Stephen Denning was faced with a task, which I do not envy him: He was charged with implementing knowledge management in huge and very conservative organization (the World Bank) which so far had not considered itself in the knowledge business.

This book is the story of how he did it - using stories. He found that whenever he used “traditional” presentations to present the idea of knowledge management and the changes necessary to implement it, he got nowhere. People were skeptical. However, when he used stories to convey the message, people’s attitudes changed, and they became much more positive.

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If we hope to live not just from moment to moment, but in true consciousness of our existence, then our greatest need and most difficult achievement is to find meaning in our lives.
- Bruno Bettelheim in The uses of enchantment

Seems a lot of people are interested in happiness in the workplace these days. Check out this Google search.

A few highlights:
These guys are starting self-replicating “Joy at work” support groups.
Tips for hiring the right people.
An article on interpersonal relations at work.
Health and happiness at work.

New site design, thanks to Pernille. Is she good or is she good?

While webresearching about learning, I found some info on learning styles. It seems there are different basic approaches to learning.

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Work is fast replacing religion in providing meaning in people’s lives. Work has become how we define ourselves, it is now answering the traditional religious questions: Who am I? How do I find meaning and purpose? Work is no longer just about economics; it’s about identity.
- Benjamin Hunnicutt, historian and professor at the University of Iowa at Iowa City

This book, subtitled “Turn on the People in Any Organization”, is a really quick read, but it contains some pretty good ideas nevertheless.

The whole book is a a storyof an iron plant in America, that’s in deep trouble. Profites are down, and the employees are hostile towards the new CEO that’s just been hired.

The CEO talks to an indian, and learns the spirit of the squirrel, the way of the beaver and the gift of the goose.

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My project (Projekt Arbejdsgl�de) is moving along nicely. I’ve created a website for it here, and the first two workshops will be held in february.

If you have any comments on the website, or would like to join a workshop, please let me know.

“When you argue with reality, you lose. But only 100% of the time.”

This quote by Byron Katie sums up the central message of her book “Loving what is“. The book is about The Work, a very simple process developed by the author, to help people inquire about their own beliefs and thinking.

The process is astonishingly simple. For every stressful thought, ask yourself these four questions:
1: Is it true?
2: Can I absolutely know that it’s true?
3: How do I react when I think that thought?
4: Who would I be without that thought?

And then you “turn the statement around”. The process is described in depth at thework.org.

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This book is about the fears that we all have in our lives to some degree. Fear of failing. Fear of succeeding. Fear of decisions. Fear of aging, of loss or of helplessness.

The books basic premise is, that your aim should not be to get rid of your fears. You should feel your fear, but not let it stop you from doing things you really want to do.

The book describes three levels of fear. The first level is the actual event that you fear - say losing you job. The second level is the deeper fear, triggered by the first level - eg. rejection (if being fired would make you feel rejected). Beneath that on the third level there’s only one fear: The fear that you won’t be able to cope. If you knew in advance that you could take it, there would be nothing to be afraid of. So all fear reduces to fear of not being able to cope.

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