Chad's Vo-Tech U posting and our interactions

A management prof at CMU with a nice blog that does not provide interaction raised some points about the role and purpose of education -- and the job quest.

I'd rather take the conversation to another blog space, but need to put it here, for now, as a public posting depot. Sorry if you're confused. My mentions are in part open-ended questions.

So, my offline email to Chad, the professor includes:

What about the "gear heads" who are at CMU doing things like RED STORM? Have we come full circle?

What about the lack of Pgh Public School's VO Tech high school?

Pittsburgh is a place -- as is CMU -- where we are great at building thing. Management is nice -- but the real value isn't from management -- but from the outputs / outcomes.

(I'm getting under you skin, Mgt. Professor... to kick up some chatter.)

I think a good scholar is also a good hire -- employee. But, isn't it a good scholar one who can organize his/her thoughts, paper-trail, resume.

And, what of life-long learning? Don't we really want to teach students at Universities not what to think -- but how to think and discover and continue to evolve themselves for decades to come. So, it is good for "know thyself" and good for quick interview and assessement to know what is with and about this other person.

Okay -- finally -- what about my resume? What about my thinking out loud in a blog format? What about the confidence that I hope to rally with the blog efforts? So, as a candidate, I need to build my 'resume' and my 'campaign.' Then the voters decide to hire me or not come election day.

So, we are doing a dance. I don't find that "harmful" -- but an extention of a more holistic way to approach the crafting of our lives.

As I blog, I rant about XYZ -- whatever. I'm sure I write things that others don't agree with. I go out on a limb. I'm not always "endearing" as some politicians might want to play it much closer to the vest. They don't want to fail or be a turn-off. But, that play it safe mode isn't the type of leadership that pittsburgh needs at this critical time.

Today the purpose isn't to reach agreement with everyone. But, it is to allow for public thinking, problem solving, building interactions, building relationships and pumping up respect among all sectors (or as much as possible).

Mine isn't a 'guarded management style.' For the grass-roots to thrive -- it has to be out there and wide. Bottoms-up and all.

In the end, back to the posting of yours -- I don't have much of a problem with the advice from the teachers at Dayton. I think it is more of an invite to be modern, up to date, self-documented, and highlighting the self evolution.

I'll post this on my blog --- and might cause deer in the headlights reactions from readers, but let's see.

Ta.

Elsewhere

I like to visit and post at blogs elsewhere. Some of my words posted recently at the blogs of others are in the comments section.

If you know of other blogs and comment areas on the net that would appeal or call for my comments, I'd love to see those pointers too.