Practice? Podcast

In this continuing conversation with prognosticator Tom Casey, founder of Discussion Partners Collaborative (https://discussionpartners.com/), we hear Tom tell Dave that he and his patterns strive on behalf of their clients to write the next chapter in the book of business history before it happens. His message: Get ready. Leaders in every sort of practice are also busily sketching rough drafts of what could be happening tomorrow.  Why? To be as ready as possible. Then the future still smacks us in the face; but it hurts less.   

Fellow teachers Dave and Gordon talk about how and why Gordon's relocation from Indiana to Louisianna (https://www.ulm.edu/cbss/), adding administrative leadership responsibilities, keeps him engagingly happy.  Lots of laughter peppering words of wisdom from both the old timer (Dave) and the up-and-comer (Gordon).  Note:  His forthcoming book is "Leaders Assemble!: Leadership in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  

Dave's conversation with Meredith (Meredith Fineman, best-selling author of Brag Better) is what his generation would call "rollicking" and intriguing.  Meredith is on to something.  Perhaps a great majority of us are conditioned from childhood to avoid self-promotion.  Bragging takes practice, perseverance, and another of Dave's old terms - moxie.  It's all in the book (Brag Better Book by Meredith Fineman).  Speaking of books, Peter Vaill and my book On Practice as a Way of Being ( https://www.mylibrary.world/practice).  You will hear Meredith coaching Dave to plug this accomplishment.   Done.  

Dave and Organization Development & Change sage Frances Baldwin agree in this conversation that there is a palpable, even spiritual, feeling of making contact with another.  From this point of mutual reference and reverence, the conversation takes on a richer, more nuanced character. Stories come quickly to mind.  Newly thought word combinations emerge.  Easy laughing carries the momentum from the serious to the playful.  You will not want this episode to end, it is so pleasant to hear Frances' voice.     

Dave has a conversation with a serious young woman who confidently chooses difficult and rare ways of developing her mental acuity.  Mastering the most elaborate accordion, for example, and providing a keen-eyed proof-reading of Dave's and Peter Vaill's book On Practice as a Way of Being ( https://www.mylibrary.world/practice).  Mahaska at 17!        

This conversation gives us a look "under the hood" to get a feel for how our brains keep changing the formation of neurons as we change our most practiced behaviors.  Dave, Jr. and Dave, Sr. conjecture on how and why this works and why keeping our brains healthy matters.   

Dave resumes his conversation with Valency Consulting Organization Development practitioners Linda and Vanessa who are devoting new thought to the prospect of Mutual Mentoring in client organizations. Mentoring well and often is discussed as a practice for closing social distances among those whose diverse perspectives can clear up intriguing messes.