Opening Insights: A Viking CEO and A University in Turmoil
We are not pursuing Artificial Intelligence to beat humans...
we are pursuing AI so that we can empower every person and institution that people build with tools of AI
so that they can go on to solve the most pressing problems of our society and our economy...
SATYA NADELLA
Microsoft Ignite Sept. 2016
Inspired by the vision and direction of Satya Nadella's 2016 Ignite address, a crack group of Microsoft Partners actualized his dream. Driven by AwareComm®, a quad Gold Research and Development Partner, together with a handpicked group of crack Microsoft Partners, the first Teams Collaboration App (Co-Lab™) was created. It was created with a technology that started on the desktop and now reaches to the Microsoft Cloud.
August 2018 marked another milestone as an international panel met, led by Satya. The panel conversation focused on how we as individuals, teams and organizations, can create an environment where everyone can do their best work. Satya stated, "At Microsoft, we strive to embody a growth mindset – a continuous practice of learning, renewal and having the courage to confront our own fixed mindsets. This means fostering a culture that is diverse and inclusive and values the unique perspectives and experiences of each individual."
On August 14th, 2018 three people from opposite ends of the earth met. They connected online in the International AwareComm Collaboration Laboratory (Co-Lab™), hosted aboard the Midnight Sun, a 68 ft. sailing vessel and the first AwareComm Co-Lab Institute™.
Using the AwareComm Co-Lab™ platform, a blend of technology, methodology, human understanding and data science, they joined in a union of passion, purpose, skill and wisdom. The one man, a wise old Viking, Dr. Richard Jorgensen; the other two women – younger, eager and solution seeking lecturers, Lanelle and Michele.
- Lanelle and Michele, wielding the power and passion of the university faculty, association and industry are responsible for 2,000 students and the power to influence and reach an entire industry. Stifled by a controlling organization, they face the challenge of cultural and organizational adversity as it impacts their workplace, student culture, businesses, economy and country.
- Dr. Jorgensen, wielding the power of the Microsoft Partner Network, is a shepherd for humanity's leaders – transitioning adversity to diversity, through AwareComm Co-Lab™ collaboration.
This was not the first time they had met, and it certainly would not be the last. They joined hands across time, continents, oceans and cultures. Their differences were embraced with attention, respect and appreciation. Using a unique proprietary Socratic Process, a sense of equal but different, laid the foundation for a partnership of true followship-leadership to evolve and flourish.
Informational Insights: Reflections from Lanelle and Michele, Growing Followship-Leaders in the AwareComm International Co-Lab™
Reflections from Lanelle Wilmott, Senior Lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand:
Thanks for the opportunity to meet and talk to Dr. Jorgensen. The main ideas that stand out for me:
- Co-Labs are the bringing together of different stakeholders and skilled people, to work together in a self-sustainable way to benefit the whole community in a wide variety of areas. Everyone has something to contribute and results in a better outcome than doing it on your own.
- The importance of teaching by example and experience brings about change in learning.
- The platform provides a way to reach more students, to engage them and enable them to learn how to question and solve problems, within a framework of values.
What is important to me:
- To provide an opportunity for all students that we work with to develop a love for learning, as well as the skills necessary to make a meaningful contribution in their chosen profession.
I look forward to exploring how we can make a difference in my community.
(May 17th, 2018)
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On reflection of our discussion yesterday, what I realized for the first time is that the Co-Lab™ exists outside of the University and that is what gives people within the structure power.
I have been thinking about our academic staff, especially in light of another staff member wanting to leave. Additionally, in our current working environment, some of the staff feel powerless and that they aren’t valued for their work. This is hard for most staff as the majority have a professional qualification... and a master's degree (or are studying for it). It would really be great to help them to move from a fear-based culture to an empowered culture where they feel valued, heard and are able to make changes to this environment.
(May 30th, 2018)
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The Co-Lab™ is important to me because it provides a framework that creates strategies for life-long learning.
As lecturers, the Co-Lab™ is important for us in terms of providing us a framework to support our students with tools and resources, without needing to reinvent the wheel. It will also provide us with the opportunity for more time for planning and self-reflection. As well as a student forum to support us in better meeting student needs.
Scalability is a big thing... to reach more students... as well as multiple frames of reference that provides multiple levels of expertise that provides a rounded solution.
Providing the research...
Co-Labs™ offer our students a way to feel included... that they have an identity... to feel like we are all in this together. The opportunity to help our students develop the skills to think... so that they can actually realize that they have the ability. And, like Michele says, get away from that fixed mindset, i.e. this is the amount of ability that I have been blessed with and that is all I can do, so it is not possible for me to grow that capacity.
Michele was the one who pointed out... I didn't get to be a lecturer without a lot of time preparing trying to understand the stuff myself first. So, they can't expect to sit in a lecture for 30 min and expect to understand everything. They actually have to go and do something, to make the knowledge their own and helping them to realize that this is possible and helping them develop the strategies and skills to do it. We can help them early and help them develop the skills they need throughout their career.
(August 14th, 2018)
Reflections from Michele Auckock, Senior Lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand:
To empower a true grassroots movement from the bottom-up. History has shown to change and rebuild often requires revolution. Co-Labs™ provide the platform to support evolution, rather than revolution. Co-Labs™ are evolutionary, not revolutionary.
(May 30th, 2018)~~~~~~
We need to have parallel structures that create processes where people can think for themselves, logical, ethical… in that whole brain approach. From every direction we don’t have to go in, we just need to get this process going. A program like this can help and facilitate this and empower not just the students, but also the staff…
The old ways we have taught are not going to work with the new type of students we are going to get [lower standards]. We need to reposition ourselves. This platform offers a new way of how we approach things and addresses the needs of the new students coming in… the mindset. We cannot do it within [the existing framework] anymore…
(July 6th, 2018)
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Tonight Dr. Jorgensen addressed so many issues. I really do hope that I may grow to be more like him in mind and attitude – what a truly inspirational and enlightened man he is. And I love the way he can laugh at life and himself. I felt so privileged to be able to talk with him in the Co-Lab™.
(August 14th, 2018)
Possibilities of Consideration: Be the Change
Successful leaders do not do anything coming from power.
Successful leaders take action coming from a place of integrity and clarity of
what is, what is believable and what is achievable.
Rather than preaching, they walk a path and seek to
'be the change they want to see in the world.'
True leaders lead by example. True leaders lead by followship-leadership.
True leaders bring solutions and raise others up,
with faith and humility – knowing we get what we give.
RICHARD JORGENSEN
The reflections of Lanelle and Michele are profound. The depth of their partnership with AwareComm®, the Co-Lab™, their students and their country, along with a commitment to humanity is not only witnessed in their eloquent words, but demonstrated by their footsteps.
Lanelle and Michele are the founding members of the South African Critical Thinking and Empowerment Co-Lab™, focused on transforming the students of South Africa, to become empowered and build engaged student cultures that support:
- Scalable and transferable critical thinking education and research to expand growth mindset and thinking
- Creating free-thinkers and life-long learners, grounded in Dot Principles: perception, critical and creative thinking and effective communication
- Cultural transformation that works in parallel to the organization, powered by a Core Co-Lab™ Team of passionate and committed educators, independent of any organization, business or association
- Bottom-up approach to unite all stakeholders within the ecosystem to address the systemic cultural problems and evoke systemic change that transcends and reverses social conditioning and focuses on implementing Mandela’s dream of: freedom, empowerment and unity in South African and beyond
- Enhanced research capabilities to ensure sustainable funding using the latest data science methodology and tools -measurement of productivity and the underlying product of creativity in the form of sentience
Working with powerful partners within businesses, organizations and schools, Co-Labs™ provide the eFabric to gently weave a tapestry of spiritual principles and philosophies into the hearts and minds of the people – providing empowered, scalable and deliverable solutions for all generations.
- What if you could be a part of cultural transformation?
- What if you could be a part of empowering your organization, community and country?
- What if you could be a part of the social, economic and cultural growth and empowerment of your world?
- What if you could do something to reverse the addiction problems within businesses, communities and schools?
- What if you could create value for your people, employees, families, organizations, communities and country?
- What if you could share your wisdom, insight, knowledge and experience to help educate others?
- What if you could be a part of a solution to unite and support people in developing collective and individual sentience?
Add Your Insight: Living Your Passion…
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
MARGARET MEAD
Let’s start listening and let’s start giving.
We share a common cause and love. There are many like us.
The question is not why to explore the South African Critical Thinking and Empowerment Co-Lab™, the question is why not? Let’s unite and give back to our organization and communities not in words, but in action!
