

In recent times we have witnessed a shift in leadership discourse and with the advent of social media, a whole new understanding of the power of following. Wikileaks, Snowden, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Movement and the Occupy Movement have shown what happens when leaders don’t lead. Recent publications and research on ‘followership’ (Riggio, Kellerman and others) highlight the need to shift in understanding and practice in the leading-following dynamic.

It is because risk is a profoundly social activity that the nature of mutuality in leading-following needs to be better understood and practiced. Foundational to this reciprocal relationship is the focus on learning, resilience and adaptability in following and leading. For too long have various approaches to risk been mechanistic, legalistic and systemic. This book highlights the need to ‘humanise’ the way we tackle risk and provides practical tools to enable better following-leading.

Win a Copy of the New Book HERE

Download Chapter 1 of “Following-Leading in Risk”: [download id=”219″]

To win a FREE COPY of the book CLICK HERE

Enrolments Open for Post Graduate Program 2015

Enrolments are now open for the Post Graduate Program for 2015. The Post Graduate Certificate commences in March 2015 and the Graduate Diploma Commences in May 2015. As this Program is so unique, the Graduate Diploma requires a prerequisite of the Graduate Certificate. An outline of the Program at the Australian Catholic University can be viewed here. 38 people completed the Post Graduate Certificate in 2014.

There are currently 20 students progressing to the Post Graduate Diploma and enrolments are filling quickly for the Graduate Certificate. If the Program is over enrolled as it was in 2014 we will run two student groups in 2015, as keeping class sizes small is a priority.

If you are interested in knowing more please email the convenor Brad Markham or Dr Robert Long.

Authors on Leading and Following

Whilst there are a flood of books on the market on leadership, there is not much about on followership. If you are intersted in the leading-following dynamic these may be helpful:

Adorno, T. W. et. al. (1969) The Authoritarian Personality. Norton, New York.
Argyris, C., and Schon, D., (1996) Organisational Learning II, Theory, Method and Practice. Addison Wesley, London.
Caldini, R., (2011) Influence, Science and Practice. Peason, Boston.
Deci, E., (1995) Why we do What we Do, Understanding Self Motivation. Penguin Books, New York.
Depree, M., (1987) Leadership is an Art. Doubleday. New York.
Depree, M., (1991) Leadership Jazz. Information Australia. Melbourne.
Depree, M., (1997) Leading Without Power. Jossey Bass, San Francisco.
Haslam, S., et. Al., ( 2011) The New Psychology of Leadership, Identity Influence and Power. Psychology Press. New York.
Kellerman, B., (2008) Followership, How Followers Are Creating Change and Changing Leaders. Harvard Business Press, Boston.
Linden, R., (2010) Leading Across Boundaries, Creating Collaborative Agencies in a Networked World. Wiley, New York.
Moskowitz, G., and Grant, H., (eds.) (2009) The Psychology of Goals .The Guilford Press, New York.
Riggio, R., Chaleff, I., and Lipman Blumen, J., (eds) (2008) The Art of Followership. Jossey-Bass, SanFrancisco.
Sinclair, A., (2007) Leadership for the Disillusioned, Moving Beyond Myths and Heros to Leading that Liberates. Allen and Unwin, Sydney.
Sloan, J., (2006) Learning to Think Strategically. Elsevier, New York.
Weick, K., (1979) The Social Psychology of Organizing. McGraw Hill, New York.

The Psychology of Success

The latest issue of Scientific American Mind (Issue 94 October 2014) is choc-a-bloc full of great research and papers relevant to leading and following. The main feature article is on the Power of Reflection. The article discusses the importance of reflection (metacognition) and how effective leaders and followers need to ‘think about thinking’. Unfortunately in the busyness of modern western society we seem to have little time for this activity. Too often, people are criticised for ‘wasting time’ and the idea of reflection is relegated to something done on holidays or at funerals.

The author Stephen Fleming is a neuroscientist who has undertaken research into how reflection and metacognition improve the ability to imagine, create and develop insight – all critical for managing risk and the unexpected. The article shows that meditative and reflective activity boost neural networks in the anterior prefontal cortex, a brain region critical for developing insight and creativity.

Should You Tell Your Boss About Your Mental Illness

Research in Scientific American Mind (Jacobson, Issue 94 October 2014) states that Mental Illness is among the leading causes of disability across the globe. In the USA depression alone results in 200 million lost days of work at a cost of $31 billion. Here are two helpful articles written by Dr Long that provide an overview of Mental Health at Work.

Unfortunately, mental health remains stigmatised in the workplace. A lack of understanding continues to see confessions of mental illness as problematic. Discrimination in the workplace continues especially in workplaces dictated by the ideology of intolerance and ‘zero’ in risk and safety. It is impossible to maintain the discourse of zero in risk and safety then expect people to be tolerant, compassionate and understanding in relationships.

If you do have a mental health issue the research (Jacobson) shows that talking about it is very helpful and an important pathway to recovery. If talking about mental health at work is suppressed and punished then you will need to find support in the community not at work. ‘Coming out’ is not advisable in a zero tolerance workplace culture. Management without compassion or ethics is not leadership. Unless the workplace has a culture of understanding or tolerance, any confession will simply increase your suffering. This is also unfortunate because this drives the prioritisation of secrecy and lack of trust at work, the very opposite of what is required to promote wellness at work.

A Puzzle for the Road

Here is a classic when it comes to perception. Print out two copies of the picture above and flip the picture so that the bottom and top can be compared. Amazing, there is no shade of grey, both are the same.

New Video On Line

Three new videos are on line. First a lecture from Graham Long from the Wayside Chapel on Leadership and, a short piece explaining the One Brain Three Minds concept that underpins a great deal of Human Dymensions work and an overview of Human Dymensions Products and Programs.

If you are interested in more of Graham’s perspective and insights on risk, love and life then his book can be purchased here (http://www.slatterymedia.com/store/viewItem/love-over-hate) or subscribe to Graham’s weekly newsletter (https://www.thewaysidechapel.com/inner-circle.php). A brief video of Graham’s work is here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNxZUU2Rzx4).