Renowned Harvard professor David Perkins uses King Arthur’s roundtable as a metaphor to suggest that collaboration is the future of intelligent organizations, and we must reexamine the way we communicate, isolating and eliminating those elements that foster negativity and stall progress. Covering topics such as types of feedback, quality of leadership, and the dangers of regressive language, Perkins offers individuals a practical methodology to apply to their group functioning, ensuring that the intelligence level of the group proves equal to the sum of its parts. Using many corporate examples derived from research at Project Zero, he shows how the roundtable metaphor plays out in real organizations.
Book Details:
- Author: David Perkins
- ISBN: 9780470350515
- Year Published: 2003
- Pages: 288
- BISAC: BUS041000, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS/Management
About the Book and Topic:
Renowned Harvard professor David Perkins uses King Arthur’s roundtable as a metaphor to suggest that collaboration is the future of intelligent organizations, and we must reexamine the way we communicate, isolating and eliminating those elements that foster negativity and stall progress. Covering topics such as types of feedback, quality of leadership, and the dangers of regressive language, Perkins offers individuals a practical methodology to apply to their group functioning, ensuring that the intelligence level of the group proves equal to the sum of its parts. Using many corporate examples derived from research at Project Zero, he shows how the roundtable metaphor plays out in real organizations.
This book is an invaluable tool not only for companies racing to stay ahead in a competitive economy, but for any organization wherein efficiency and group morale are primary concerns. Perkins will draw on a variety of examples–including many companies–to remind us that, as social animals, our inclination and ability to cooperate is our greatest strength. Many of the practical roadblocks we encounter can be eliminated not through improved technology, but through improved personal communication.
PERKINS IS A RENOWNED HARVARD PROFESSOR: David Perkins is a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Along with Howard Gardner, he co-directs Harvard’s Project Zero, a research outfit focusing on cognitive-symbolic capacities and their implications for education. His research on collaborative conversations for Project Zero informs this book. Among his previous works are The Eureka Effect: The Art and Logic of Breakthrough, Out-smarting IQ: The Emerging Science of Learnable Intelligence, and Smart Schools: Better Thinking and Learning for Every Child. He has acted as a consultant for schools, museums, and governments in Europe, Latin America, South Africa, and Israel, as well as the United States. As an organizer for the International Conference on Thinking and countless other international forums, he has presented on topics ranging from the developmental importance of arts education to creativity in technology. He combines an exhaustive knowledge of cognitive psychology with a zeal for innovative program development and realistic reform. ·AN AUTHOR WITH A SOLID SALES TRACK: Perkins’ last book, The Eureka Effect: The Art and Logic of Breakthrough Thinking, a book on individual thought processes, sold 10,000 copies. Outsmarting IQ: The Emerging Science of Learnable Intelligence sold 12,000 copies, and Smart Schools: Better Thinking and Learning for Every Child sold 14,000 copies. His light, anecdotal style and unwavering commitment to learning have earned him a loyal fan base. AN INTRIGUING, CURRENT TAKE: Managers today must embrace collaboration. This book is a fascinating synthesis of the latest thought on how to maximize group effectiveness. Using the metaphor of King Arthur’s roundtable, Perkins explores group conversation. He infuses many corporate examples.
About the Author
David Perkins is a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. With renowned education specialist Howard Gardner, he co-directs Harvard’s Project Zero, a research outfit focusing on cognitive-symbolic capacities and their implications for education. Among his previous works are The Eureka Effect: The Art and Logic of Breakthrough, Outsmarting IQ: The Emerging Science of Learnable Intelligence, and Smart Schools: Better Thinking and Learning for Every Child. He has acted as a consultant for schools, museums, and governments in Europe, Latin America, South Africa, and Israel, as well as the United States. As an organizer for the International Conference on Thinking and countless other international forums, he has presented on topics ranging from the developmental importance of arts education to creativity in technology. He combines an exhaustive knowledge of cognitive psychology with a zeal for innovative program development and realistic reform.