tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053Fri, 01 Nov 2024 09:50:55 +0000public administrationMethodologiesplanseffectivenessphilosophycomplexitydesigneventsA reflective account of making a place in the world, attempting to serve as a catalyst for a better future. This blog will track my thoughts on my professional journey. See my landing page <a href="http://jsbaxter.com.au">jsbaxter.com.au</a>, or see <a href="https://plus.google.com/112337609831130845400/?rel=author">GPlus</a>http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)Blogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-6483826455695628592Wed, 01 Jul 2015 10:11:00 +00002015-07-01T20:12:51.138+10:00Earlier this year I had a mini revelation. I have for a while had unease with the story of the good life that I had come to take on. &nbsp; That story says that we Find The Problem With The World, then dedicate our life to the odyssey of that problem (Our Passion), and in the end find The Solution (thusly Saving The World, and of course being The Hero of The World, not that we'd ever admit it http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-things-i-care-about.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-5255962940222630823Sun, 14 Jun 2015 11:24:00 +00002015-06-14T21:24:56.101+10:00 As a facilitator, one of the scariest things we can come across is the skeptic. &nbsp;This is scary whether they are skeptical of the intent and possibility of the gathering, or of us, our role and our plan as facilitator (much less of an issue, but personally harder to bear!). &nbsp;But they can also be one of the greatest assets of the group... I always try to remind myself of this, and to acthttp://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2015/06/skeptics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-2866028936579565508Wed, 27 May 2015 12:46:00 +00002015-05-27T22:53:37.684+10:00'Adding one' is one of the most disproportionately powerful practices I have adopted.Its source is movement practice. The genesis for me is the so called 'warm up' of the&nbsp;Yamakasi, as shared by Chau Belle, one of the founders of the practice of parkour. The warm up is a series of repetitions of fairly basic movements, like sit ups, interspersed with traversals, like running up stairs. Rumourhttp://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2015/05/plus-one.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-7841046099086883810Wed, 31 Dec 2014 02:52:00 +00002014-12-31T13:52:09.583+11:00As one year passes, another begins to crystalise. 2015 is not clear enough yet for me to give you much of a preview, but I can tell you a few things about it. I will need to let go of 2014 in order to let a bright 2015 come. 2014 was 'good' and had lots of good moments, it went as well as I might have hoped and more-or-less according to plan. &nbsp;But I also slipped in and out of the one http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/12/letting-come-and-letting-go.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-7693985336018087821Wed, 24 Dec 2014 03:33:00 +00002014-12-24T14:44:08.802+11:00I'm sure I'm not the only one to confess an uninspired awareness of the 'gamification' fad. &nbsp;So I owe a debt to whoever recommended Jane McGonigal's Reality is Broken, which totally changed my mind. There is a lot&nbsp;to learn from games — about motivation, engagement, work, collaboration, and even the macro systems that define our behaviour. &nbsp; First things first, though... Playing ahttp://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/12/gamification.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-5788449684830096235Thu, 18 Dec 2014 04:15:00 +00002014-12-18T15:15:47.551+11:00A few life lessons from my week long trip to Melbourne, reconnecting with the tribe... As far as the business goes, I'm doing alright. &nbsp;I'm doing pretty reasonable things in a sensible enough fashion (and making money at the kind of rate I could be expected to). &nbsp;Things seem hard work because... well, establishing onesself is hard work. &nbsp;And as glossy as hindsight is, I haven't http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/12/a-few-lessons-from-tribe.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-6263530174464635914Tue, 09 Dec 2014 06:35:00 +00002014-12-10T12:53:01.837+11:00A few days from my next Melbourne trip, thinking about my story and what I hope to get out of my trip. &nbsp;The post I wrote after my last trip&nbsp;seems a pretty good place to start. I have been telling people that I go to Melbourne to keep connected with people and practice... I have solid professional networks there, I say, especially of people doing similar work and who 'get it'. &nbsp;http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/12/reconnecting-self-purpose-and-practice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-2032822227793531044Tue, 09 Dec 2014 06:10:00 +00002014-12-09T17:13:55.707+11:00 When thinking about 'change', it is easy to forget that the world&nbsp;is&nbsp;changing. &nbsp;I know I do... I assume we want to be part of creating change in how the world works... which is nonsense. &nbsp;It is easy but misleading to project the status quo forward (with a few variables of change, like population and economic growth), rather than think about ever evolving trajectories and http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/12/dont-make-change-participate.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-2251032501386414834Sat, 15 Nov 2014 02:14:00 +00002014-11-15T13:18:11.713+11:00Back in the day, God did his thing. He worked for six days, and on the seventh day He rested. &nbsp;He sat back and looked at what He had done, and He saw that it was good. For a long time things seemed to be going pretty well. &nbsp;He did falsify a few oral histories to impress His Greatness upon the people of the earth... but what are a few white lies between friends? In the coming days http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/11/end-of-patriarchy-creation-story.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-675644171542692058Fri, 16 May 2014 04:32:00 +00002014-05-16T14:32:54.673+10:00I fly back to Adelaide from Melbourne tomorrow, after a week here of meetings and meaningful conversations. The strongest recurrent theme has been the challenge of change. &nbsp;In particular, how can we translate doing good work (at an achievable scale) into something that shifts the system. Stand-out messages growing new ways of being must happen from the inside and in togetherness; neither http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/05/shifting-systems.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-4060754804225891276Sat, 26 Apr 2014 03:10:00 +00002014-04-26T13:10:09.181+10:00If you've been following along for a while you may have expected a new year post about what 2014 would hold for me. I've done this because I like a bit of public accountability, and because I know many who read this blog face the same challenge, "how to be in this world". &nbsp;I'm happy to be a case study. &nbsp;And so, late as I am, I write about 2014. I didn't write up a 2014 resolution in http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/04/2014.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-632872789603785164Thu, 24 Apr 2014 01:39:00 +00002014-04-24T11:42:06.510+10:00 Can we think about leadership not first from "what it is", assuming there is "a thing called leadership" as our starting point, but instead from "what do we think this 'leadership' thing is supposed to do?" That is, what are the functions or impacts of a thing we might call leadership? &nbsp;How do we think it would work? &nbsp;What are the theories of change about the impact that our http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/04/leadership.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-3807689610816710429Thu, 10 Apr 2014 08:21:00 +00002014-04-10T18:21:15.440+10:00I think I've built up a pretty sophisticated practice for learning, development and personal change over the last five or so years. Which I guess is just the practice of influencing 'me'. I'm pretty savvy with habit formation, developing simple frameworks to guide intended actions, kaizen and lean learning through rapid iteration cycles, different methods for learning content, GTD everything, http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2014/04/getting-better-at-learning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-4584755982392379806Sun, 06 Oct 2013 02:45:00 +00002013-10-06T13:45:58.536+11:00Blogging for me is just a particular form of having a conversation. I end talking about people's personal blogs frequently enough, or about the blog they plan to start... or perhaps most often, the blog they have lying dormant. &nbsp;Many people sense it's worth blogging, but aren't clear about what what and why. &nbsp;But many people don't seem to know how to catalyse this sense into actual http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2013/10/blogging.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-2649507411556943018Sun, 15 Sep 2013 07:02:00 +00002013-09-15T17:11:42.027+10:00Transforming lives is the heart of meaningful change. &nbsp;So it's worth reflecting what has impacted on our own lives to get a sense of how we can enable change for others. I was reminded of a few of my own, hearing Sam Manger's story of how he ended up doing Transitions Film Festival Adelaide - inspired by his experience of TFF in Melbourne. I'm sure you can think of many examples in your http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2013/09/life-changing.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-2536758499205724863Sun, 07 Jul 2013 10:11:00 +00002013-07-08T14:02:28.970+10:00 Sometimes I sit and watch my balance depleting, and wonder what my work adds up to. &nbsp;I'm investing all my energy, my time, my money - for what? &nbsp;I'm going nowhere. Then something catches my attention, I remember 'me' from a year or two ago - and I think maybe I'm doing alright after all. Most of the change in me come from one thing: aspiring to be more like the heroes that are http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2013/07/my-heroes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-7510203585502855372Mon, 10 Jun 2013 02:39:00 +00002013-06-10T12:44:09.042+10:00I'm going through a critical reflective phase with CoCreate at the moment. &nbsp;It's making me wonder how we really know whether we're doing anything meaningful. &nbsp;Though that's not a&nbsp;quandary&nbsp;unique to CoCreate. In a way, I have no doubt that it's a good thing. &nbsp;Michael Kubler&nbsp;and I edited a video yesterday from footage of the April CoCreate Adelaide event. &nbsp;(Videohttp://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2013/06/enabling-transformations.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-2575293401390787368Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:09:00 +00002013-04-19T11:00:53.915+10:00How do you create a social change initiative? There are a range of models out there for getting things done. &nbsp;The startup model will work for many social enterprises (e.g. Lean Startup and Business Model Canvas). &nbsp;A movement-building approach is great for behaviour-driven social change. &nbsp;Activist and campaign techniques can leverage collective interest to influence the activity ofhttp://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-model-for-movement-driven-initiatives.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-3811912713200760376Tue, 12 Mar 2013 02:11:00 +00002013-03-12T13:11:06.665+11:00It's been a full on month. &nbsp;I'm in Melbourne at the moment - my projects are on track, I've had some incredibly productive inspiration and reflection about my business, my information streams are under control, and I just need to get down to the necessary low-value administrative crap. &nbsp;Perfect time for a blog post. Some themes are emerging in my life and practice, like a desire for http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2013/03/slow-living.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-4601071728972805706Mon, 28 Jan 2013 04:36:00 +00002013-01-28T15:36:01.228+11:00I've been lucky enough to be involved in some fantastic projects in the last year, like Collaboratory Melbourne, Collaborate to Innovate and Our World Today. &nbsp;I've had great experiences. &nbsp;But a lot of the time, it hasn't felt like I've achieved anything. I have learnt that transformation relies upon the use of potential energy. &nbsp;Enabling people, helping them realise their http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2013/01/dont-waste-your-effort-helping-people.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-2892212801276425567Tue, 22 Jan 2013 06:13:00 +00002013-05-24T12:08:54.134+10:00It was one of those dark and stormy, sleepless nights. &nbsp;Ideas racing at a million miles an hour, and my last post churning around in the back of my mind. &nbsp;Out popped a few simple steps for collaborative projects. My inclination has been to talk, ask about issues, seek collaborators, try to find common ground, and develop practices for collaborative action. &nbsp;Things have gone slowlyhttp://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2013/01/leading-collaborative-initiatives.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-3263220938859709824Fri, 11 Jan 2013 03:40:00 +00002013-01-11T14:40:52.779+11:00The blog has been fairly quiet the last six months. &nbsp;There are too many different things I could write about, and I have no compelling case to write about any one of them, especially given my modest readership. This blog was initially a way to engage with friends about what I was up, where individual conversations were impractical. &nbsp;Many of my posts have let my friends know I write http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-more-reflective-personal-turn.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-7830815033175389908Mon, 31 Dec 2012 07:17:00 +00002012-12-31T18:17:56.828+11:00It's been too long, too much has happened... even I have struggled to stay in the loop. &nbsp;So instead of a recap - a few quick comments on 2013 ahead. I'm setting up a business. &nbsp;Still in alpha: a mission-driven enterprise to realise the positive potential of changes in the ways we work. &nbsp;Communities, networks, agility and collaboration... all that stuff I do. &nbsp;But more than http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2012/12/looking-ahead-to-2013-together.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-8182189070409734131Sat, 08 Dec 2012 05:14:00 +00002012-12-08T16:14:02.947+11:00This is my take on 'social business'. &nbsp;It refers, in short, to businesses that are social in nature - that are a connected part of society. I'm referring to Australian/UK usage here, so&nbsp;I'm not referring to social enterprise - businesses created for social purpose - which is the meaning of 'social business' in other places. And yes, all businesses are inherently social. &nbsp;Somehttp://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2012/12/social-business-whats-it-all-about.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2672774655410126053.post-9200902241532812116Sun, 11 Nov 2012 11:25:00 +00002012-11-11T22:25:09.707+11:00 We've all experienced stale 'community' environments. &nbsp;Workplaces rife with distrust. &nbsp;Volunteer organisations with a few ardent leaders - and volunteers who arrive passionate and leave disengaged. &nbsp;'Community' or 'networking' groups where everybody seems to have their own agenda. These spaces either don't have underlying community, or are affected by major pathologies. &nbsp;http://jsbaxter.blogspot.com/2012/11/community-is-important.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (John Baxter)1