Creating Significant Learning Environments
Simon Sinek puts out a quote each day and today’s quote is one that I hope to live up to and I would also hope that all leaders live by:
Great leaders are idealists. They are optimists. They overestimate what we are capable of and inspire us to believe the same. Sinek August 16, 2012
Most people instinctively avoid conflict, but as Margaret Heffernan shows us, good disagreement is central to progress. She illustrates (sometimes counterintuitively) how the best partners aren’t echo chambers — and how great research teams, relationships and businesses allow people to deeply disagree.
Unfortunately, most organizations will go out their way to avoid conflict and essentially stop thinking and stop progress. Why? Heffernan points out that it takes a significant amount of courage, effort and work:
to seek out people with different backgrounds, different disciplines, different ways of thinking and different experience, and find ways to engage with them.
It is not that organization don’t want to embrace and engage with these divergent and disruptive thinkers it is that they can’t. And as Heffernan points out, organizations limit their thinking and progress:
because the people inside of them are too afraid of conflict.
Fortunately, Heffernan doesn’t leave us hanging without a solution to this problem. The challenge is that the solution is an age old human shortcoming of not facing the hard truth or reality that circumstance demand. Perhaps Heffernan’s closing challenge needs repeating:
But truth won’t set us free until we develop the skills and the habit and the talent and the moral courage to use it.
Been doing a bit of reflecting while running these past few mornings. Chad Kroeger’s song If Today Was Your Last Day has been on my iPhone playlist repeatedly. Living each day as if it was your last means you must live a principled life and as the author states: Going against the grain should be a way of life. I have come to realize living this way does come at a cost everything worth while does. I am reconciled by the fact that you only live once and this realms is only temporal–the eternal is yet to come.
http://youtu.be/K95SmpWwAgA
If Today Was Your Last Day – Chad Kroeger of Nickleback
My best friend gave me the best advice
He said each days a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned
Leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride
If today was your last day
If tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday
Would you live each moment like your last
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have
If today was your last day
Going against the grain should be a way of life
What’s worth the price is always worth the fight
Every second counts cause there’s no second try
So live it like you’re never living twice
Don’t take the free ride in your whole life
If today was your last day
If tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday
Would you live each moment like your last
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have
And would you call old friends you never see
Reminisce old memories
Would you forgive your enemies
And would you find that one your dreaming of
Swear up and down to god above
That you’ll finally fall in love
If today was your last day
If today was your last day
Would you make your mark
On ending a broken heart
You know it’s never too late
To shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are
So do whatever it takes
Cause you can’t rewind
A moment in this life
Let nothing stand in your way
Cause the hands of time
Are never on your side
If today was your last day
If tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday
Would you live each moment like your last
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have
And would you call old friends you never see
Reminisce old memories
Would you forgive your enemies
And would you find that one your dreaming of
Swear up and down to god above
That you’ll finally fall in love
If today was your last day
I haven’t heard this song for MANY years but after reviewing several emails regarding my resignation I thought it would be appropriate to post it and the lyric. Lets hope the dreams that I started at Concordia are strong enough to continue with out the dreamer.
The Cooper Brothers — The Dream Never Dies
[CHORUS]
The dream never dies
Just the dreamer
The dream never dies
If it’s strong
The song never dies
Just the singer
So come on, everybody
Sing along
Some men dream of fame
And some of fortune
Some men dream about
Time gone by
All men dream of someone
They’d like to become
Cause without dreams inside us
Yeah, without dreams
How would we all get by
[Repeat CHORUS]
The dream never dies
The dream never dies
So, come on, everybody
Dream along
Some men dream of Heaven
And some of the Lord above
Some men dream about
Pie in the sky
All men dream of happiness
And all men dream of love
Cause without dreams to guide us
Yeah, without dreams
How would we all get by
[Repeat CHORUS]
The dream never dies
The dream never dies
So, come on, everybody
Dream along
[Repeat CHORUS]
The dream never dies
The dream never dies
So, come on, everybody
Dream along
[Repeat CHORUS to fade]
The following email was sent to all Concordia faculty and staff. Dr. Krispin outlines the circumstances leading to this decision so I will simply let his official notice stand:
Dear Colleagues,
Last night Dr. Dwayne Harapnuik tendered his resignation as Vice President Academic at Concordia to me, which I have accepted and will forward to our Board of Governors. In this letter Dwayne reflected upon his reason for coming to Concordia, which was to be an agent of change in order to position Concordia to be a thriving university for the future and develop the best learning environment students could have anywhere. This he sought to do with diligence and dedication, albeit finding himself torn between two points of focus: he was given charge over the student services portfolio and directing the academic program of the institution. The divergent interests of student needs and services competed with those of the faculty. Ultimately, Dwayne now recognizes that in his desire to improve the student experience, faculty interests were not always in the fore-front. And while amazing progress was made for our students, progress for our academic planning was much slower. Now, with the advent of a unionized faculty environment, Dwayne felt his goal to be a change-agent at Concordia was going to be on hold for the foreseeable future, certainly on the academic front. To be clear: Dwayne emphasized that he believes that this resignation is in the best interest of Concordia at this time; this is not a career move, but making way so that which has been sown can continue to grow.
I personally know that Dwayne is tremendously gifted, has a passion for student learning and engagement, and will realize these aspirations elsewhere, even as he did at Abelene Christian University and indeed began to do here at Concordia. I pray that our Lord will bless him richly as he embarks on another path, perhaps at another insitution where his talents may be engaged fruitfully.
In His Service,
Gerald Krispin
