GUEST BLOG: “Sabbatical,” by Tim Sharp

       For the last two months, I have engaged in a “deep dive.” I have had the opportunity and the time to follow some hunches, plunge into a network of ideas, and to complete projects of research and writing that have been developing over some time. The time-honored name for this form of deep dive is a “sabbatical.” The objective of my sabbatical has been to put some atoms in motion toward bringing closure to projects and ideas I had been developing on the fringe of my normal schedule.

       It is widely known that Google gives its engineers one day a week to work on anything they want. It is reported that Bill Gates takes an annual “reading vacation” during which time he deliberately reads a stack of material he has cultivated, most of which does not have anything to do with his day-to-day business focus. ACDA gave me this opportunity in the form of a two-month sabbatical during September and October.

       The beauty of the “deep dive” is that it gives the opportunity to absorb yourself in important thinking and visionary planning, along with follow through toward conclusions and plans of action. Reading and observation remain my primary vehicles for processing new and interesting ideas and innovations. Having the time to then “think on paper” by writing and editing those thoughts has been extremely important for me and I believe it has also been important for ACDA. I am grateful to our Leadership Board for recognizing the need for this time of strategic thinking, planning, and writing.