Completion?

Well I've blogged about my lists, and I've blogged about my need for direction, now I'm going to blog about getting things done.. or more accurately, not getting things done.

Tim from my church shared something with me when we were discussing leadership and leading groups, to help me lead a group in moving forward with goals. It's called 'The Experiential Learning Theory' and the basic idea is that we learn by Experiencing something, Reflecting on that experience, Theorising about the Experience, and then Applying that Theorising, which then becomes another experience.
I've just done a botch job of explaining it, there is better explanations here.

The secondary part of the theory that I found particularly helpful, was that people tend to excel in one of these four areas, as Activists, Reflectors, Pragmatists, and Theorisers. None of these groups are mutually exclusive, as the theory dictates we need all in order to learn.
Within a group working together, there tends to be a mix of these, and there is a tension between them. As the leader of the group, it would be my job to ensure we didn't get stuck in one area, but let the cycle continue.

I tend to gravitate toward the area of being a Theoriser. And will sometimes need the assistance of a Pragmatist or and Activist in order to achieve something, otherwise I tend to be happy to remain in my theory land. But sometimes the theory is just so exciting, you have to try it out, give it a whirl.

Direction

I have previously blogged on my love of Lists.
I have similar feelings about Direction.

I am definitely a directional man. I love taking directions, and I love giving directions. Often I won't embark on a project unless it is clear to me the aims of the project and often also its expected outcomes, in other words, I like whatever I am doing to be driven with a direction in mind.
This includes baking cakes.
When working with others, I have a tendency to demand some form of direction be set, and often roles to be designated. I guess it's a mannerism of mine. I like to be organised in this manner.

Sometimes I like to 'see how things go', but often, and to be honest, I struggle with this idea.

Blogfast: partial failure.

I know, a week early.. I wasn't doing very well keeping away from the blogsphere. I found myself not only returning because you hear about what's going down in the blogsphere from people in the real world, but also because I would search the internet for things, and interestingly enough, most of the world is running their own blogs, not websites anymore! And people posted bloglinks on facebook.. I think next time both need to go, and not for as long a time.

But having made the (not so good) effort, I have noticed and learned a few things:

- It is unsettling that there are certain things that have become or are becoming designated blog discussion only, like talking about sexual issues, pornography and politics. I am glad it's being done, but is it easier done on blogs? And is it adequate?
Back in primary school, before blogs and the internet in fact, there were a lot of 'special books' and people brought in who didn't know you to discuss untouchable subjects. Why will it never be a personal thing?
-My current main source of written Theological influence is a blog. A corporate one, but a blog nonetheless. Is this a worry? Will books be better?
-The world is becoming segmented into bite sized pieces. I'm labelling it neither good nor bad, just interesting. But in light of this, what does this mean for educational blogs? Are we getting holistic information? Are we also adding to the simplifying of everything?
-We are spending our time talking more than ever, as everyone has an opinion, and will develop there own online opinion. Does this mean we listen less?

Just some thoughts and reflections.

Lists

I'm a guy who loves lists.
I'll list anything if it helps me grasp a concept or a requirement sooner than it takes to write the list.
Often they don't function as a checklist, but more a 'know list' things to be aware of. Keeps me a little more aware.

The other day I started a list, but, more of a checklist, for all the costs and other time consuming things involved with going to Cambodia.

It's huge!! And sobering..

and getting bigger.. :-s