So, here I am again, to report on this academic year's ''leadership'' achievements... mine, I mean. First of all, maybe I really do not feel a 'leader'. Exercising leadership? Maybe not even so. Maybe some of you are acquainted with the cartoon\comic series Asterix (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterix). There is one book in the series (in French, it is 'La Grande Traversee' -- 'The Great Crossing') where Asterix accidentally finds his way to America. It is important to say that Asterix is a Gaul living in the time of J. Caesar. And this is not a sci-fi story. Actually, he finds his way back to Gaul thanks to the Vikings 'discovering' him in America, then capture him and his partners as 'Indians' and return them to northern Scandinavia. But where do I want to get, you may ask? Well, in the closing pages, the Viking\Explorer, after learning about his 'mistake', having been accused by his chief of ''wrongly doing'...' and instead having spent the summer in Lutece (former Paris...), he asks ''am I an explorer or not? To be or not to be, that is the question...''.
So, am I a leader or or have I been exercising leadership? Let me go back to http://cambridgeleadership.blogspot.com/. On the 14th June you can find: ''...Leadership requires challenging, not meeting, the expectations of the other people in the game. That's what makes it risky. People don't like it when you fail to meet their expectations. But doing so is, pardon the cliche, a game-changer, experienced as subversive, not fair, not playing by the rules. ...Leadership requires the courage and skill to stay in the game for as long as it takes to achieve your purpose and to sustain the disapproval of those who like the game the way it is currently played, because it suits their purposes, whether or not it is in the interests of the organization or community as a whole. ...'' So, did I got anything, did I 'conquer' something? Let me present a list of 'got and did not get':
* I managed to contribute, I think in a significant manner and enormous effort, with deep personal, family and professional 'losses' and strain, to change the governance at the University. We have a new Rector, a new policy, a new hope hope to further change and improve. My opinion: He could not get it if it were not for a group of persons, myself included. In spite of this seeming a statment of some arrogance, if I was not elected Dean of Faculty when he was elected President of the Scientific Council, he would not reach the post of Rector 3 years later. I did or at least proposed and discussed\fought most the reforms in Faculty, which the other Deans not even tried to bring forward. 'My' faculty did changed and (I hope) it will never be the same again, in terms of political participation and driving force. This is why the only option to dim this is to ... force a merger with other faculty: possible and it will happen; It is easier to 'absorb' a state instead of building a wider inclusive community of nations...
* I did NOT managed to get a post in the ‘new administration’. I keep my post in the General Assembly, will hand over Deanship (my term is coming to an end). So, the analogy (allow me to point it) is like those who are kept in some location near the 'combat zone'. No new office, ''Washington-like trimings'',.. Maybe I did two capital mistakes:
a) I did not ask for anything: I was one of the 29 members in the General Assembly voting for Rector, I always put my vote towards having a change.
b) In reflection, (and this is a bit like those thrillers where you escape something and look back, analysing [assuming you have some kind of photographic memory] all the behaviours of all those around you), I am ware that, on warning and maybe in an overemphatic way against some risks, I could have been unknowingly interfering in some no-go areas. This may sound a sort of 'there you go again on the conspiracy theories' but it fits all the reactions, silences, no-attitudes, or even words or body languages that I felt 'out of place' at the time but did not interpret them as I do today. Wrongly?
* I was 'promoted', well, actually kept..., as President of the University 'Court' to deal with all disciplinary issues. It is a position of responsibility that I have been also exercising in the past 3 years, challenging past methods and forcing that all inquires are kept and taken to the very end. Unfortunately, I did make 'enemies' in this role. I discover many serious problems, which were needed to bring into the open in order to really boost a change.
* I did NOT get that job at FCT. Ie, going to Lisbon... I did went to an interview, it went pretty well until a question about why did I not got enough PhD students. The obvious response is my area of expertise and the difficulty there is to attract students to small, far from the main centres, universities. The PhD supervisor of the new Rector was there... Unfortunately, his help was not enough....I am aware and I agree entirely that one needs to have students but one cannot force them, namely PhD students, to leave a place or situation that they feel more convenient. All I can do is keep publishing and improving gradually my CV to attract people.
* Quite a few or even almost non 'visible' support at home.... These 3 years were like a bad mission that did not gave all the response I wished at the job level. I am to be kept in the 'messy trails' of an Assembly deeply divided, where in order to pass legislation (and assuming that the balance of power keeps as it is, as it may change in by-elections soon...) a lot of diplomacy will be needed. And I mean a ''lot'': early signs from the new administration (there is hope..., the Rector listens to me, still has not forced [as it was to be...] some legislation...) have revealed either some arrogance from some members (in terms of 'telling' persons about it, instead of receiving and processing it from the persons) or some anxiety in passing legislation in a hurry, showing fear (?) that if more time is taken then an organized 'opposition' will emerge... This may backfire if instead of a 'rise and shine' economical boost to the university we have severe cuts and the need to involve, make people understand... when they were 'told about it' before... Bad politics in the local 'Washington' offices...
* I am tired, recovering, having a few research projects to conduct, find the energy and ability to finish professional commitments I have from 2004 or 2005...
* I am NOT running for office (ie being Dean again). On the one hand, the 'constitution' does not allow me and on the other hand I am tired and also believe that it is good to have a replacement. New ideas from a new and better person. Hopefully... However, 'smoke signs' indicate candidates from the AAWP 'party' are more than willing to oblige and offer their services (AAWP = Always Always With [whomever is in] the Power [seat]).
* I am having a load of teaching for 2 full semesters, when I could only have 1 semester (with twice the workload). The reasons could be that those in charge did not want to pull through a full change in the share of tasks and then, yeah, I am Dean, am there in 'front', I am not Julius (Caesar) wife but must ''be above the other without any suspicion'' and so I accept it... I hope to survive, I hope to meet all the chalenges:
i) Teaching - some students do unfortunately take the 1st year as ' the gap' year in terms of ''breaking away with 'home''' and it is more like late teenage, less facing the obstacles (yeah, I also was there some 20 years ago, but... I left Liceu Camões with a really strong background of knowledge and ability...that seldom I see today; It worries me...)
ii) Publishing, creating, finding, discovering, be unique, force me to be unique, manage projects, groups, meet the demands from a international carreer,...
So, am I or have I been a leader or exercising leadership? I feel and felt more like the ‘trim-tab’ in http://media.www.buchtelite.com/media/storage/paper1203/news/2008/02/28/News/Steven.Covey.Motivates.Ua-3239755.shtml.
Moreover, I am gradually leaving my ''CO's'' posts.Any influence I got or had is going to be reduced to being asked (by some phone call from our 'local ruling' offices) by my opinion... (wishful thinking...)
But it was a great experience. I am happy to have been there, to have made a difference (I believe I did). Maybe I exagerated in my arguments when I did 'told' persons at the 'top' about 'it', ie what should be done. Even if with enough (maybe not...) explanation and justification to support my arguments. Maybe I am really that lone wolf and lone wolfs make bad team members (do they?). Maybe my personality clashes with others. Maybe I am tired.
So, I leave you now. I do welcome the new course, in Ponta Delgada, this October. This is great since it will show that we were not unique. Leadership is example. Are we a good example, at the level of becoming agents of change? As indicated in http://cambridgeleadership.blogspot.com/? Maybe some\all of you are.
Meanwhile I hope the next elections for Parliament will bring a change in governance to Portugal. From my part, I sent some mails to some e-site(s) mentioning a few tactical elements to the consideration of those in charge. Yeah, trim-tab all the way. However, how do I feel? Right now? I am fully ready, but also feel much like the character played by Sean Penn in the film Thin Red Line, by. T. Mallick, when in the end, the character played by G. Clooney is making an ''office speech'' to the those 'fresh' from another bloody confrontation.... .
Enjoy the summer vacations.
Paulo Vargas Moniz
terça-feira, 4 de agosto de 2009
domingo, 21 de junho de 2009
terça-feira, 17 de março de 2009
Here I stand...
Here is a tentative response (actually, not a response, it is more an essay for a line of reflexion...) on M. Linsky ''challenge (www.cambridgeleadership.blogspot.com) for the group'': We are all experiencing in some way, in our personal and/or professional lives, effects of the current economic crisis. How can you use this crisis as an opportunity to make some hard decisions and to live closer to your values, rather than to hunker down and hope it will all soon pass? What if the world is never going to be the same again? How can you make decisions now both to prepare for that and to shape the future? What decisions are now before you that you could make assuming that it is time to "reset" and start fresh, rather than conserve?
I have actually read the blog above cited, some articles and links quite good, prime quality. The world will never be the same again, this situation can become as bad as the crashes in economy in the XXth century. We all trust in, well, let us all say it out loud, yes, in our...leaders. That they will strive and deliver and get us all out of this mess. It is our hope. Most of us put a brave smiling face and ignore the homeless or even the nearby misery or recent fatality of this mess. But this will leave quite some scars.
Concerning decisions, I cannot yet take them. I will probably will have to ponder on a few. But it may turn that all the risks taken in the past 3 years (cf. some chapters in M.Linsky's book 'leadership on the line' on why providing a line to others to follow (aka, sort of leadership) is very dangerous indeed. In short:
* I have been shortlisted (but may not get it...) to become a ''sort of CEO'' for the national coordination of Sciences and Technology at our NSF equivalent. It is a promotion in terms of amplitude of impact of my actions, but it may imply leaving a small town near the Spanish border, leave the family (forcing a weekly commuting of 4h30 (slow!) train each way, 250Km away, and move to Lisbon, to a zero-bedroom flat, same salary as before, more expenses... Now tell me if this may not become a difficult choice... I may be rejected in the end so, this is an academic exercise, but... what shall I do, in case if...? On the one hand I can participate in shaping the core of graduation for the new generation in Portugal and (very) indirectly in the EU, but on the other hand, it will imply a considerable sacrifice in physical, mental, perhaps emotional, family terms....
* I may also take (depending on a nasty final run of the elections for the 'supremo' leader at the university) other posts. Not that I asked or waiting. i am just being sensible and reasonable and if the winning 'party' is of mine maybe I can have this: a chance to shape some areas at the local university, a better salary, better working conditions, more\better visibility (to some already asking for a post in advance of any ballot result this may mean a better local social image...in a very small local society where vanity is sometimes having a few extra mortgages on few more car(s), house(s), villa(s) in the seaside...
* On the whole, the two above is between same salary plus more expenses plus distance from family or better salary, better 'position', also a an opportunity to contribute but strictly local: Mr Smith takes a post in Congress as 'CEO' consultant or Mr Smith stays at 'home' and assists where really needed and get some payoff for that (eventually).
* I can also ignore all this and also withdraw from the general council of the university and run again for Dean of Faculty. But I am not looking at this, really.
* Or then, if loosing all, I can go to another (!) 'desert crossing' period, taking some Saint-Exupery books on how life was exciting at Cap Juby, maybe doing a bit of Rick's, never however having had a Ingrid in my past life...; It will be probably the desert (again).
In the whole, life for some academics is that brief scene in 'A Beautiful Mind' when J.Nash is watching from the door when a Professor has won a prize and the other colleagues pay homage. It is all about being recognized, it all about getting an incentive, a tap on the back for a 'job well done'. In a global society where there is (sometimes) no mercy to stab the opponent in the back, it is getting hard.
Yes, I am a bit tired, if not exhausted: research, supervision, book writing, original papers, conducting the Faculty, coordinating with the Departments, lack of coordination from the many 'aboves', only instructions and targets, not many 'why's', even fewer 'how's'. I share Saturday's 7 Feb article in Martin's blog, the 'Piece of Mess-II'', namely the second paragraph. What can I do? Maybe sometimes it can be rephrased 'What can we be allowed to do'? I have been taking considerable risks in the past 10 to 5 years (this may sound to dramatically to some ...) but it is my true feeling. In a way, I will (only in part) learn in the next few weeks how these risks, the sacrifices were worthy or not. I fear that all this effort and struggle is now already consuming a bit of inside my own 'soul'. So,
How can you use this crisis as an opportunity to make some hard decisions and to live closer to your values, rather than to hunker down and hope it will all soon pass? What decisions are now before you that you could make assuming that it is time to "reset" and start fresh, rather than conserve?
I will let you know in a few weeks.
My very best regards
Paulo Vargas Moniz
I have actually read the blog above cited, some articles and links quite good, prime quality. The world will never be the same again, this situation can become as bad as the crashes in economy in the XXth century. We all trust in, well, let us all say it out loud, yes, in our...leaders. That they will strive and deliver and get us all out of this mess. It is our hope. Most of us put a brave smiling face and ignore the homeless or even the nearby misery or recent fatality of this mess. But this will leave quite some scars.
Concerning decisions, I cannot yet take them. I will probably will have to ponder on a few. But it may turn that all the risks taken in the past 3 years (cf. some chapters in M.Linsky's book 'leadership on the line' on why providing a line to others to follow (aka, sort of leadership) is very dangerous indeed. In short:
* I have been shortlisted (but may not get it...) to become a ''sort of CEO'' for the national coordination of Sciences and Technology at our NSF equivalent. It is a promotion in terms of amplitude of impact of my actions, but it may imply leaving a small town near the Spanish border, leave the family (forcing a weekly commuting of 4h30 (slow!) train each way, 250Km away, and move to Lisbon, to a zero-bedroom flat, same salary as before, more expenses... Now tell me if this may not become a difficult choice... I may be rejected in the end so, this is an academic exercise, but... what shall I do, in case if...? On the one hand I can participate in shaping the core of graduation for the new generation in Portugal and (very) indirectly in the EU, but on the other hand, it will imply a considerable sacrifice in physical, mental, perhaps emotional, family terms....
* I may also take (depending on a nasty final run of the elections for the 'supremo' leader at the university) other posts. Not that I asked or waiting. i am just being sensible and reasonable and if the winning 'party' is of mine maybe I can have this: a chance to shape some areas at the local university, a better salary, better working conditions, more\better visibility (to some already asking for a post in advance of any ballot result this may mean a better local social image...in a very small local society where vanity is sometimes having a few extra mortgages on few more car(s), house(s), villa(s) in the seaside...
* On the whole, the two above is between same salary plus more expenses plus distance from family or better salary, better 'position', also a an opportunity to contribute but strictly local: Mr Smith takes a post in Congress as 'CEO' consultant or Mr Smith stays at 'home' and assists where really needed and get some payoff for that (eventually).
* I can also ignore all this and also withdraw from the general council of the university and run again for Dean of Faculty. But I am not looking at this, really.
* Or then, if loosing all, I can go to another (!) 'desert crossing' period, taking some Saint-Exupery books on how life was exciting at Cap Juby, maybe doing a bit of Rick's, never however having had a Ingrid in my past life...; It will be probably the desert (again).
In the whole, life for some academics is that brief scene in 'A Beautiful Mind' when J.Nash is watching from the door when a Professor has won a prize and the other colleagues pay homage. It is all about being recognized, it all about getting an incentive, a tap on the back for a 'job well done'. In a global society where there is (sometimes) no mercy to stab the opponent in the back, it is getting hard.
Yes, I am a bit tired, if not exhausted: research, supervision, book writing, original papers, conducting the Faculty, coordinating with the Departments, lack of coordination from the many 'aboves', only instructions and targets, not many 'why's', even fewer 'how's'. I share Saturday's 7 Feb article in Martin's blog, the 'Piece of Mess-II'', namely the second paragraph. What can I do? Maybe sometimes it can be rephrased 'What can we be allowed to do'? I have been taking considerable risks in the past 10 to 5 years (this may sound to dramatically to some ...) but it is my true feeling. In a way, I will (only in part) learn in the next few weeks how these risks, the sacrifices were worthy or not. I fear that all this effort and struggle is now already consuming a bit of inside my own 'soul'. So,
How can you use this crisis as an opportunity to make some hard decisions and to live closer to your values, rather than to hunker down and hope it will all soon pass? What decisions are now before you that you could make assuming that it is time to "reset" and start fresh, rather than conserve?
I will let you know in a few weeks.
My very best regards
Paulo Vargas Moniz
sexta-feira, 13 de março de 2009
The Fearless Leader
''Lightning the load'': http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snoopy-Features-Fearless-Leader-Peanuts/dp/1841611042 .
terça-feira, 13 de janeiro de 2009
6 months after Angra (+\-)
Dear all,
here goes a summary and a description of what has been by activities in the past 6 months, sort of 1\2 year 'après' leadership21. I do not feel myself as a leader or even exercising effective or efficient leadership. I only have tasks and purposes to reach (either by option or instructed to do so), and for some of those, I do need to gather a set of people\colleagues mobilised and committed to it. No easy task, these days within the universitary realm in Portugal...
Governing or assisting governance within a university in Portugal is very different from what it is generally in the US or UK universities, and also from most industries and other trading services. It is a bit like ruling a political party and trying to get to office: All departmental-director posts as well as some (most!) 'board' chairs are by election against peers and without really any campaign, programme; It is really a bit like electing tribunes or consuls for the senate house in 'old Rome. In many aspects, some universitary political life is like the HBO series 'Rome' , without that much blood and without that sex, at least as far as I am concerned and has been my own experience... But is a bit 'shadows and fog' ...Basically, the top 'leader' at any current Portuguese university does not avoid very much (unless by favours it can be controlled and foresighted......) a potential rebellion in lower departments\'houses', since they were not nominated by him\her: All posts are conquered (!) by independent elections (ie, you can have have as many 'parties' and 'colours' as you like, no direct connections between them) , so it is difficult to rule unless you have that 'thing' that would please others ie provide promotions, better conditions, etc. All in all, maybe I am being a bit cynical and all in all, maybe good common sense will rule and everybody will have to work with everybody. But this is sometimes done merely for survival rules and not as a mission\values all over the institution, where everybody would be committed to achieve triumph (aka, winning the America's cup in sailing or the Ashes in cricket...). You do not see (often) a team, instead you see (some...) highly competitive people rowing together and it may happens that the boat moves, but could it move better, faster, smoother? As a TEAM? You may get a Rector at odds with some Deans of Faculty and these or the Rector with some Directors of Department and since all these were elected you cannot change the structure or the governing body for quite a while...
When I applied to Liderança 21, I was expecting (naively) some guiding light on what could be a survival guide and ability to carry the torch within the universitary system (in Portugal...). I did got some hints in Angra but I did not got as much as I would have liked... I am still struggling to see what to do since this has been like 'Rome' (without that and that as mentioned above...). If anyone has proper advise do let me know. If anyone wants to share, let me know, If anyone wants to criticise, let me know. And maybe that is what I would like to see in any 'après' Angra workshop: some workshop \ 'group therapy' where one can really learn from others , namely those who have been at the bottom of a hill and made it up again; Maybe there are some tricks of the trade that one cannot share or should not share but any help is helpful...
(I also think anyone in charge of the 'après' Angra should make certain that everybody has an update list of mails and contacts, since many changes occurred...)
I also felt at pain in Angra to find a significant set of Henry V like people or a potential future prime minister or emblematic element of a parliament or senate or similar. I apologise for my bluntness but it felt so 'reduced' in the sense of small problems, our very personal backyards, our infatuations instead of trying to find the 'how' to crack a real serious challenge (I do not mean solve world poverty in 3 weeks...). I apologise again. I apologise again for putting some fresh air and less 'leadership weight' in what we may feel we are, as I attach the cartoons of funny and perhaps valid book in leadership..
Here it is what I did and what ... happen. Do not try this at your 'home':
· I remembered that one exercise we had in Angra was to indicate what we would do in the next 2 to 3 weeks. I wrote: rest, watch, get 'out', watch. So I did. The situation at 'home' (home meaning the place I work) was getting complicated as days went by. The new statutes were turning ugly and a power 'blitz' took place before Angra, where some operating people (not me) were sidelined using perhaps not 'kosher' steps. So I wait and watch. At the same time, 'home' was under an assessment from the EUA (meaning an EU association of Universities) and pressure was mounting on avoiding the unpleasant issues and provide feedback to EUA in the form of a 'fudge' version of the date required. I opposed (I was member of the internal liaison committee) and for the next meeting I saw trouble. A memo asking for a meeting was suggesting to say 'blue' to the EUA when the facts were instead 'red'. So, I tried in advance to get some insight from collaborators if I should say something more strongly. No mails or replies received, so I thought, Ok, I am all alone, the lone wolf, all that, so all in all, I should strike. Gamble. And I striked (Academically speaking). A Vice-Rector. The meeting went rough but a draw was called and I think I made a point: some issues were not to be raised again... But my image of non-compliance with 'shady' lines was getting ahead.
· I also decided to make a 'wild\naive move'. Not in terms of 'home'. But hoping to contribute to the national (Portuguese) challenge to a better governance: I wrote a letter to the leader of PSD (main opposition party) as well as their leader in parliament. Terribly naive, maybe, but part of my education is UK-based and I knew how relevant (there) was the feedback from constituents. I have to say that either she\he will go to the limit of next general elections in Portugal and would apply some of what I said or then she\he ignored it and we are heading in Portugal to more 'ruling by cheese' (Limiano).... In any case, I feel bad about the coordination of PSD just because a strong opposition is necessary for a better governance.
· I then read the 'book' we were supposed to read before Angra: I did not even picked it up in Angra as I wanted to experience all without any 'preparation'. I really enjoyed to read it. I saw in the book many mistakes I did in the past, I saw many mistakes I avoided and also some I would do, but I needed to do, since the situation at 'home' was getting too 'weird'. I explain:
· In November we had elections for the 'board' (called Conselho Geral). ‘My’ list (A) competed with another (B) to get the power in the board - all 'home' staff had vote, ie, about 600 staff, 6000 students and 800 non academics. I had bought two books on how to win campaigns (from Amazon, quoted as 'the' books to get your message across) and the main message was: you want the vote of that man\woman on the street\lecture hall? You have to do 3 things: communicate, communicate and yes, you guess it, communicate. But HQ at A opted for low light campaign, maybe under influence that either was in the bag and no need to raise the issues or influenced by others, where too much campaign could harm the results in their departments.... The final score was not good: a 'draw' with A =8 and B= 7 in a 15 group board, and a close win for A in my faculy (34-30) and at others a draw or close loss. Perhaps some stronger campaign, more talking would have helped (since B had a blog, a journal, campaigns, candidates on the street, posters, phone calls, etc, semi professionals, and yes, B is close to the actual 'ruler' and they were keeping their jobs safe'). In addition some candidates for A were out and about spreading to the wind a sort of job cleaning that would follow, meaning jobs at... risk. So, people ie voters, went B. Went safe.
· I lost much in these elections. My position in the faculty (Dean) got weaker, ‘candidates’ to the job appeared (even if I was not aiming at it again) and worse, I ''lost'' a position for full professor. This was very bitter and hard. The chosen candidate had 5 times (!) less publications, almost no citations or h-index (a metric of good research scientific work) but he is close the actual ''ruler''. In addition, something really odd happened: I was in front in the first meeting of the jury, 'my HQ CO (''commanding officer'') was the president, then no vote there\then, next meeting next month, my CO could not be there\then, the Pr was a close friend of the 'chosen one' and another Vice Rector. The vote goes 4-3 to me but a full professor from my dept says he puts all ex-aequo but given the 'other guy' been at the 'home' some 15 years more than me, 'age' in the home-rules counts more , goes 4-4 and... this other Pr \VRector goes against me. I lost. And this other Pr \VRector is from another unrelated area: Like an MD surgeon voting on who gets the post in a pure maths\game theory analysing criptic math papers. So, my own subprime downfall was there....
· It takes a bit of nerve and calm and I am not that person. So I opted to a fast 'get some plan b,c …g, which I did, as I need to resume my career as I feel my time at 'home' is over. The reason being that
· ... as the time is looming for the 'showdown' for the big 'ruler' chair (sometime mid 2009) , it seems that the actual ruler will have no opponent. Ie, the CO of A is backing off after all this effort, we are suddenly all a bit in Dunkirk when we thought we were in a safe beach landing…): All of us who went to the'' beach head'' and secured a point, are now facing to be left behind, no boats, or alternatives, so better start learning a new language, eat some raw turnips, in short, an(other) desert crossing until a new opportunity to change 'home' in 4 or 8 years will come.
· Meanwhile, my popularity or ranking at real home, meaning wife and kid, is going down. I am not a popular dad and as an husband I am getting pointed as 'what you should not look\do if looking again for church bells and wedding dresses'... Some of my tactical retreat\retiring has been taking solace\use of some good hints I got. And because I am mirroring Dr. House in taking assistance to face some onslaughts (no, I am not taking vicodin or alike).
· What is my plan b or c: it is simple. I am still keeping hope\faith in my HQ CO and that he will get back\stay there with us and\or pick me up there on the ''beach''; I am also looking for 'interesting' deserts to cross and where to go, , meaning finding time and resources , strengthen my research CV lines, ie, NOT leaving home but getting some lawfully authorized time away; giving more time to my kid; caving in when the chill wind is at my real home; striving to get new research ideas to publish original results in my scientific area and lines where to publish; telling myself everyday I will be resilient and pull through.
I also decided for the sake of 'justice' and morality to go to court on the 'full professor' decision: There are some technical mistakes on the whole process and I am exploring them. I may not get the friendship of whom was against me but at least I hope I can prove one can fight it. A bit like the situation in cricket, when there is a last man standing, batting, down but not out.
Summer holidays were only a break since the pressure to get an improvement on the book I am writing (a tech book on a 'sci-fi' subject such as SUSY quantum cosmology...) was mounting but I still need to get a second round of improvement by February for this two volume 'magnum opus', about 700 pages total.
During the last semester in 07-08 and this first one in 08-09 I did tried to motivate and committ my coleagues to the necessary changes but the heads of department either refused, stalled or run away and maybe because the results of the board\c.geral elections showed that no one wanted change. A necessary change is unstopable since impositions from the governement\MCTES are looming and either we take the (pro active) initiative or wait from a thunderbolt from higher 'pastures' ie MCTES; We lost (maybe we were too scared to oppose the supreme ruler when he decided alone, without any discussion, against 'fundação') the possibility of turning into a foundation with some extra $$$, but less self ruling. So we lost on the $$$, even if we claim to be close 'pals' with CRUP (the supremo of rectors) ; CRUP in face of lack of $$$$ just screamed for it and went (like any toddler) into a menacing attitude not to open 'doors' in September'08 unless $$$ comes. Hence, some change is needed, sort of those bitter-hard decisons mentioned in the book to read.
In the whole, I think most of this short description of academic life in this small garden by the seaside (aka, Portugal) shows what is a mix of Maquiavel with the Punic wars (yes, those of the (in)famous 'delenda cartage!): In order to attack Hannibal, Scipio (Rome) avoided confrontation in Italy to go to ... Spain and attack Hasdrubal, Hannibal’s brother. Hannibal eventually retreat from near Rome, went to north Africa. Scipio was there and... yes, that was when Carthage become 'was'.
As far as I feel myself, within this 'belic' analogies, I do feel I am on a 'bridge too far, really far or mistaken'. Maybe I have been dramatising too much (my colleagues in Angra in the sessions case groups may be agreeing). I am trying to create (!) opportunities such that I do not loose all my initiative or capacity to use it. My main problem is my feeling of tiredness and exhausting (mostly physical). I will wait for the next months to see, as I stand in the balcony, what am I seeing.
I hope I have not bored you with these data above (yeah, still a lone wolf and again lost from the pack) or presented what is not those of you 'supreme leaders' are feeling or should feel. In any case, it is the real (!) fight in the universitary system in XXIth century as change is necessary, mandatory and some old schools (eg, Coimbra) do not want to move a 'iota' in the modus operandi unless forced from 'higher pastures'.
Best regards,
Yours Truly,
Honourable schoolboy
(aka Paulo Vargas Moniz)
here goes a summary and a description of what has been by activities in the past 6 months, sort of 1\2 year 'après' leadership21. I do not feel myself as a leader or even exercising effective or efficient leadership. I only have tasks and purposes to reach (either by option or instructed to do so), and for some of those, I do need to gather a set of people\colleagues mobilised and committed to it. No easy task, these days within the universitary realm in Portugal...
Governing or assisting governance within a university in Portugal is very different from what it is generally in the US or UK universities, and also from most industries and other trading services. It is a bit like ruling a political party and trying to get to office: All departmental-director posts as well as some (most!) 'board' chairs are by election against peers and without really any campaign, programme; It is really a bit like electing tribunes or consuls for the senate house in 'old Rome. In many aspects, some universitary political life is like the HBO series 'Rome' , without that much blood and without that sex, at least as far as I am concerned and has been my own experience... But is a bit 'shadows and fog' ...Basically, the top 'leader' at any current Portuguese university does not avoid very much (unless by favours it can be controlled and foresighted......) a potential rebellion in lower departments\'houses', since they were not nominated by him\her: All posts are conquered (!) by independent elections (ie, you can have have as many 'parties' and 'colours' as you like, no direct connections between them) , so it is difficult to rule unless you have that 'thing' that would please others ie provide promotions, better conditions, etc. All in all, maybe I am being a bit cynical and all in all, maybe good common sense will rule and everybody will have to work with everybody. But this is sometimes done merely for survival rules and not as a mission\values all over the institution, where everybody would be committed to achieve triumph (aka, winning the America's cup in sailing or the Ashes in cricket...). You do not see (often) a team, instead you see (some...) highly competitive people rowing together and it may happens that the boat moves, but could it move better, faster, smoother? As a TEAM? You may get a Rector at odds with some Deans of Faculty and these or the Rector with some Directors of Department and since all these were elected you cannot change the structure or the governing body for quite a while...
When I applied to Liderança 21, I was expecting (naively) some guiding light on what could be a survival guide and ability to carry the torch within the universitary system (in Portugal...). I did got some hints in Angra but I did not got as much as I would have liked... I am still struggling to see what to do since this has been like 'Rome' (without that and that as mentioned above...). If anyone has proper advise do let me know. If anyone wants to share, let me know, If anyone wants to criticise, let me know. And maybe that is what I would like to see in any 'après' Angra workshop: some workshop \ 'group therapy' where one can really learn from others , namely those who have been at the bottom of a hill and made it up again; Maybe there are some tricks of the trade that one cannot share or should not share but any help is helpful...
(I also think anyone in charge of the 'après' Angra should make certain that everybody has an update list of mails and contacts, since many changes occurred...)
I also felt at pain in Angra to find a significant set of Henry V like people or a potential future prime minister or emblematic element of a parliament or senate or similar. I apologise for my bluntness but it felt so 'reduced' in the sense of small problems, our very personal backyards, our infatuations instead of trying to find the 'how' to crack a real serious challenge (I do not mean solve world poverty in 3 weeks...). I apologise again. I apologise again for putting some fresh air and less 'leadership weight' in what we may feel we are, as I attach the cartoons of funny and perhaps valid book in leadership..
Here it is what I did and what ... happen. Do not try this at your 'home':
· I remembered that one exercise we had in Angra was to indicate what we would do in the next 2 to 3 weeks. I wrote: rest, watch, get 'out', watch. So I did. The situation at 'home' (home meaning the place I work) was getting complicated as days went by. The new statutes were turning ugly and a power 'blitz' took place before Angra, where some operating people (not me) were sidelined using perhaps not 'kosher' steps. So I wait and watch. At the same time, 'home' was under an assessment from the EUA (meaning an EU association of Universities) and pressure was mounting on avoiding the unpleasant issues and provide feedback to EUA in the form of a 'fudge' version of the date required. I opposed (I was member of the internal liaison committee) and for the next meeting I saw trouble. A memo asking for a meeting was suggesting to say 'blue' to the EUA when the facts were instead 'red'. So, I tried in advance to get some insight from collaborators if I should say something more strongly. No mails or replies received, so I thought, Ok, I am all alone, the lone wolf, all that, so all in all, I should strike. Gamble. And I striked (Academically speaking). A Vice-Rector. The meeting went rough but a draw was called and I think I made a point: some issues were not to be raised again... But my image of non-compliance with 'shady' lines was getting ahead.
· I also decided to make a 'wild\naive move'. Not in terms of 'home'. But hoping to contribute to the national (Portuguese) challenge to a better governance: I wrote a letter to the leader of PSD (main opposition party) as well as their leader in parliament. Terribly naive, maybe, but part of my education is UK-based and I knew how relevant (there) was the feedback from constituents. I have to say that either she\he will go to the limit of next general elections in Portugal and would apply some of what I said or then she\he ignored it and we are heading in Portugal to more 'ruling by cheese' (Limiano).... In any case, I feel bad about the coordination of PSD just because a strong opposition is necessary for a better governance.
· I then read the 'book' we were supposed to read before Angra: I did not even picked it up in Angra as I wanted to experience all without any 'preparation'. I really enjoyed to read it. I saw in the book many mistakes I did in the past, I saw many mistakes I avoided and also some I would do, but I needed to do, since the situation at 'home' was getting too 'weird'. I explain:
· In November we had elections for the 'board' (called Conselho Geral). ‘My’ list (A) competed with another (B) to get the power in the board - all 'home' staff had vote, ie, about 600 staff, 6000 students and 800 non academics. I had bought two books on how to win campaigns (from Amazon, quoted as 'the' books to get your message across) and the main message was: you want the vote of that man\woman on the street\lecture hall? You have to do 3 things: communicate, communicate and yes, you guess it, communicate. But HQ at A opted for low light campaign, maybe under influence that either was in the bag and no need to raise the issues or influenced by others, where too much campaign could harm the results in their departments.... The final score was not good: a 'draw' with A =8 and B= 7 in a 15 group board, and a close win for A in my faculy (34-30) and at others a draw or close loss. Perhaps some stronger campaign, more talking would have helped (since B had a blog, a journal, campaigns, candidates on the street, posters, phone calls, etc, semi professionals, and yes, B is close to the actual 'ruler' and they were keeping their jobs safe'). In addition some candidates for A were out and about spreading to the wind a sort of job cleaning that would follow, meaning jobs at... risk. So, people ie voters, went B. Went safe.
· I lost much in these elections. My position in the faculty (Dean) got weaker, ‘candidates’ to the job appeared (even if I was not aiming at it again) and worse, I ''lost'' a position for full professor. This was very bitter and hard. The chosen candidate had 5 times (!) less publications, almost no citations or h-index (a metric of good research scientific work) but he is close the actual ''ruler''. In addition, something really odd happened: I was in front in the first meeting of the jury, 'my HQ CO (''commanding officer'') was the president, then no vote there\then, next meeting next month, my CO could not be there\then, the Pr was a close friend of the 'chosen one' and another Vice Rector. The vote goes 4-3 to me but a full professor from my dept says he puts all ex-aequo but given the 'other guy' been at the 'home' some 15 years more than me, 'age' in the home-rules counts more , goes 4-4 and... this other Pr \VRector goes against me. I lost. And this other Pr \VRector is from another unrelated area: Like an MD surgeon voting on who gets the post in a pure maths\game theory analysing criptic math papers. So, my own subprime downfall was there....
· It takes a bit of nerve and calm and I am not that person. So I opted to a fast 'get some plan b,c …g, which I did, as I need to resume my career as I feel my time at 'home' is over. The reason being that
· ... as the time is looming for the 'showdown' for the big 'ruler' chair (sometime mid 2009) , it seems that the actual ruler will have no opponent. Ie, the CO of A is backing off after all this effort, we are suddenly all a bit in Dunkirk when we thought we were in a safe beach landing…): All of us who went to the'' beach head'' and secured a point, are now facing to be left behind, no boats, or alternatives, so better start learning a new language, eat some raw turnips, in short, an(other) desert crossing until a new opportunity to change 'home' in 4 or 8 years will come.
· Meanwhile, my popularity or ranking at real home, meaning wife and kid, is going down. I am not a popular dad and as an husband I am getting pointed as 'what you should not look\do if looking again for church bells and wedding dresses'... Some of my tactical retreat\retiring has been taking solace\use of some good hints I got. And because I am mirroring Dr. House in taking assistance to face some onslaughts (no, I am not taking vicodin or alike).
· What is my plan b or c: it is simple. I am still keeping hope\faith in my HQ CO and that he will get back\stay there with us and\or pick me up there on the ''beach''; I am also looking for 'interesting' deserts to cross and where to go, , meaning finding time and resources , strengthen my research CV lines, ie, NOT leaving home but getting some lawfully authorized time away; giving more time to my kid; caving in when the chill wind is at my real home; striving to get new research ideas to publish original results in my scientific area and lines where to publish; telling myself everyday I will be resilient and pull through.
I also decided for the sake of 'justice' and morality to go to court on the 'full professor' decision: There are some technical mistakes on the whole process and I am exploring them. I may not get the friendship of whom was against me but at least I hope I can prove one can fight it. A bit like the situation in cricket, when there is a last man standing, batting, down but not out.
Summer holidays were only a break since the pressure to get an improvement on the book I am writing (a tech book on a 'sci-fi' subject such as SUSY quantum cosmology...) was mounting but I still need to get a second round of improvement by February for this two volume 'magnum opus', about 700 pages total.
During the last semester in 07-08 and this first one in 08-09 I did tried to motivate and committ my coleagues to the necessary changes but the heads of department either refused, stalled or run away and maybe because the results of the board\c.geral elections showed that no one wanted change. A necessary change is unstopable since impositions from the governement\MCTES are looming and either we take the (pro active) initiative or wait from a thunderbolt from higher 'pastures' ie MCTES; We lost (maybe we were too scared to oppose the supreme ruler when he decided alone, without any discussion, against 'fundação') the possibility of turning into a foundation with some extra $$$, but less self ruling. So we lost on the $$$, even if we claim to be close 'pals' with CRUP (the supremo of rectors) ; CRUP in face of lack of $$$$ just screamed for it and went (like any toddler) into a menacing attitude not to open 'doors' in September'08 unless $$$ comes. Hence, some change is needed, sort of those bitter-hard decisons mentioned in the book to read.
In the whole, I think most of this short description of academic life in this small garden by the seaside (aka, Portugal) shows what is a mix of Maquiavel with the Punic wars (yes, those of the (in)famous 'delenda cartage!): In order to attack Hannibal, Scipio (Rome) avoided confrontation in Italy to go to ... Spain and attack Hasdrubal, Hannibal’s brother. Hannibal eventually retreat from near Rome, went to north Africa. Scipio was there and... yes, that was when Carthage become 'was'.
As far as I feel myself, within this 'belic' analogies, I do feel I am on a 'bridge too far, really far or mistaken'. Maybe I have been dramatising too much (my colleagues in Angra in the sessions case groups may be agreeing). I am trying to create (!) opportunities such that I do not loose all my initiative or capacity to use it. My main problem is my feeling of tiredness and exhausting (mostly physical). I will wait for the next months to see, as I stand in the balcony, what am I seeing.
I hope I have not bored you with these data above (yeah, still a lone wolf and again lost from the pack) or presented what is not those of you 'supreme leaders' are feeling or should feel. In any case, it is the real (!) fight in the universitary system in XXIth century as change is necessary, mandatory and some old schools (eg, Coimbra) do not want to move a 'iota' in the modus operandi unless forced from 'higher pastures'.
Best regards,
Yours Truly,
Honourable schoolboy
(aka Paulo Vargas Moniz)
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