For the first time in quite a while, I am moved to consider a book project, something I do with a fair amount of trepidation.  When an idea is powerful enough to take me over, I find it can be all consuming and I never really know where it will take me.  I find it exciting but also disorienting, never knowing what leads to treasure and what to swamp land. Joining me in this writing venture directly is my colleague, Mary Gelinas, as well as colleagues mentioned at the end of t

Last week at Berrett Koehler 's author day for Parker Palmer, I had the pleasure of meeting Janet Perry. She is the founder of Nonfiction4life , a website dedicated to providing audiences with quality books and 30 minute author podcasts. Meeting Janet was delightful, her passion for books obvious, and we quickly agreed to do a podcast. Rare among interviews I’ve had, she read the book in detail and inquired about specific stories such as the fire at Mann Gulch, the Challen

My publisher, Berrett-Koehler, is featuring my book, Bringing Your Soul to Work , as a free e-book over the next 48 hours. They also offering 40% discount and free shipping on all their publications, including my other books, The Power of Collective Wisdom and The Stirring of Soul in the Workplace .  Great as gifts for friends. Get your free e-copy now.

"One of the essential qualities of collective wisdom is a palpable sense of connection with each other and to larger forces that is found, for example, in nature, in relationship to our ancestors, and even in relation to a physical place…. People who talk about their experiences of collective wisdom often report a sense of openness and awareness of something larger than themselves. The ability to communicate seems broader, and people are often astounded by the creativity that

This poem was created out of fragments of speech over a three day period, drawing from individual conversations and group discussions I had or witnessed at the annual Berrett-Koehler Publishers Author Co-op retreat.  The language used was specific to the situation but I have been encouraged by others who were not there that it may have a significance beyond its original setting.  I hope it tickles your fancy: Collective Poem We’re running short on time but don’t knock yours

<p><a style="display: inline;" href="http://www.alanbriskin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/6a0134809b7f05970c0133f59587a8970b.jpg"><img class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a0134809b7f05970c0133f59587a8970b" title="Africa" src="http://www.alanbriskin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/6a0134809b7f05970c0133f59587a8970b-800wi.jpg" border="0" alt="Africa" /></a> <br /><br />In the late 70’s, I learned about the research of Nevitt Sanford.&nbsp; He was my professor and founder of the g

Photo by Alan Briskin " New capacity and intelligence emerges through connections: from cell to cell, dendrite to dendrite, human to human, group to group. As extraordinary and mysterious as the experience of profound connection—and of collective wisdom emerging—may feel in the moment, collective wisdom as a phenomenon is natural, even potentially ordinary. " ~ The Power of Collective Wisdom: And the Trap of Collective Folly

" When we join together the terms collective and wisdom, we reach a whole new synthesis of insight and revelation. Like binocular vision, in which both eyes are used at once, joining collective with wisdom is a way of seeing with added dimension and depth. The collective eye can pick up patterns of order, variation, and connections; wisdom can detect meaning and human values that arise spontaneously from a particular situation. We achieve, to paraphrase the words of the psych

" Collective wisdom helps us transcend the duality of self and others because it is a reminder that we are part of a larger framework from which we act out our role. As Shakespeare recognized, alone we are merely players, each with our exits and entrances, but as members of something larger, we become something extraordinary. “Consider,” another wise poet said, “how the stars that shine more brightly manage to combine in constellations, get a name.” So too with collective wis

If you have to ask what a picture is worth, then you probably can't afford this column. In The Power of Collective Wisdom we wrote "seeking collective wisdom is a conscious attempt to elevate group life from its history of fighting tooth and claw to reach the top of the hierarchy or achieve dominance over others."  And we referred to the human capacity for empathy, compassion, and the role of mirror neurons in allowing for the permeability of emotional life. So check out thes