Blog - Designed Learning

Honoring John McKnight & The Gift He Was We are deeply saddened by the loss of John McKnight, a dear friend, author, professor, and co-founder of the Asset-Based Community Development Institute. John laid the foundation for the work that we do in community. Because of him, our focus is always on gifts, not deficiencies. Because of him,… Read Post

Ambiguity is the Enemy of Good Agreements In every aspect of our lives, we make agreements with other people, from day-to-day decisions like where to go to dinner to monumental topics like how we want to achieve our strategic/life goals together. We are often disappointed with the results no matter what kind of agreements we make. The… Read Post

Why Expertise Alone Fails: The Partnership Secret Behind Flawless Consulting Consulting isn’t just about offering expertise—it’s about building authentic relationships and fostering trust. That’s one of the most important of the many insights from Peter Block’s Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used, a book that has transformed the way countless individuals and organizations think about the… Read Post

Flawless Consulting: Setting Strategic Vision Thirteen years ago, I joined Designed Learning as an independent contractor to assist in marketing and sales. I knew absolutely nothing about Designed Learning, Flawless Consulting, or Peter Block. I knew even less about setting strategic vision and its importance to organizational effectiveness. So, What’s the Point? Learning the skills… Read Post

Transforming Leadership for Equitable Change: Introducing Leader as Convener In our pursuit of more equitable, sustainable, and community-oriented systems, we often overlook a crucial element: how we come together. At Designed Learning®, we believe that the way we convene can be as transformative as the work itself. Our “Leader as Convener” program offers a paradigm shift in how we… Read Post

Resistance is Predictable “Resistance is not only predictable and natural; it is a necessary part of the learning process.” – Peter Bock, Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used When it comes to your ideas and beliefs that you hold, it can be challenging to take a step back and… Read Post

Finding Balance: Work and Life “The goal is to balance a life that works with a life that counts.” – Peter Block, The Answer to How is Yes. If you want to live a healthy life that benefits your mind, body, and spirit, then it’s important to be intentional about incorporating… Read Post

Managing your Inner Critic “All we have to do to create the future is to change the nature of our conversations, to go from blame to ownership, from bargaining to commitment, and from problem-solving to possibility.” – Peter Block, Community: The Structure of Belonging. We… Read Post

Live by The Rules You Create “The hardest thing for any of us is to live by the rules we ourselves create. It’s difficult enough to live by the rules that others create. It is brutal and fierce to live by the ones we create ourselves.” – Peter Block, The Empowered Manager:… Read Post

Say no, It’s a good thing “If you can’t say no, your yes has no meaning.” – Peter Block, Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used In a world that prioritizes a strong work ethic, success, and drive, it can feel challenging to say no. The dominant cultural narrative has been instilled in… Read Post