Father's Day was last Sunday and I wanted to purchase all of (okay, a few of) my husband's favorite foods to make a meal. I went to a store I will call the Asian Market. This place is fascinating! It is like going to a multi-continental market, where you see people and foods of all nationalities and origin. (if you like the Food Network or Cooking Channel you'd like it there.) The foods there have their names written in english and the native tongue of where it is from etc. I have often thought it would be a great place to take a few children for a field trip, because of the many textures, different foods. I, however, went there because it was the one place nearby that I could buy fresh fish.
My husband absolutely adores catfish and says he can never get enough of mine. So, I figured here was my chance to make enough just for him to devour. I walked over to the fish department to see what varieties of fish were available. I was looking for catfish and finally I see it. And it's on sale to boot! Whole catfish, fresh, $2.99/lb. Wonderful!!! I can stay within my budget.
I began by examining the fish. Years ago I was told by my dad that fish with cloudy eyes were not fresh, so I was looking for clear eyed fish. The first few were given a thumbs down. Then I casually glance over to the lady next to me. She was looking at fresh tilapia for the same price. She was also using her fingers and looking at the inside of the gills. She had bagged about 6 of them when a clerk came and added more to the bin. She then dumped her 6 back in the bin and started looking at the newly added ones. I return to my catfish, wondering why she was looking at the gills. She turned and asked me a question about the catffish coloring, which I could not answer. I took this as my opportunity to ask why she was looking at the gills. She explained, in as much english as she could muster, while pointing to a set of dark red gills, 'fresh'. Then finding another set of slightly ashen red gills and shook her head in the universal 'no' gesture, stated, 'not fresh'. Suddenly, I got it, but then she asked, 'you look at ?' while pointing at the catfish's face. I got to reciprocate the teaching moment and explained about the fish's eyes.
We then exchanged smiles and helped each other pick out fish. She shared some additional information regarding another store. With limited English (and universal hand gestures) she relayed the name and location of the store. She explained that the store was always crowded, that prices were good, that the produce and fresh fish were great.
Finally, I asked, 'Where are you from?' She sheepishly says, 'Eygpt.' I thought, 'How cool is this? I'm in an Asian store, looking at catfish and tilapia, sharing information with a lady from Eygpt using english and universal hand gestures.' Sharing information to get a particular task done. This was what informal learning was all about. The experience was not only focused on the method of teaching, but on the experience as well. I appreciated my time with her that morning.
By the way, our lesson ended with two young women, who appeared of Asian descent, asking each other and the us, 'What are you look at?' while they pointed at the fish. Another informal learning opportunity to share had arisen.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
It's a Group Thing
Workscaping sounds like fun! It's an opportunity to gather together with others, sharing your knowledge and gathering knowledge, without feeling intimidated or estranged. The setting is informal and its occurence is spontaneous, free flowing and productive. It's a chance to work without it being perceived as loafing or wasting time. Most of all it is understood as a learning tool.
Workscaping allows staff to follow their interests as it pertains to the area(s) in which they work. The article, Working Smarter Through Workscaping', by Jay Cross, advocates that employees stay engaged when they are able to take leadership with their interest. Cross's comments about responsibility and authority struck a chord with me. I have often seen where staff members have no authority and all of the responsibility. So, they bare the responsibility if they are wrong, despite the fact that they are given poor information and are doing what they have been told to do, but they have no authority to change a process mid-stream if they recognize that it needs to be done. I have found that people are more willing to take responsibility, if they have a hand in the decision making. Workscaping would allow this.
"Professional[s]...don't just master subject matter; they become members of their profession."
"Professionals learn from one another."
"Perhaps the most important, self-motivated workers apply what they've learned immediately."
Learning from a group who have traveled in the footsteps I must follow, has far more impact than learning from those who can only theorize. Hearing first hand the experiences of others, then taking morsels of information from their story and applying it is what learning is all about. I have found that as I mature, my memory is not as good as it was when I was younger. So, I must take more notes. Sometimes the notes contain not just what was said but also what I saw or experienced. These play important parts for me by keeping an order of recollection, when it is time to practice what was learned. (And some days, at least in my case, I have to do this quickly or I will forget where I placed the notes; despite the fact that I always put them is a safe place :) This helps what I learned to become a part of me and keeps me motivated. This way I find out if I learned or if I need to try again. Most importantly, it keeps me moving, because whatever the subject matter, I want to reach the end result--becoming the subject.
I enjoyed the article and have developed a real affinity for informal learning opportunities. They offer a more relaxed atmosphere where knowledge is not hoarded, but shared freely; there is less concern about being or doing wrong, because the emphasis is on the learning process; there is less opportunity for processes to become stade, because someone is always considered a better way to do it. I cannot say unanimously that every business could total operate in the ways suggested, but it would be interesting to at least see some of them try it. In an age of technology, choosing to maintain antiquated methods and process is totally unacceptable.
Workscaping allows staff to follow their interests as it pertains to the area(s) in which they work. The article, Working Smarter Through Workscaping', by Jay Cross, advocates that employees stay engaged when they are able to take leadership with their interest. Cross's comments about responsibility and authority struck a chord with me. I have often seen where staff members have no authority and all of the responsibility. So, they bare the responsibility if they are wrong, despite the fact that they are given poor information and are doing what they have been told to do, but they have no authority to change a process mid-stream if they recognize that it needs to be done. I have found that people are more willing to take responsibility, if they have a hand in the decision making. Workscaping would allow this.
"Professional[s]...don't just master subject matter; they become members of their profession."
"Professionals learn from one another."
"Perhaps the most important, self-motivated workers apply what they've learned immediately."
Learning from a group who have traveled in the footsteps I must follow, has far more impact than learning from those who can only theorize. Hearing first hand the experiences of others, then taking morsels of information from their story and applying it is what learning is all about. I have found that as I mature, my memory is not as good as it was when I was younger. So, I must take more notes. Sometimes the notes contain not just what was said but also what I saw or experienced. These play important parts for me by keeping an order of recollection, when it is time to practice what was learned. (And some days, at least in my case, I have to do this quickly or I will forget where I placed the notes; despite the fact that I always put them is a safe place :) This helps what I learned to become a part of me and keeps me motivated. This way I find out if I learned or if I need to try again. Most importantly, it keeps me moving, because whatever the subject matter, I want to reach the end result--becoming the subject.
I enjoyed the article and have developed a real affinity for informal learning opportunities. They offer a more relaxed atmosphere where knowledge is not hoarded, but shared freely; there is less concern about being or doing wrong, because the emphasis is on the learning process; there is less opportunity for processes to become stade, because someone is always considered a better way to do it. I cannot say unanimously that every business could total operate in the ways suggested, but it would be interesting to at least see some of them try it. In an age of technology, choosing to maintain antiquated methods and process is totally unacceptable.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Wiki Who?
When I read 'Working Wikily', I began to feel a few different emotions. One was that of being challenged. The authors, Kasper and Scearce, offered many advantages to using social media for the social good and prosperity. Groups come together more quickly and effienciently. No need for an organzation. Just call for a 'Smash Mob' or a collective for a cause (remember the candlight vigil for the soldiers in Iraq?) The challenge for me is, though I want to do good and be a part of the greater good, do I really want to use this media to achieve it?
Being unfamiliar with social media requires a change in thought and behavior in order to use it. It is very easy to stay just as I am. You see, I am accustomed to my ways and think that they are right. Changing requires effort; a desire to achieve more than I have already and a willingness to make whatever strides necessary to reach the goal. Sometimes its simply easier to change the goals. I experienced frustration of the simpliest level while trying to add a RSS feed to a page. Frustration and 3 days (or rather nights) of wondering, 'Did I do it right? Why doesn't it like right?' And they say change is good. Anyway, as I continued reading I was convince that I needed an open mind. Changing my mind would help me to change my behavior. This could be a transforming moment for me, if I let it.
Another emotion was humor, when they spoke about using tools well and matching them to the need, and especially about 'friending'. Using the tools well, means knowing how to actually use it, which is more than simply being acqainted with it, but rather you have become one with it. It is by this that you better know its application. (Becoming one is no easy feat! ) 'Friending' and Facebook, need I say more. This friend option reminds me of middle schoolers who think everyone who is nice to them or invites them to something is a friend. Really? I had to learn how to use the notifications and privacy settings quickly. By invitation only. You see, my daughter explained it to me this way: She uses Facebook for its event planning and notification only, so regardless who wants to be her friend (especially people who are friends of her parents, imagine that!) unless they are related to the business at hand she declines the friendship invitation.
The last emotion was intrigue. This article prompted a conversation between my son and me. Regarding Twitter, he felt that there was no one that he wanted to remain in such close contact with so regularly. Oddly enough, by this time I had completely finished the article and could now promote the benefits of following only those whose interests were the same as mind. There was a professional benefit involved. But what I realized is that he had the same mindset that I had weeks prior and we had not even spoken on the subject before then. He being a young person, of the generation who grew up with the internet, surely he would embrace this technology wholeheartedly. Not so.
The connections or network potential involved here was much greater than I could imagine. So, while I previously looked at networks like Twitter and Facebook as new toys for young, uninvolved mind I could now rationalize, logically, that if I am going to participate in business at a higher level, my 'toys' will need to change also. I mean, who plays with Atari now?
Being unfamiliar with social media requires a change in thought and behavior in order to use it. It is very easy to stay just as I am. You see, I am accustomed to my ways and think that they are right. Changing requires effort; a desire to achieve more than I have already and a willingness to make whatever strides necessary to reach the goal. Sometimes its simply easier to change the goals. I experienced frustration of the simpliest level while trying to add a RSS feed to a page. Frustration and 3 days (or rather nights) of wondering, 'Did I do it right? Why doesn't it like right?' And they say change is good. Anyway, as I continued reading I was convince that I needed an open mind. Changing my mind would help me to change my behavior. This could be a transforming moment for me, if I let it.
Another emotion was humor, when they spoke about using tools well and matching them to the need, and especially about 'friending'. Using the tools well, means knowing how to actually use it, which is more than simply being acqainted with it, but rather you have become one with it. It is by this that you better know its application. (Becoming one is no easy feat! ) 'Friending' and Facebook, need I say more. This friend option reminds me of middle schoolers who think everyone who is nice to them or invites them to something is a friend. Really? I had to learn how to use the notifications and privacy settings quickly. By invitation only. You see, my daughter explained it to me this way: She uses Facebook for its event planning and notification only, so regardless who wants to be her friend (especially people who are friends of her parents, imagine that!) unless they are related to the business at hand she declines the friendship invitation.
The last emotion was intrigue. This article prompted a conversation between my son and me. Regarding Twitter, he felt that there was no one that he wanted to remain in such close contact with so regularly. Oddly enough, by this time I had completely finished the article and could now promote the benefits of following only those whose interests were the same as mind. There was a professional benefit involved. But what I realized is that he had the same mindset that I had weeks prior and we had not even spoken on the subject before then. He being a young person, of the generation who grew up with the internet, surely he would embrace this technology wholeheartedly. Not so.
The connections or network potential involved here was much greater than I could imagine. So, while I previously looked at networks like Twitter and Facebook as new toys for young, uninvolved mind I could now rationalize, logically, that if I am going to participate in business at a higher level, my 'toys' will need to change also. I mean, who plays with Atari now?
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Who am I and What am I doing here?
I am a middle aged woman seeking to define herself. I am one who has just begun to ask herself the important questions, such as, ' Am I happy? I mean really happy?'. I am the one who is just beginning to find answers to questions such as this.
The hard part about finding answers is that you don't always like what you find. Once you discover the answer you are compelled to do something with the newly found information. Otherwise, if you don't you will find yourself asking the same question yet again and confronting the same answer also.
So, what am I doing here? I'm makin' some moves based on the answers found and enjoying the ride I must say. This ride has the mixture of exhilaration and fear, somthing like riding a roller coaster. You know your stomach is going to do back flips at the dips and you hate the feeling of possibly wetting yourself, but there's just something special about being able to say, 'Yeah, I did it. I'll do it again. Wanna go with me?'.
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