Two issues: to whom are you writing this? to the professional/to the organisation? And has it not changed because of the social media. Who needs to be isolated nowadays? This is ofcourse your point about the networks but I wonder if professionals are not already networked.

And I agree that triangulation has the connotation of research method (PRA principle), maybe find a better name?

Your thoughts have grabbed my attention because I can relate to them. I hope you’ll (we’ll?) keep working on this

I like the candle/mirror analogy very much. I also like the COP section. On external validation, to my thinking there needs to be some counterpoint when that validation is present but in fact has no impact.

I think the issue of “credit” is something to be addressed in terms of the evolving organization. I don’t need credit for my work on Wikipedia, nor do I need credit from you if this idea of yours is advanced every so slightly by my thoughts here. There are other benefits that I gain from both of these activities of mine. This is a move beyond the “citation mentality” that propelled individuals through the organizational systems most common in the past. Today some large organizations may be headed in a new way with systems where groups, not individuals, are rewarded for performance, etc.

Finally, but quite important, while I’ll agree that “learning through external support from individuals, communities and networks can provide significant” support, I am not comfortable with the statement that it is “low or no cost support.” There is a lot of cost involved in being an outlier (as the person in your first example was at the beginning of her attempt to work in this way), there is cost in going beyond what can be an easier path within the confines of an organizational structure (no concerns about proprietary info, no dealing with unfamiliar systems, etc.) … and I think in some ways the idea that it’s “no cost” may make it sound “cheap” to a management system that believes anything with value has a definite cost.

Thanks for giving me a chance to think, and to share my thoughts

Thankyou for this. I have used the Triangulation metaphor on many occasions in workshops as a way of breaking old thinking in relation to coordinating efforts and collaboration. I’ll have a read and get back.
Geoff

I agree with Ken about the use of the term triangulate – I looked up a definition and the one that connected to my life experience was:

to pit two others against each other in order to achieve a desired outcome or to gain an advantage; to “play both ends against the middle”

…which left me with a uncomfortable feeling. It made me think that I’m doing this for “selfish” reasons… while what I’m trying to do is to open up thinking and learning…

But maybe this discomfort isn’t a bad feeling to have – I’m not sure. Because what you describe is what I’ve been doing – “using” external connections for support, learning and validation.

One last thought from a practical stand-point. Even when internal management may be trying to be supportive, validating, etc., it’s difficult to focus on this when the day-to-day demands of the workplace intrude – how can we talk about big ideas when the reports need to be done, the meeting arrangements made, the annoying stuff needs to be attended to. When we connect outside our organizations, it can be more easily focused on what we are **thinking** about, not just what needs to get checked off the “to-do” list.

I’m looking forward to more of these Big Ideas.
Deb

I dealt with the credit issue in several ways:
- tried to add credits/real names/links in the dissertation (as far as I could bend academic conventions
- do that as much as possible in the weblog
- (most important) make sure that my dissertation is online under Creative Commons, so others could feed of my thinking in the same way I did with theirs

So, in respect to triangulation I’d say: credits are important, but your network might actually appreciate more if you share your learnings about their ideas from inside the organisation.

The distinctions you make about the three stages and the ordering of how the process unfolds mirror my experience; and from listening to many practitioners at informal meetings, the experience of many others.

I appreciate the “mirror and candle” metaphor especially. Those are images that work well for me.

Likewise, I appreciate your languaging of the role that elearning plays, as it is a newer dimension of human experience and an observing platform from whence most of us do not have a habit of reflecting. This feels very aligned with an integral perspective of: self, other, work and world.

I also like very much the competencies and strategies that you outline.

The actual word “triangulation” is a tad fraught for me, and I find it difficult to set the baggage of previous uses aside whenever it appears above. It sort of jars me and I can’t exactly say why. The concepts and examples you outline seem spot on, but then the word appears and I suddenly cognitive dissonance arising.

In exploring that dissonance, I find resonate with the navigation use of “triangulation”, but not many consultants that I’ve met have the seafaring background to know how to use a sextant, map and compass and have a sense of measuring one’s relationship to relatively fixed external references as a means to know where you are.

So the usage of “triangulation” in my mind keeps kicking up the model of people talking behind each other’s backs. And perhaps because that is such a widespread negative social practice observed in organizations, it seems problematic to use it in this context.

I wish I had a nice clear crisp alternative, but I’m not feeling that smart tonight. The best I can offer is some weak attempt at “building out your network”, which does not do justice to what you are pointing at.

Perhaps someone else who reads this and experiences feelings similar to my own will have a better word to suggest.

None of this is meant to detract from the lovely and useful descriptions you have offered here.

Thanks and take care,

Ken

PS It is a delicious slip that you wrote “can’t be a ‘profit” as opposed to ‘prophet’ in your own land”