"Zen Government" Posts on ValleyZen

Meg Whitman for Governor – MEGa Women Launch Rocks Redwood City

05.28.09 | Category: Breaking News, Power Zen, Valley Future, Zen Government

Drue Kataoka and Meg Whitman at MEGa Women
“It’s not brain surgery—It’s economics,” Meg Whitman recalled the take of her brain surgeon husband, Dr. Griffith Harsh, on California’s budget crisis. With a wry sense of humor, and authentic personal stories, Meg shared her impressive vision for a new California at the MEGa Women Bay Area Launch. Pumping up the audience was Statewide Chairwoman Jillian Manus: “there’s so much estrogen in this room, it could blow off the roof.” A diverse audience of female Silicon Valley influencers cheered when Jillian challenged them to go out and make MEGa Women a million strong…

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Obama White House and Collective Intelligence

04.02.09 | Category: Power Zen, Zen Government

Barack Obama
As world leaders meet at the G20 London Summit this week, ValleyZen reflects on the following. What if you had the responsibility to resolve simultaneous national and international crises that consisted of and were dependent on resolving a number of diverse smaller crises…

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Portrait of Michelle Obama by Drue Kataoka

02.16.09 | Category: Power Zen, Simplicity, Zen Government

Drue has recently completed a portrait of Michelle Obama. We look forward to your responses and reactions. Please view her portrait of the First Lady and read the story behind the portrait…

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Meeting Michelle Obama in Chicago — Barack Obama & Oprah speak to Women Leaders – Drue’s art exhibit celebrates America

10.24.08 | Category: Breaking News, Power Zen, Uncategorized, Valley Future, Zen Government

Drue and Bill meet Michelle Obama
ValleyZen was invited to attend the National Women’s Leadership Initiative National Issues Conference. Billed as “the pinnacle event of the general election to highlight the importance of women’s leadership,” it drew women from all 50 states. Mega donors as well as high-level policy makers and senior campaign advisors converged on the Chicago Sheraton Towers to focus on “issues…

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Craig Newmark On Obama McCain & Zen

08.13.08 | Category: Power Zen, Simplicity, Zen Government

Craig Newmark and Drue Kataoka
Craig Newmark speaks candidly about Barack Obama and John McCain, Presidential Zen and the Art of Service. Watch ValleyZen’s video interview here shot in San Francisco on location at Craig’s favorite hang. Craig opens up under California sun-dappled Japanese maples. Highlights include:

  • Craig as eye candy — It’s tough being the glamorous poster boy for Craigslist!
  • The art of customer service – Craig is the Master. The word Samurai means to serve. Craig’s twist on service.
  • Presidential Zen — Barack Obama and John McCain — How do they set their Zen Compass?
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Press Update…

04.03.08 | Category: Asymmetry, Simplicity, Unexpected, Zen Government

Bill Fenwick and Drue Kataoka

It’s been an exciting two months for ValleyZen.com. Since launch the blog has been:

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Is Zen Bureaucracy an Oxymoron?

02.05.08 | Category: Interaction Design, Simplicity, Zen Government

CapitolIs the use of Information Technology by Government Bureaucracies Consistent with the Zen Concept of Simplicity?

Bureaucracies could learn from the Zen principle of simplicity. They have the incredible ability to add complexity to people’s lives: confusing them, cluttering their minds, and raising their anxieties. Simple, targeted, non-cluttered communication could greatly improve the quality of the interactions between citizens and bureaucracies. An extreme story of bureaucratic clutter illustrates this…

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Zen Super Tuesday

| Category: Zen Government

Sumi-e Elephant DonkeyWe are the country of “Winner Takes All.” There is only One National Champion, One Best Picture, One Album of the Year. If you happen to be #2, you might as well not exist.

But who is in a position to select a single winner? Who said that Michael Tilson Thomas’ Mahler is greater than Haitink’s Beethoven? And that the Dixie Chicks are even greater?

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