"Clear Is Kind. Unclear Is Unkind." - A Brief History & Ethos of the Digital Garden

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Aug 29, 2023
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"Clear Is Kind. Unclear Is Unkind." - A Brief History & Ethos of the Digital Garden
In the realm of leadership, one of the greatest concerns that leaders face is the avoidance of tough conversations. Giving honest and productive feedback is often seen as a challenge, and as a result, leaders tend to feed people half-truths or sugarcoat their words to make them feel better. However, this approach is unkind and does not serve the best interests of individuals or organizations.
It is crucial for leaders to understand that clear communication is an act of kindness. By being transparent and direct, leaders can foster trust and create an environment where constructive feedback is valued. On the other hand, being unclear and avoiding tough conversations is unkind. When leaders fail to set clear expectations or hold their colleagues accountable, it leads to frustration and blame.
To address this issue, leaders need to adopt a mindset of bravery and cultivate a courageous culture. They need to be willing to engage in rumble discussions, which are defined by vulnerability, curiosity, and generosity. In these discussions, individuals lean into the messy middle of problem-solving and take ownership of their part in the conversation. As psychologist Harriet Lerner suggests, listening with the same passion with which we want to be heard is crucial for productive and respectful conversations.
In a similar vein, the concept of the digital garden has gained traction in recent years. Mark Bernstein's 1998 essay on Hypertext Gardens is considered the earliest mention of this term. The idea of a digital garden is rooted in the notion of unplanned hypertext sprawl, which can be seen as a wilderness - complex and interesting, but uninviting. The digital garden offers a way to navigate through this wilderness and discover interesting ideas.
The term "digital gardening" was popularized by Rory Sutherland in 2007, who described it as "faffing about syncing things, defragging - like pruning for young people." However, it was Mike Caufield's keynote on The Garden and the Stream at the 2015 Digital Learning Research Network that laid the foundations for our understanding of digital gardening. Caufield emphasized the difference between streams, which only surface the latest ideas, and gardens, which allow for the accumulation of knowledge over time.
Tom Critchlow's 2018 article on digital streams, campfires, and gardens further explored alternative metaphors for consuming and producing information. He was followed by Joel Hooks, who declared that his blog was a digital garden, not a traditional blog. This shift in mindset led to a new way of creating web content, where posts were connected to each other through related themes and shared context.
One of the key features of a digital garden is the use of bi-directional links, which make both the destination and source pages visible to the reader. This creates a network of interconnected ideas and allows for a more holistic exploration of topics. Unlike traditional blogs, digital gardens are never finished. They continue to evolve and change, just like a real garden.
The beauty of digital gardens lies in their imperfection. They offer an intimate and public space for sharing ideas and thoughts. They are less performative than blogs and more intentional and thoughtful than Twitter feeds. Digital gardens are unique and particular to their creators, allowing individuals to present themselves in a way that matches their way of thinking.
Gardening in the digital realm is about claiming a small patch of the web for oneself, a space that is fully owned and controlled. Currently, digital gardens are mostly solo endeavors, but there is a growing community of developers and designers working towards making them more collaborative.
In conclusion, clear communication and digital gardening share a common thread - the importance of authenticity and vulnerability. Both require individuals to step outside their comfort zones and engage in open and honest conversations. To incorporate these principles into your own life and work, here are three actionable pieces of advice:
- 1. Embrace vulnerability: Be brave and willing to have tough conversations. Avoid sugarcoating your words and instead, deliver honest and constructive feedback. Remember, clear is kind.
- 2. Cultivate your digital garden: Create a space on the web that reflects your unique thinking and ideas. Explore the concept of bi-directional links and connect your posts in meaningful ways. Let your garden grow and evolve over time.
- 3. Foster collaboration: Seek opportunities to collaborate with others in the digital gardening community. Share ideas, provide feedback, and learn from one another. Together, we can create a thriving ecosystem of interconnected digital gardens.
By incorporating these practices into your leadership style and digital presence, you can create a culture of kindness, authenticity, and growth. Stay awkward, brave, and kind.
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