Hi Laurence,

Isn't it great to be able to exchange ideas in this way!

Concerning measuring change and levels of personal and cultural development, we have given this topic a fair deal of though and work. Pinning down the intangible aspects of a business has been a severe endeavor for scholars as well as consultants for quite some time. I think we have to be careful with the tendency towards making this measurable in general, but with that notion taken into account, there's quite some things to work on.

First of all, there's several quite useful quantitative measurement tools, in the form of online surveys, that take into account the soft side of organizations. Within this domain, we have selected three of these 'CultureScans', which we use with clients (usually at the outset of change processes). One is based on Spiral Dynamics (peopleSCAN), one is based on research by Denison (Denison Culture Survey) and one is based on the work of Richard Barrett (Corporate Transformation Tools). To really recommend one, I'd need to go in more detail with you.

Next to that, Diederick has been working with a department of the dutch ministry of VROM (housing, spatial planning and environmental issues), on what we call a scorecard. This enables the entire department to rate themselves monthly or quarterly on a series of organizational criteria. The good thing with this scorecard is that you generate the actual criteria through a workshop with the department staff. This way, they work to define the criteria they feel as important to them. This workshop is in itself a awareness-raising intervention, with all the employees (or stakeholders) reflection on what is really meaningful to them and going into conversation about it with each other.

Also, we have experience with various qualitative interview techniques, which we refer to as the flesh on the quantitative bones.

Take a look at http://www.realize.nl/en/measuring for more info.

Cheers,
Thomas

Hi Laurence..

Yea.. I am still volunteering in the Philippines as a PCV.. It's great!! My service ends in July.. Still deciding if I want to go back home to the states or go to Nepal and do a lil bit more volunteer work. When did you come to the Philippines??

It's really nice to see how active you are wit ur projects.. Hopefully we can talk more.. tc..

Thank you Laurence

I got some little time today after meeting with our core reproductive health group in Iloilo City.

But still very much burdened by work, but still fuels me to go on.

See you in Chiangmai

Johnpierre

When you become old, you do not need to acquire more knowledge... you become wisdom. And you stop striving." This inspires me...

Beautiful saying and so true!!

The dream comes from my passion for the wisdom of older people. I had a grandmother who I remember as a warm person and it was so much fun when she stayed with us when I was a little girl. She had always something to say when my mother could not answer my questions. I remember being impressed what she told me and truly enjoyed it when she told me stories.

I love people life stories and like to be around with older people. For that reason I had chosen to become a nurse and later became a community nurse (more chances and often more time to listen to their life stories when we visit older people at their home), Now I am a gerontologist as well......got more to know about wisdom but what even better is ...... I am working in Uganda and do field work for a study (older people HIV/AIDS / their health and the social and health services). I am glad that I get this chance because again I can listen to their life stories / wisdom at their homes. I feel privileges when I visit them at home, they tell us how they cope with daily life in an era where HIV/AIDS is so much part of their daily life. Most of them have lost sons/daughters/ and find themselves raising grandchildren and some of them are HIV positive. You have to be resilient to cope with all the sadness that has happened in your life. Many of them are resilient because of their life experiences, living so many years, you will face life differently. I believe they grow in wisdom and set often examples to us how to fulfill your life, being a happier human being for yourself and of course for others. We all are getting older so I guess we all grow in our wisdom ....

Bonjour chers compétents,
Je suis très consciente de ma longue abscence au site parce que j'était dans le bas congo en mission avec CORDAID BAS pour la révitalisation de la zone de santé de Moanda ainsi que de KITONA à l'embouchire du fleure congo. C'etait une mission océan.

En bref, ces deux zones de santé son à la frontière de la RDC et l'ANGOLA et il y a pas mal d'échange entre ces deux pays dans tout le sens, la population présente une forte vulnérabilité parce que beaucoup de maladie qui entre au pays passe par là et il y un développement d'un comportement à haut risque et la population est plus mobile.
En terme de compétence, elle est au niveau le plus bas possible.

Espérons qu'avec l'appui de CORDAI BAS dans cette zone, nous allons les accompagner dans le développement de compétence et l'adoption d'un comportement plus responsable.

Merci à plus.

Thats fine, thanks - I cant believe its like 9.pm there, its 6pm here in Nairobi.

Laurence, Hey..

Just wanted to check if you got my mail earlier today?

Meble

Hi Laurence,

Thanks for welcoming me to this space - I'm glad to be here and contribute what I can!

And I might just take you up on your offer of coming to Chiang Mai, depending on a possible trip to Malaysia for an intensive Shaolin kungfu training with my master's master. I'll be sure to let you know!

Hi Laurence Gilliot,

Is a pleasure to join this network and have the chance to communicate with people like you. I am in The Gambia in West Africa and working in an advocy group called Stop TB and HIV/AIDS-The Gambia. I would want to link with people all over the world in the global fight against the two global treats namely TB and HIV/AIDS. This I believe will help a lot in sharing ideas,informations and knowledge. Looking forward in hearing from you.

Kind regards
Abdoulie

Hi Laurence,
Bontoc is in Northern Luzon and is the capital town of Mountain Province, one of the six provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region. We have an active Local Aids Council in the Local Government Unit of this municipality. We are slowly campaigning on AIDS awareness among the populace especially on young people. It is hard but we are FOCUSED i can say.

Salut,
Je ne manquerai pas de particper à ce forum, encore plein de choses à découvrir, mais pour l'instant, c'est le temps qui manque, je reviendrai mi Janvier... D'ici là bonnes fêtes et bonne contination.

Renaud

Salut, Merci pour ton message,
Comment pourrais-je décrire Vancouver? Pour ceux qui ont des sous c'est vraiment une ville formidable, votée généralement ville la plus agréable à vivre au monde, entre la mer et la montagne, climat doux, super stations de ski, plages, restaurants,...
Vancouver c'est aussi le downtown eastside, où je travaille, où vivent quelque chose comme 10.000 personnes, dont 2000 dorment dehors, la grande majorité consomme des drogues quotidiennement, 7 personnes sur 10 ont l'hépatiteC, 3 sur dix vivent avec le VIH, ... je pourrais continuer... Tout cela dans le centre ville qui accueillera les jeux olympiques d'hiver en 2010 et donc enjeux politiques importants.
C'est ça aussi Vancouver! Parfois je rêve d'asie du sud est... c'est la prochaine étape, j'espère...
Comment je connais le grand gourou? la CTB, une conférence, séduit par le projet, après c'est une histoire de co-voiturage, JL voulant bien prétendre que Gembloux était sur sa route entre Bruxelles et Grez-Doiceau.
Bon j'arrête là, je vais encore écrire un roman et j'ai un site internet à découvrir.
Bonne continuation et à bientôt,
Renaud

Hey there Chica! How are you? I tried to reach you last night - even had my "comfy" clothes - ready for some yoga.

Here's a plan... what's the location? At least if I have that I can go and hopefully see you there... what do you think? :)

Miss you both!! What are the holiday plans? New Years? I know of a killer party (maybe Gaston can bust a move with me!!) if you are staying in town.

Dear Laurence,

Yes I do remember that we briefly met sometimes back in Kigali. I have met with Luc sometimes back. And in fact I have told him about this same idea. I hope with the team here we will be able to do something concrete.
Take care and we stay in touch!!

oops - i think i pressed the wrong location

dear laurence
nice to know u too
wow...
what didi caca say about me????
ho..ho.....dont believe in her anyway.he...he...
well, this is my mobile phone number, you can call me
+6281399132742
i really hope that we can meet some day.

see u

Hi Laurence! Good to hear from you again! How was PNG? Will definitely see you on Friday next for some yoga-goodness!

As for the weather, hot and sunny with a lovely cool mountain breeze coming through. Heading out on a motorcycle road trip with an out-of-town friend this week and really looking forward to it. May have also just bought a beautiful new motorcycle. Still having a wonderful time with my "Special Friend" and things at work are going great. No complaints at all!

Just finished the second SALT article - far more personal than the first. Will get this to you today.

C'est quelle photo? Mon bon profil j'espere!! Qui du groupe de ChiangMai sera a Dar?
amities.

Luc

Hi
Laurence

Thanks for giving me opportunity to learn and share about ning.com friends.

Jayakar