VOLUME XI, NUMBER 6

#8 INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

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Creating Supportive Environments for Change

Space, solitude, ritual and community are four
potential sources of support for individuals and groups
during periods of change. I believe it is important to
find comfortable physical space, to spend time alone, to
recognize and repeat meaningful experiences, and to
build relationships with a core group. There are
patterns that emerge when such support is offered—a
complementarity between space and solitude and
between ritual and community, as well as synergism
among them all. For example, to be alone and to be able
to find one’s own space are vital, although sometimes
unacknowledged, components of community.

It is my sense, in fact, that these four elements can
provide a valuable support framework which encour-
ages positive, meaningful change. It is a framework
which makes it possible to think about both the individ-
ual and the group, both physical and emotional needs,
both practical and symbolic acts.

As an internal consultant to the Dallas County
Community College District, one of my goals is to help
make space, solitude, ritual and community more of a
reality in our organization. In my own mind, at least, I
spend a portion of my time promoting these four
qualities. Another way to describe my task is to see it in
terms of buying time for the organization, because time
is the clixir that brings these properties to life. If we
find space, it is because there has been time to find and
enjoy a place of our own. If we find solitude, it is
because there has been time to be alone. If we find
ritual, itis because there has been time to share and
celebrate. If we find community, it is because there has
been time to get to know one another.

As you know, the gift of time is not easily “given” in
acommunity college. My organization, the DCCCD,
has some 50,000 credit students each semester and
almost that number of noncredit students. We offer
more than 120 vocational programs, as well as the usual
array of transfer coursework and a broad spectrum of
continuing education offerings. We are a commuter
institution. We have 2000 full-time employees and are
housed in 11 district locations spread across Dallas
County. Furthermore, we seek to be innovators, and
our own expectations of our work are high. We insist of

 

ourselves that we be quick on our feet, always pressing.

It was my sense—both of the urgency surrounding
our work and the need for space, solitude, ritual and
community—that brought me to these questions: How
can leaders in my organization find time for personal /
professional growth? How can these “different drum-
mer” rhythms be made more appealing? How can I
help? The answers did not come easily, and then they
seemed perhaps too obvious—make it easier and more
invigorating to set aside the current hornet’s nest of
work; structure my time with leaders in ways different
than the usual organizational encounters; practice the
art of idea-giving with no strings attached; take advan-
tage of “down” times, if there are any!

The Reading Room

Providing services through the Reading Room is my
clearest attempt to create opportunities for space,
solitude, ritual and community. Through this mecha-
nism, I seek to offer time and reinforcement for per-
sonal / professional growth. The image is drawn from
my favorite place in the library. As I studied in the
library during formative years, the Reading Room
offered indirect lighting, polished floors, tall ceilings,
leather chairs you could get lost in. People spoke in
hushed voices. It was a place where you could day-
dream, lose track of time, think brave new thoughts
without anyone getting suspicious.

It was in the spirit of the Reading Room that my
secretary, a student helper and I volunteered to provide
leaders several services: a book-lending service, a
cassette-lending service, our own version of a clipping
service, as well as a standing offer—to listen to an
interest or concern and look for resources that had
application. Leaders were invited to take advantage of
these services, and participation was completely
voluntary. As often as possible, I reinforced the notion
that the goal was to save time for our busy profession-
als. My offer was to sort through large quantities of
information and provide easy access to only the best.
Our office began and continues to circulate bulletins
announcing new resources available through the
Reading Room. Each issue provides several pages of
resource “teasers’—summaries that are themselves

 

      
 

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EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)
Community College Leadership Program, The University of Texas at Austin