On The Realization of Human Potential: A Path with a Heart

1. Herbert A. Shepard On The Realization of Human Potential: A Path with a Heart

2. Herbert A. Shepard Bio. • Masters in Sociology – University of Toronto • Ph D. – M.I.T Industrial Economics • Founded and directed first Organizational Development doctoral program at Case Western (1960). • Developed residency in administrative psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine

3. Herbert A. Shepard Cont • Pioneer in Organizational Development movement. (conducted first experiment) • Talent for recognizing other potential of others • 22 publications in 4 different languages. • Consulting • Esso, Connecticut General Life Insurance, TRW Systems

4. Vision Unfulfilled • “We have been brought up to live by rules that mostly have nothing to do with making our lives worth living…Many of our institutions and traditions introduce cultural distortion into our vision, provide us with beliefs and definitions that don’t work.”-Shepard

5. Deficiency Motivation • Programmed to see the world in terms of your own deficiencies • Needs of approval • Power • Control • Status • Smartness • Masculinity • Successfulness

6. Deficiency Motivation cont. • Denial of Uniqueness • “The School for Animals” fable • Common, non individualized curriculum • Exploitation of Uniqueness • Societies motives don’t always benefit the uniqueness of the talented person.

7. Institutions and Deficiency Motivation • Theory: “Parents, schools, and organizations are suspect when they attempt to give career guidance. Suspect if they discourage uniqueness and enforce conformity.”- Shepard • Collusion

8. Institutions and Deficiency Motivation • Parents • Pushing children towards the wrong future • Custodians of societies standards • Evidence of “A” student rewarded • Occupational future

9. Institutions and Deficiency Motivation cont. • Schools • “Selective about talents the identify and choose to develop.” • “Straight A” • Students learn to excel at subjects, regardless of the effects it has on the student. • School’s objective is to serve needs of society

10. Institutions and Deficiency Motivation • Organizations • Manipulate talent through career consequences • Reward systems • Presentation of career • “Not only is your career more important than the rest of your life, it’s more important than your life.”-Shepard

11. CHILD REARING IN THE ‘‘RISK’’ SOCIETY’’ • “Research into ‘‘school effectiveness’’ has emerged and so have a number of government initiatives, that is, ‘‘school improvement’’ programs. At the same time the ‘‘responsibilization’’ of parents and children has led to further encroachment of school goals and behavioral norms into homes.”-Paul Smeyers

12. Challenge the Norm • Do these paths have heart? • Do we emphasize the importance of thinking carefully about our paths?

13. Understanding Human Potential • “A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his lecture, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation.”-Unknown • Unique genius

14. Realizing your Potential • 4 sources help realize human potential • Play • Your life History • Feedback from others • Psychological instruments

15. Reaching Your Potential • “Taking responsibility for you career path starts with an accurate assessment of you current skills and performance. Can you write down your three greatest strengths and three greatest weaknesses?”-Robert S Kaplan

16. Did they reach their potential?

17. Living Out Your Potential • “your self-image is a cultural product, and the distortion if contains may prevent you from recognizing yourself anymore…”-Shepard • 3 Indications of achieved Potential • Tone • Resonance • Perspective

18. Tone • Aliveness as an organism • Entire being, mental and emotional life as well as muscle and organ life. • Distortions of self image • societies roles • Gender

19. Resonance • Vitality , experience through interaction with people and from particular environments • “in tune” with people and environment • Synergy • Beautiful differences • Capacity to build relationships • Distortions • Perception of competition • Win-loss, success failure

20. Resonance Cont. • Detrimental Cultural themes • Materialism • Sexism • Violence • Example of Marriage

21. Perspective • Perception of life • Distortions • Non differential perspective • Self destructive choices

22. Role for Institution • Can there be no institution with a vested interest in people having a life fully worth living? • Should institutions refrain from showing any interest in careers? • Answer: No

23. Role of Institution Solution • Realizing past management theories have failed and will not work in the future. • Transformation in organizations • Technological progress • Non-routine operations performed with excellence • Aerospace industry • Creativity, teamwork

24. Questions?

25. Citations • Kaplan, R.S. (2008 July). Reaching Your Potential. Harvard Business Review. www.hbr.org • Smeyers, P.(2010). CHILD REARING IN THE ‘‘RISK’’ SOCIETY: ON THE DISCOURSE OF RIGHTS AND THE ‘‘BEST INTERESTS OF A CHILD’’. Educational Theory, 60 (3), 271