Okay, Pictorial blog today. Have a son who turned 15 this week, and Saturday was the birthday party. Here in the family I make cakes with themes that the kids choose. Been a lot of interesting themes, which I blogged about previously, but this time the boy didn't have an idea, so left it up … Continue reading The six-legged spider
What sort of network?
One thing this course does is attempt to point to the obvious and show us that we aren't seeing it. Sometimes the obvious really is the obvious, sometimes it isn't. Like what is a network. A network is a strategy for organizing based on the need to balance integration and change. Networks come in three … Continue reading What sort of network?
Organizational Culture (chapter 5)
"The reality of the world hangs on the thin thread of conversation" -- Peter Berger and Thomas Luckman Organizations have cultures. Someone came up with the bright idea that you might be able to use the culture to organize an organization, instead of the other way around. But to do so, you need to … Continue reading Organizational Culture (chapter 5)
Focus focus focus
Chapter 4 in my audit book is all about deciding where to focus. The first recommendation of the chapter is to examine the tasks people have to perform, and see how those affect communication. Are there tasks where people are expected to work together, and what communication will that require? If sections are interdependent, communication … Continue reading Focus focus focus
Big Terms and small details
(My goal is always to write bright observations on my class readings, but by the time I am falling asleep at the books around midnight the sentences lose their wittiness.) Today's blog is about a stand-alone chapter we got to read, pulled out of a book titled Organizational Communication Diagnosis and Change. We got to … Continue reading Big Terms and small details
Organizations are Relational
Chapter 4 in my organizational communication text is Relational Strategies of Organizing. It discusses the relational aspects of organizations, and organizational structures that take advantage of them rather than try to control them. The USA, it seems, doesn't generally fare well with relational themes -- we have too much distrust between management and employees. Relational … Continue reading Organizations are Relational
Writing Paper — fiction vs. reality
I thought about Sarah's blog on modeling clay while working on my first paper for my organizational communications class. There was a certain odd connection. The paper was to be a critical analysis of an academic research paper, and there was something in the assumptions of the research team that reminded me of some of … Continue reading Writing Paper — fiction vs. reality
Happy little working songs
Ever wonder how cleaning or working just makes some people break out into song? While sending the kids off to do some housework Saturday I started thinking about the various songs written about the joys of cleaning and working. Here is the small list I came up with, with some video clips to play to remind … Continue reading Happy little working songs
The un-piano bar
It wasn't what I expected. Bar opened at 5 p.m., piano wasn't supposed to start playing until 6 p.m., the band wasn't to start until 9 p.m. or something like that. First two drinks at $1 apiece, free appetizers until 7 p.m. With a setup like that, I knew we would be leaving before the … Continue reading The un-piano bar
The distracting beat of the drummer
Have you ever tried to dance a waltz while polka music was playing? Have you ever tried to sing a madrigal while bongo drums were playing? Okay, my examples might be a little far afield. I thought of the first one earlier today as a sort of metaphor. The second one, though I have actually … Continue reading The distracting beat of the drummer
