Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Let’s Get Smaller: Why the U.S. Needs to Think Smaller to Achieve its Objectives


Note: I wrote this over five years ago, but never posted it. I'm not sure why. But after reading it again, I realized it still pertains to the problems of "group think" and institutional behavior in the U.S. 

Straight lines, like the walls that hold up our houses make us feel safe and secure.  Right angles and symmetry are pleasing to the eye as well.  Most prefer a balanced checkbook and an efficient engine that does what it’s supposed to.  But, there’s a time when linearity and large institutions can also bring a nation down.  This thought came to mind recently while, of all things, watching a show on PT boats on the History Channel - that during WWII, when there was a draft and more of the general public served in the armed forces there was a mixture of all types of people – inner city, rural, coastal, Southern, Midwesterners – a giant diverse slice of what makes this country great.  There was also innovation.  By crafting a smaller, wooden, maneuverable ship, we were able to change our tactics, go into more intricate places, and deliver unexpected attacks.  The boat itself attracted a kind of maverick that might have brought a certain spirit to the US military. 


In the age now of specificity, departments and polarization, these types of mixtures might be missing from large institutions like the pentagon.  Has anyone stopped to think that large institutions, though solid and patriotic, might not be attracting a wide enough array of personality types?  What if the problem with, for example, fighting the insurgency in Iraq was really a matter of bringing different, innovative, non-linear and creative types into the Pentagon.  Instead of acting like a behemoth, a slow moving empire that wins by force alone, we could act like the insurgents that we are fighting.  Of course, the policy that created the war might have been crafted differently too, had more people been involved in the decision-making process itself.  Now, we find ourselves searching for creative answers to an old, rigid and unimaginative policy.  This rigidity keeps the "creative class" on the outside, unable or uninvited to lend a hand. 

Note: some portions were edited before posting here. 


Friday, July 24, 2015

When you're in a hole, stop, or keep going? The Problem with Metaphors


When we’re going through a difficult time or need a bit of encouragement, we often turn to quotations from the great ones. Turning to philosophers, Presidents, poets, artists, sports stars and great coaches can help. But, what if we get conflicting advice, or what if we can’t tell exactly what the phrase means? It might sound good at first, but then you realize it needs more of an explanation. 

Here’s a couple of examples:

Churchill once said “when you’re going through hell, keep going.” Obviously, he’s not talking about actual hell (if there is one). He’s talking about a tough time — that much, we can agree on. And as far as “keep going,” I’m pretty sure he means to not stop moving forward on things, to not allow all the bad things to keep happening, but instead to keep working, trying or doing whatever it takes. I think he’s saying to look at “hell” in a linear way, so that if you’re on this continuum, you’re merely passing through an area on that timeline. It will last for a while. But, if you keep moving, you’ll be out of it sooner. Right? Well, maybe not.

He could also be saying to keep “going through it.” He didn’t say where to go exactly…. out of it, through it some more, to a new place, etc. He just said “keep going,” which leaves open a world of possibilities… for example, to possibly suggest that maybe we deserve hell and ought to just move around there for a bit. Enjoy your stay in hell, but don’t sit, keep going through it. What if “hell” stops, when you sit idly? Did Churchill ever think about that? Was he not familiar with meditation or, perhaps, sitting by a stream and staring into the water until one feels relaxed? Immigration laws were probably pretty tight in Britain at the time, so maybe he wasn’t exposed to Eastern philosophies. 

That aside, I think it’s safe to say that he believed you just keep going and you’ll get out of it in time, though it’s uncertain how long that will last, because, again, he’s not clear on the duration. To be more clear, he might have said “when you’re going through hell, keep going for another three days, and it will likely be over, “it” meaning the bad experiences that you are currently involved in. At least, that’s been my experience.” or, “Just give it three solid days of hard work, then, if there are no signs of improvement, resign yourself to the reality that things are not going to get any better, and then just deal with that from there, possibly by binge watching your favorite Netflix show."

Which brings us to the same type of advice, but offered by a humorist, not a politician. Will Rogers once said, "if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.” Well, this is where it gets confusing. Rogers suggests that we stop what we’re doing. Churchill says to keep going and, to me, it all depends on whether our problems are vertical or horizontal. You see, if you take the Rogers point of view, everything goes up and down. If you follow Churchill, you’re more on a horizontal plane, so the answer should probably come from a geometry teacher, or physicist and not a politician or humorist. It all depends on your point of view. For example, If you’re a performer, you’re likely to say “the show must go on,” but if Churchill had said that, people would have thought he was a little light-headed. 

And there are still other questions. What if Churchill didn’t realize that we might be dealing with a “hell hole?”  Would he want us to keep going further into the hole, or possibly start digging laterally, or maybe cut an upward diagonal line until we get out? 



My message to those who use metaphors to make a point,  use one we can work with or one that makes sense visually, not one that makes us wonder whether to move up, down, stop or go. 

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Nerd Out While You Work Out




Nerd out while you work out!
This class will take you on a mental and physical journey that will help you to work through ideas while improving your physical condition. 

We will hike through Presidio Promenade with views of Marin, the Bay, and Crissy field.

Sign up here.


Friday, April 24, 2015

Applying Chaos Theory to the classroom

The Complex Adaptive Theory of Education
How you can use chaos and complexity theories in the classroom

Lee Chazen, M.A.


  1. Turn the class into an open environment with broad units of study.

  2. Use simple rules, but set high expectations.

  3. Act like a facilitator by encouraging self-organization.

  4.  Encircle the “complex system,” sending down occasional messages and reminders, while keeping broad parameters in place.

  5. Set the tone for creativity, expectations and behavior early on in the semester.

  6. These will serve as the broad parameters to guide creativity and scholarship.

  7. Get students out of rows and into random arrangements where they will encounter divergent ideas and opinions.

  8. Guide students to a middle ground or “edge of chaos,” where they can look for new discoveries and make potential breakthroughs.

  9. Work with colleagues to rid the school of rigid, black and white thinking where ideas of perfection or failure and winners and losers exist. Cross any and all imaginary pre-established lines to work with people from all departments.

  10. Work on building a new ethic of camaraderie, cooperation and collegiality.

  11. Create a “hub” in your class or at your school, that serves as a meeting place where collaboration and brainstorming can take place.

For information on how I can help your school, company or organization please contact me at lchazen@gmail.com or theglidercell@gmail.com. You can also read more about my services here. https://www.upwork.com/o/profiles/users/_~01cbea3802076b197f/



For the research supporting these ideas, click here.

Note: originally published on June 1, 2005. Revised and edited on April 24, 2015