Joe Gerstandt | keynote speaker, freedom fighter, freak-flag flier

There is a great deal of evidence showing diversity (especially cognitive diversity) to be a powerful factor toward innovation, increased problem solving ability and better decision making for groups. Put another way, it is going to be more and more difficult with each passing day for teams and organizations to compete if they are not   [Read More…]

This is from one of my virtual brothers, Jamie Notter.  I just made my contribution, I hope that you will consider supporting this effort as well.. Every year in October, someone gives me a ride up to Pittsburgh, drops me off there with my bicycle, and then I ride home. It’s about 300 miles, and   [Read More…]

The topic is straight white guys…well, three of them at least. I don’t have anything against straight white guys.  I happen to be one myself.  But I do on occasion shake my fist at the status quo here, and in our current system, the status quo is still pretty strongly correlated with straight, white and   [Read More…]

What can be perfectly measured and monitored has crowded out what truly matters. That is where our fight is. We should fight more.

Have a great weekend. I wanted to share a few things that I was happy to stumble across this weekend.  Below are the excerpts of three interesting and insightful blog posts, click on the title to go the entire post.  Enjoy and share.  And be good to each other. Homophily: #1 innovation enemy from Clattering   [Read More…]

It is Friday.  And on Fridays I try to promote and celebrate the flying of the Freak Flag.  The Freak Flag represents a lot of things.  Here are a few… It is the celebration of coloring outside the lines. It is for wearing socks that say something. It is the celebration of chair dancing, because   [Read More…]

I have just read yet another piece about “empowerment” and I am throwing the bullshit flag.  Enough. You know who can empower me?  I can.  You know what you can do?  You can get the hell out of my way.  To be very honest, I find the idea of empowerment as a management practice offensive   [Read More…]

I hope that you like my new digs as much as I do.  I have been online blogging and babbling for nearly four years and it felt like it was time for an upgrade.  Welcome.  Please subscribe to updates.  Bookmark it.  Tell all your friends and enemies where to find me.  I am going to   [Read More…]

Please join us for an interactive exploration of personal truth, community, and the power of story. Saturday, September 11th 2010 UNO – CPACS building, Creative Commons 1:00pm – 4:30pm registration is required – group size limited part story-telling part listening part creating the future Each of us has a story to tell and each of   [Read More…]

This is going to seem like it is self-serving.  I tried to convince myself not to write it because I knew that it would appear that way, but the topic will not leave me alone.  I have been travelling the interwebs and have come across more HR events dismissive of issues of diversity and inclusion.   [Read More…]