The Curious Paradox of Curiosity as a Learning Enabler
This is the abstract for a paper I am currently writing for a conference on The Future of Learning - What excites me about the notion of curiosity as an area for study is that it is an arena which is so often spoken of as something which re-enervates but is also an area which has so many conflicting opinions about what really consitiutes its becoming.
I suppose that if one is going to undertake an investigation of a field of study it is important to put a stick in the ground. For me, curiosity is something which helps to increase the quality of our attention. Interestingly enough I found Todd Kashan had the same idea in his 2009 book on Curiosity? I would really appreciate comments and recommendations for where else to start looking for material on curiosity as a filter for attention.
ABSTRACT Information consumes attention. In an age of information overload and ‘filter failure’ (Shirky, 2008), human attention has become a scarce resource (Lanham, 2007). In the realm of this attention economy, it is argued that the notion of curiosity emerges as a necessary regenerative foil to this attention deficit. For we enjoy our curiosity even when it is not sated (Schmitt & Lahroodi, 2008). Curiosity heightens levels of engagement with information (Harvey et al, 2007) but is paradoxically an effective response to regenerating attention, specifically in organisational contexts where attention is constantly under erasure. Thus the very nature of curiosity is a paradoxical enabler of learning. It requires the subject to both suspend judgment in the sense of Otto Scharmer’s Open Mind (2007) and simultaneously stimulates critical thinking through engaging with what is perceived as “the spiral of curiosity” (Harvey et al, 2007: 44). The paper concludes by evidencing ways in which curiosity can be construed, harnessed and applied as a continuous enabler in the learning mix. The Attention Audit, undertaken on many of our leadership interventions will be discussed to illustrate this point.
Curiosity as a response to attention scarcity
I have been mulling with the idea of curiosity as one of the few responses one can use to regenerate attention, specifically in organisational contexts where attention is constantly under erasure. I came across this gem the other day on four reasons why curiosity is important and how to develop it. As someone who has a deep fascination in transversing disciplines, curiosity seems like one of the few beacons which has relevance in almost every area I explore. As an enabler of my own learning and also as a way to enter places which I am unfamilar with. My goal for 2009 as part of my PhD work is to try and build some kind of toolkit that may be used in organisations to regenerate attention through the mechanism of curiosity. Not sure where I am even going to begin this genealogical journey but I don't think it is going to be in the annals of management literature. I think I am going to start by sitting in a park watching children play.
How Does Web 2.0 Affect the Way we Grow Leaders?
I have decided to continue using my blog as a space to share thoughts around my PhD topic on the Collision between Web 2.0/3? and Leadership Development in organisations. We have created a blog for the ongoing Business Acumen for Artists programme at http://gsbexecedblog.uct.ac.za/baa/ So those wanting to enrich their own artistic journey through a deeper undestanding of business acumen need just go there for updates and insights. It is a wonderfully engaging group of artists we have this year and I'm sure they won't mind you popping in and posting your own stumbling blocks and/or insights and questions. My blog is going to be solely around the question posed in the title.
I have decided to change my topic which was previously on Ecovation for a number of reasons...none of which I want to go into now. But I think this collision is one which is a good fit because leadership development is the area I work in and design programmes around, I am increasingly involved in open source and I see the visible changes that mass collaboration is effecting on senior leaders in organisations. So deep breath - into the wild...
Any leftfield Jack London commentary to start me on my journey?
The Question of Tone as You and Them Collide
I have had a bee in my bonnet for a couple of months now regarding the implications of You and Them colliding in the marketplace of words. If blogging is now becoming an arena as easily accessible for corporate messages as for individual thoughts, what then happens to Tone? The Cluetrain Manifesto is clear that the tone used by Business needs to change but what does this mean for the way we engage and what will the impact be on the way individuals communicate their messages. Will these become more formal and business messages become more chatty? As we become increasingly subject to the tyranny of increased partial attention disorder, messages have had to become increasingly stickier. If You and Them start sounding the same, will this create a downturn interest in reading blogs or will there emerge a different tone to distinguish both? I would really love to have your thoughts on this as it is a topic which I think could have far reaching implications for the way we market and meaningfully engage.
21st Century Leadership
I am currently in the process of attempting to hone what it is that impacts on the way leaders manage. Obviously this is informed by the context in which they lead. But it is no longer a context which can just be cut and pasted. I have been working with my partner, Dave Duarte on identifying and understanding what the issues are which will inform and drive a new leadership style. These have been my BETA conclusions and I would love the input from others especially as we have to present these findings next week to a bunch of senior executives of a not insignificant organisation. They relate to five arenas:
- Community Based Economies – the articulation from commodity to product to service to experience as the base of a community driven experience
- Beta Testing – the realisation that consumers are forgiving and that we are Allowed to play in the arenas that may not immediately yield the Perfect but at least there is an allowance for the exciting which with their input may well become the important – God gets in through the cracks.
- Social Networks – Getting away from the old adage which says we need to know everyone and instead focusing on those nodes of a network which really influence well and with the least effort
- Ecological Innovation – Drawing on lessons from the environment which not only make us feel good but which genuinely harness profit in a way which does not strip mine the environment
- Attention – The realization that the exhausting attempt to keep up with everything serves no one and attempting to use tools which hone our understanding of what value really means for our significant engagement in the world.
We are attempting to use these five places as a way to harness a different and important 21st century sensibility. I would welcome your insights.