Transcript Information, Understanding, and Power

Information, Understanding,
& Power Communication
Presented By
Donald W. Larson
September 8, 2004
Types of Information
“We are all surrounded by information
that operates at various degrees of
immediacy to our lives. These degrees
can be roughly divided into five rings,
although what constitutes information on
one level for one person my operate on
another level for someone else.”
Information Anxiety 2, ISBN 0-7897-2410-3, page 160
•Bodily function
messages
•Least control, most
affected
•Formal and
informal exchanges
•Most control as
senders and
receivers
•System
information
•Supportive
documentation for
our own lives
•Current Events
•Influences our
vision of the world
•Least quantifiable
form
•Attempts to come
to terms with our
civilization, our
society as a whole
Information Interfaces
• The Interfaces of
the rings form the
essential
relationships that
are necessary with
an increasingly
complex world.
An Overview Of
Understanding
“Understanding should be thought of as
a continuum from data to wisdom. The
distinction between the steps along this
continuum are not terribly discrete but
they do exist on some levels.”
Information Anxiety 2, ISBN 0-7897-2410-3, page 27
•Without context or arrangement
•Has nothing to teach us
•Arrangement shapes meaning and interpretation
•Presentation based upon the arrangement (i.e., verbal,
visual); operates on a conceptual level
•Gained by experiencing the same set of data in different ways
from different perspectives
•Information understood in other contexts
•Not easily transferred between people except by stories
•Intimately understanding enough patterns and meta-patterns;
used in novel ways and situations in which we didn’t learn them
•Includes the characteristics of: objectivity, clarity, and
discernment
•Almost impossible to transfer wisdom to others
An Example of Wisdom
…You may remember a time in your own life
when you stubbornly stuck to your position on a
problem, but then been faced with options and
perspectives you had not seen before. Suddenly,
you see another—and better–solution. In this
realization you moved from an attached position
to a flexible place of wisdom.
The Four-Fold Way ISBN 0-06-250059-7, page 122
Review
• Information Rings:
•
•
•
•
•
Internal
Conversational
Reference
News
Cultural
• Understanding:
•
•
•
•
Data
Information
Knowledge
Wisdom
Power Of Communication,
Part 1
• “Effective communications is the leader’s way”
• “Skillful communication means we have aligned
content, timing, and context”
• “Blunt communication is an announcement of great
content, but poor timing and context”
• “Confused communication often carries good timing
and context but poor content and leads to incongruity
between our words and behavior”
• The Four-Fold Way ISBN 0-06-250059-7, page 24
Power Of Communication,
Part 2
• “Communication that carries integrity always
considers timing and context before the delivery
of content”
• “Direct communication—giving voice to what we
see without blame or judgment—means we must
consider the alignment of the appropriate word
choice, tone of voice, and body posture”
• The Four-Fold Way ISBN 0-06-250059-7, page 83
Power Of Communication
Realization
• “Every head is a world”
• The Four-Fold Way ISBN 0-06-250059-7, page 110)
The End
Thank you for your time!
Click your mouse-button
to end this
presentation.
Don Larson
[email protected]
www.timeoutofmind.com
Photo copyright © 2003 by Donald W. Larson