Collaboration

In the 21st century, the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. The tools at our disposal and the enormity of the problems we face call us to collaborative exercise. One person's abilities are not enough, no matter how dynamic the leadership style, no matter how forceful the ideas. Annmarie Neal, vice president for Talent Management at Cisco Systems states, "Command-and-control leadership style is becoming less and less valued in organizations. People have to understand the importance of working fluidly and across boundaries."*

The first stride toward collaboration is the sharing of information. Although my colleagues teach in other schools, and although we have no common planning time, we can share information over the Internet. Much of what we read and write is now in the global network of thought, and if that network has a nerve center, it would be the collection of bookmarks we make and share along the way.


*Wagner, "The Global Achievement Gap," p. 23.