Peter Block
Encyclopedia
Peter Block is an author, consultant, and speaker in the areas of organization development
, community building
, and civic engagement
for the past 40 years. He was born in 1940 to Jewish parents, Ira and Dorothy Block. He currently resides with life partner, Cathy Kramer, in Cincinnati, Ohio
.
in 1961 and obtained a Masters Degree in Industrial Administration from Yale University
in 1963. He started his career as an organizational consultant in 1963 in the information service department at Esso
(today ExxonMobil
). In the early 1970s Peter co-founded the consulting firm "Block Petrella Weisbord" with Tony Petrella and Marvin Weisbord. He is also founder of The School for Managing of the Association for Quality and Participation as well as the training company Designed Learning.
Peter serves on the Board of Directors of Cincinnati Classical Public Radio, the Advisory Board for The Festival in the Workplace Institute as well as the Board of Elementz Hip Hop Center in Cincinnati. Together with other volunteers, Peter started A Small Group, that aims to facilitate discourse towards a new community narrative as underscored by Peter's work on civic engagement. PR Newswire recently reported that Peter Block joined LivePerson Inc's Board of Directors.
and his ideas proffer that cultural change can be brought about through consent and connectedness as opposed through mandate and force. Peter contends that cultural change is only possible when it is preceded by relationship and connectedness among its members. Peter is the author and co-author of several books (see Selected Bibliography below). His most recent, The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods (2010), is co-authored with John McKnight, emeritus professor of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University
. This book is a culmination of Peter's work on community and the cultural change needed for the creation of a more sustainable future.
and citizenship
. Peter's conceptualization of community is more complex, but he generally connects the term with reality outside of systems and institutions. He also uses the term in reference to an aggregation of people or neighborhoods that have something in common. Peter builds on Robert D. Putnam's ideas around the practical importance inherent in a "sense of community". As Peter explains, a community’s well-being relies on the quality of the relationships and the cohesion that exists among its citizens, known as a community's "social capital".
Ultimately, Peter Block challenges communities and their leaders to transform the isolation, fear, and self interest prevalent in Western culture into connectedness and caring for the whole by starting with accountability and generosity amongst its members. This is his notion of the "ideal world" where accountability is abundant, commitment is authentic, and a community consciousness is prevalent throughout the global village.
, irrespective of their legal status. As Peter puts it, a citizen is "one who chooses to create the life, the neighborhood, the world from their own gifts and the gifts of others". However, he points to a paradox: in the realization of citizenship today many who have full citizenship rights wait for others to contribute to their life and yet themselves contribute little to democracy or the well-being of their community. Whereas others without these rights are major contributors to community and democracy. Nevertheless, Peter generally attributes citizenship to those functioning as full participants in a democracy.
His conceptualization of a "consumer" might be regarded as more contentious. In his words, "a consumer is one who has surrendered to others the power to provide what is essential for a fulll and satisfied life" and he goes as far as saying, "Consumerism is not about shopping, but about the transformation of citizens into consumers". Moreover, Peter is of the opinion that there is a growing movement of people that believes that a full and satisfied life is obtained within their communities as opposed to the market place.
Peter argues that these notions of stewardship and service (see aforementioned definitions) are, however, not characteristic of how organizations are currently being run. He explains that although these notions are reflective of our intentions towards governing, they are not reflective of the reality. Block is regarded as a notable supporter, with others like Margaret Wheatley, Max DePree
, and James Autry, of the basic premise inherent "servant-leadership
" implying that leaders should put the needs of followers ahead of their own needs.
.
External links=
Organization development
Organization development is a new term which means a conceptual, organization-wide effort to increase an organization's effectiveness and viability...
, community building
Community building
Community building is a field of practices directed toward the creation or enhancement of community among individuals within a regional area or with a common interest...
, and civic engagement
Civic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
for the past 40 years. He was born in 1940 to Jewish parents, Ira and Dorothy Block. He currently resides with life partner, Cathy Kramer, in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.
Education and career
Peter Block completed his undergraduate studies in Industrial Management at the University of KansasUniversity of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
in 1961 and obtained a Masters Degree in Industrial Administration from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1963. He started his career as an organizational consultant in 1963 in the information service department at Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
(today ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
). In the early 1970s Peter co-founded the consulting firm "Block Petrella Weisbord" with Tony Petrella and Marvin Weisbord. He is also founder of The School for Managing of the Association for Quality and Participation as well as the training company Designed Learning.
Peter serves on the Board of Directors of Cincinnati Classical Public Radio, the Advisory Board for The Festival in the Workplace Institute as well as the Board of Elementz Hip Hop Center in Cincinnati. Together with other volunteers, Peter started A Small Group, that aims to facilitate discourse towards a new community narrative as underscored by Peter's work on civic engagement. PR Newswire recently reported that Peter Block joined LivePerson Inc's Board of Directors.
Recognition and awards
Peter Block is the recipient of the Organization Development Network's 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2004 he received their first place Members' Choice Award in recognition of his book, Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used (1999) as the most influential book for Organizational Development practitioners over the past 40 years. Among other national awards, he also received the American Society for Training and Development Award for Distinguished Contributions, the Association for Quality and Participation President's Award, and he was entered into Training Magazine's HRD Hall of Fame.Work and ideas
Peter Block's work generally focuses on alternatives to patriarchal beliefs pervasive in Western cultureCulture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
and his ideas proffer that cultural change can be brought about through consent and connectedness as opposed through mandate and force. Peter contends that cultural change is only possible when it is preceded by relationship and connectedness among its members. Peter is the author and co-author of several books (see Selected Bibliography below). His most recent, The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods (2010), is co-authored with John McKnight, emeritus professor of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. This book is a culmination of Peter's work on community and the cultural change needed for the creation of a more sustainable future.
Culture and community
Regarding the changing of cultural beliefs, Peter Block argues that a "culture of accountability" is needed and feasible if attention is diverted away from leaders and refocused on citizens with a commitment towards the creation of a deeper sense of communityCommunity
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
and citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
. Peter's conceptualization of community is more complex, but he generally connects the term with reality outside of systems and institutions. He also uses the term in reference to an aggregation of people or neighborhoods that have something in common. Peter builds on Robert D. Putnam's ideas around the practical importance inherent in a "sense of community". As Peter explains, a community’s well-being relies on the quality of the relationships and the cohesion that exists among its citizens, known as a community's "social capital".
Ultimately, Peter Block challenges communities and their leaders to transform the isolation, fear, and self interest prevalent in Western culture into connectedness and caring for the whole by starting with accountability and generosity amongst its members. This is his notion of the "ideal world" where accountability is abundant, commitment is authentic, and a community consciousness is prevalent throughout the global village.
Citizenship and consumerism
Peter Block's notion of a citizen is someone that is accountable and committed to the well-being of the whole as well as a participant in a democracyDemocracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, irrespective of their legal status. As Peter puts it, a citizen is "one who chooses to create the life, the neighborhood, the world from their own gifts and the gifts of others". However, he points to a paradox: in the realization of citizenship today many who have full citizenship rights wait for others to contribute to their life and yet themselves contribute little to democracy or the well-being of their community. Whereas others without these rights are major contributors to community and democracy. Nevertheless, Peter generally attributes citizenship to those functioning as full participants in a democracy.
His conceptualization of a "consumer" might be regarded as more contentious. In his words, "a consumer is one who has surrendered to others the power to provide what is essential for a fulll and satisfied life" and he goes as far as saying, "Consumerism is not about shopping, but about the transformation of citizens into consumers". Moreover, Peter is of the opinion that there is a growing movement of people that believes that a full and satisfied life is obtained within their communities as opposed to the market place.
Stewardship and service
Peter Block conceives of "stewardship" as an umbrella term that encapsulates the means towards the achievement of fundamental change in the manner in which we govern institutions. His conceptualization of "service" is more complex. He argues that service is realized in both the "language of service" and the "experience of service". The problem however, as he argues, is that we have the language of service, but lack the experience of it. He attributes this lack to self-interest present in ourselves as well as our institutions. He believes service is only truly realized when it is "authentic" and when the following characteristics are present: there is a balance of power; the primary commitement is to the larger community; and there is a balanced and equitable distribution of rewards.Peter argues that these notions of stewardship and service (see aforementioned definitions) are, however, not characteristic of how organizations are currently being run. He explains that although these notions are reflective of our intentions towards governing, they are not reflective of the reality. Block is regarded as a notable supporter, with others like Margaret Wheatley, Max DePree
Max DePree
Max De Pree is businessman and American writer. A son of D.J. De Pree, founder of Herman Miller office furniture company, he and his brother Hugh De Pree assumed leadership of the company the early 1960s, Hugh becoming CEO and president in 1962...
, and James Autry, of the basic premise inherent "servant-leadership
Servant leadership
Servant leadership is a philosophy and practice of leadership, coined and defined by Robert K. Greenleaf and supported by many leadership and management writers such as James Autry, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Peter Block, Peter Senge, Max DePree, Scott Greenberg, Larry Spears, Margaret...
" implying that leaders should put the needs of followers ahead of their own needs.
Notable undertakings
In collaboration with Werner H. Erhard, Peter Block designed courses and trained clergy and grassroots leaders in transformation skills and perspectives in leadership and integrity to effect peace and reconciliation in the Northern Ireland Peace ProcessNorthern Ireland peace process
The peace process, when discussing the history of Northern Ireland, is often considered to cover the events leading up to the 1994 Provisional Irish Republican Army ceasefire, the end of most of the violence of the Troubles, the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent political developments.-Towards a...
.
Books
- Community: The Structure of Belonging (2008), ISBN 9781605092775
- The Answer to How Is Yes: Acting on What Matters (2001), ISBN 9781576752715
- Flawless Consulting Fieldbook & Companion: A Guide to Understanding Your Expertise (2000), ISBN 9780787948047
- Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used (1999), ISBN 9780787948030
- Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self Interest (1993), ISBN 9781881052869
- The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work (1991), ISBN 9781555422653
Co-authored books
- The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods (2010), ISBN 9781605095844
- Freedom and Accountability at Work: Applying Philosophic Insight to the Real World (2001), ISBN 0787955949
Articles
- "Rediscovering Service: Weaning Higher Education from Its Factory Mentality" in Educational Record, 76(4):6-13
- "Servant Leadership: Creating An Alternative Future" in The International Journal of Servant-Leadership, 2(May 2006):55-79
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