Black belts

Students want to get it right, think it all hinges on a grade, and feel tremendous pressure (some of which is inflicted by professors, parents, and peers) to perform. Today, we talked about competitive rivalry and competitive dynamics, added some Sun Tzu on the Art of War (which you can download here), and dabbled in six sigma vis a vis Deming's Total Quality Management. It's a lot to absorb.

And, yet, when I tell them about martial arts and how a black belt entitles you to start over, right beside the white-belted beginner, the disbelief is almost palpable. It's no wonder so many of our businesses are overly focused on short-term results. It's woven into the very fabric of our educational system.

A mind stretched...

I've wondered what to do with this blog, since the original reason for writing was to chronicle the development of a beta course...and mostly for purposes of transparency. Oddly enough, doing something slightly out of the mainstream is not always well accepted in the halls of the academy. But I've missed the communication (albeit somewhat one-sided), I'm teaching the course again this semester, and...well...I miss my blog.

So, as time and opportunity allow, I'm going to continue writing about the old/new/hybrid Business Strategy course, how teaching it the "old" way won't ever be what it was...and it's too soon to know what it may become...and perhaps the gap will cease to exist or to matter.

What I know for sure is that I have a new enthusiasm for the course as it was, since the changes in my approach have changed...me.