experience of a learning organization: how to grow beyond blame
TRANSCRIPT
Experience of aExperience of aLearning Learning
Organization:Organization:How To Grow Beyond BlameHow To Grow Beyond Blame
Agenda
•Learning Organization Philosophy
•The 5 Disciplines Overview
•Double-Loop Quality Process Overview
•The Discipline of Mental Models Direct Communication Standard Productive Conversation Framework
•Double-Loop Quality Process Re-visited
•Discussion
What's a Learning Culture?
•… a place in which people seek to learnlearn rather than know. They admit that their pictures of the world are incomplete and therefore they need to learn from each other in order to fully understand the whole system. They do this through a process of respectful inquiry into each other’s world views.
Learning Culture
•“The way organizations are is a product of how we thinkthink and how we interactinteract; they cannot change in any fundamental way unless we can change our basic patterns of thinkingthinking and interactinginteracting”.
Peter Senge
The Learning Organization Philosophy
•Based on the book The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge
•5 Disciplines Personal Mastery Shared Vision Team Learning Mental Models Systems Thinking
1st - Personal Mastery
•Have you ever wondered… about the purpose of your life? why you aren’t more effective in what you do? when you were finally going to achieve your life-long
goal?
•Wouldn’t it be great if… you understood exactly how to achieve your goals? you were in your ideal job, doing work you loved and
were good at.
1st - Personal Mastery
•What is the discipline of Personal Mastery? Developing... my commitment to my future. Expanding my personal capacity to create the results I
really care about in my life.
•How do you do Personal Mastery work? Develop a creative tension between who you are and
who you want to be.
2nd - Shared Vision
•Have you ever wondered… why people just seem to be doing their own thing
without regard to the impact on others? why the organization seemed to be spinning its wheels
without going anywhere?
•Wouldn’t it be great if… the organization was poised to reach its full potential? All employees are very clear on what the purpose and
vision of the organization is?
2nd - Shared Vision
•What is the discipline of Shared Vision? Developing… our commitment to our future. Developing shared images of the future we seek to
create together.
• How do you do Shared Vision work? Create a shared image of “our future” by sharing
individual visions.
3rd - Mental Models
•Have you ever wondered… why that other person “just doesn’t get it”? what it would be like to have really powerful
conversations with your co-workers?
•Wouldn’t it be great if… every conversation you had increased, rather than
decreased, mutual understanding? you never had to worry about the other person “taking
things the wrong way”?
3rd - Mental Models
•What is the discipline of Mental Models? Seeing… How I think. Becoming more aware of the sources of our thinking;
increasing mutual understanding.
•How do you do Mental Models work? Reflect on your own thoughts and actions and discuss
them with others.
4th - Team Learning
•Have you ever wondered… why people seem to get stuck in the same roles in
every meeting? why we sometimes dread meetings?
•Wouldn’t it be great if… we could have meetings that really meant something? you felt like a vital member of a very special team?
4th - Team Learning
•What is the discipline of Team Learning? Developing… How smart we are. Transforming our skills of collective thinking through
discussion and dialogue.
•How do you do Team Learning work? Practice talking and thinking together to generate
collective insight.
5th - Systems Thinking
•Have you ever wondered… why things seem to get worse, when you are trying to
make them better? why solving a problem in one area causes a new
problem for another area?
•Wouldn’t it be great if… we understood why “shift happens”? we could always take actions that were high leverage?
5th - Systems Thinking
•What is the discipline of Systems Thinking? Seeing... how things are connected. Understanding the forces and inter-relationships that
shape the behavior of systems.
•How do you do Systems Thinking work? Study interconnections between factors that impact
your results.
How the 5 Disciplines Work Together
•Five Discipline Matrix
Creating somethingbigger thanourselves
Building meaningand sharing your
understanding withothers
Connecting withothers and
developing learningrelationships
Understanding thebigger picture
Some are justalong for the ride.
No personalcommitment ordevelopment.
PersonalMastery
Shared Vision Mental Models Team LearningSystemsThinking
RESULTS
Growing and learning
Building meaningand sharing your
understanding withothers
Connecting withothers and
developing learningrelationships
Understanding thebigger picture
Frustration.Organization isn'tmoving. Feelingalive in a deadorganization
Growing and learningCreating something
bigger thanourselves
Connecting withothers and
developing learningrelationships
Understanding thebigger picture
Lots of conflict andmisunderstanding.
Stressedrelationships.
Growing and learningCreating something
bigger thanourselves
Building meaningand sharing your
understanding withothers
Understanding thebigger picture
Lone Rangers andcompetitiveness.
Isolation andstalled innovation.
Growing and learningCreating something
bigger thanourselves
Building meaningand sharing your
understanding withothers
Connecting withothers and
developing learningrelationships
Good results don'tlast, or produce
unintendedconsequences
someplace else.
Growing and learningCreating something
bigger thanourselves
Building meaningand sharing your
understanding withothers
Connecting withothers and
developing learningrelationships
Understanding thebigger picture
People collectivelyenhancing their
capacity to createthe results theyreally want to
create.
No MentalModels
No SharedVision
No PersonalMastery
No PersonalMastery
Resentment. Somepeople are “just
coasting”. Lack ofpersonal
commitment.
What if One’s Missing?
No SharedVision
Frustration.Organization doesn’treach it’s potential.
No MentalModels
Quarrels, entrencheddisagreements, and
factions.
All 5 disciplinespresent.
No SystemsThinking
No TeamLearning
What if One’s Missing?
No TeamLearning
Lone Rangers andcompetitiveness.
Isolation and stalledinnovation.
No SystemsThinking
Good results don’tlast, or produce
negativeconsequences
someplace else.
All 5 disciplinespresent.
People collectivelyenhancing their
capacity to createthe results they
really want to create.
Everything Hangs on These 5 Hooks
Double-Loop Quality Process
Double LoopLearning
Single LoopLearning
1
2
3
4
5DevelopCorrective
ActionPlan
AnalyzeData &
PossibleCorrections
ImplementCorrectiveAction Plan
(Re)EvaluateCorrective
Action Results
DevelopNew
Assumptions
AnalyzeAssumptions behindAction Strategies and
Intended Outcome
IdentifyProblem &IntendedOutcome
5a
5b
• Why do we want this outcome in the first place? Is it the right outcome?
• Why did we think the previous action strategy would work anyway? What assumptions are we making?
Mental Models
Why Do We Need a “Direct Communication Standard”?
•Meeting-after-the-meeting
•Telephone game
•Rumors
NO
1st Discuss your differences directly with the other person, one on one.
2nd If not resolved, both persons meet with a mutually agreed-upon Conversation Coach to continue the discussion.
3rd If still not resolved, bring the situation to the next level of authority for a resolution.
Direct Communication Standard
1st Person 2nd Person
1st Person
Conversation
Coach
2nd Person
1st Person
AUTHORITY
2nd Person
1st Person
YOU
2nd Person
Only listen to discussions about the “other person” if you are re-directing someone to go back and have a direct conversation. Encourage every effort to be made in the 1st and 2nd stages to avoid the 3rd stage.
When do I use the Direct Communication Standard?
•When its about relationships and communication, and has an impact on performance. Examples
Differences of opinion Confronting gossip
•Not if its an issue of authority Examples
About policies About evaluation
Conversation Coach Program
•Purpose: To increase mutual understanding between associates by facilitating productive conversations.
•Conversation Coaching Method
•Confidentiality.
•Facilitate people outside their own department; Advise people from any department.
•Authority vs. relationship/communication issues.
Two Roles of Conversation Coaches
Advise
1st Associate
Conversation
Coach
2nd Associate
Facilitate
1st Associate
Conversation
Coach
2nd Associate
The Plan
•I’m going to try and convince you of three things: ONE: Our thinking (our Left-hand Column) has an
impact on the results of our conversations. TWO: We create our own Left-hand Column, and
therefore we are often our own worst enemy. THREE: Our Left-hand Column can be changed (using
the Ladder of Inference).
•I’m going to try and convince you of three things: ONE: Our thinking (our Left-hand Column) has an
impact on the results of our conversations. TWO: We create our own Left-hand Column, and
therefore we are often our own worst enemy. THREE: Our Left-hand Column can be changed (using
the Ladder of Inference).
The Plan
What wesay and
do
What wethink andfeel (but
don't say)
Hidden Observable
Hidden Structure (Left-Hand Column)•“Inner voice”
•“Self talk”
Thoughts Actions ResultsImpact on
relationship andlevel ofmutual
understanding
What wethink
and feel(but don't
say)
Left-Hand Right-Hand
What wesay and
do
Left-Hand Right-Hand
The Structure of Conversations
Did you find this to be true?Did you find this to be true?
Thoughts Actions ResultsImpact on
relationship andlevel ofmutual
understanding
What wethink
and feel(but don't
say)
Left-Hand Right-Hand
What wesay and
do
Left-Hand Right-Hand
The Structure of Conversations
Did you try this strategy?Did you try this strategy?
Thoughts Actions ResultsImpact on
relationship andlevel ofmutual
understanding
What wethink
and feel(but don't
say)
Left-Hand Right-Hand
What wesay and
do
Left-Hand Right-Hand
The Structure of Conversations
Did you try this strategy?Did you try this strategy?
•I’m going to try and convince you of three things: ONE: Our thinking (our Left-hand Column) has an
impact on the results of our conversations. TWO: We create our own Left-hand Column, and
therefore we are often our own worst enemy. THREE: Our Left-hand Column can be changed (using
the Ladder of Inference).
The Plan
Thoughts Actions Results
Observe
Interpret
Draw conclusions
Impact onrelationship and
level ofmutual
understanding
DATA
What wethink
and feel(but don't
say)
Left-Hand Right-Hand
What wesay and
do
Left-Hand Right-Hand
The Structure of Conversations
Ladder of Inference
I observe something
I interpret what Iobserved.
I draw conclusions.
I noticedthat...
To methis means
that...
So, Iconclude
that...
DirectlyObservable Data
We Create Our Own LHC
I observe something
I interpret what Iobserved.
I draw conclusions.
I noticedthat...
To methis means
that...
So, Iconclude
that...
DirectlyObservable Data
Name the conclusion. Recall how you interpreted what you observed.Remember what you actually observed.
•I’m going to try and convince you of three things: ONE: Our thinking (our Left-hand Column) has an
impact on the results of our conversations. TWO: We create our own Left-hand Column, and
therefore we are often our own worst enemy. THREE: Our Left-hand Column can be changed (using
the Ladder of Inference).
The Plan
How Do We Change Our LHC?
•Assume the other person is acting with integrity, given their situation.
•Move our conversations as low on the ladder as possible.
Get Down To Data
•WHENEVER POSSIBLEWHENEVER POSSIBLE, “get down to data”, when the issue is contentious or difficult.
•When you talk about what actually happened, rather than your interpretations or conclusions about what happened: Feelings are diffused Less defensiveness
Advocacy and Inquiry
•Advocacy Walking up the Ladder of Inference Revealing your own thinking “Disclosure”
•Inquiry Walking down the Ladder of Inference Asking questions to reveal their thinking “Curiosity”
Reveal Your Thinking
I observe something
I interpret what Iobserved.
I draw conclusions.
I noticedthat...
To methis means
that...
So, Iconclude
that...
DirectlyObservable Data
Offer your conclusion. Share how you interpreted what you observed.Restate what you actually observed.
ADVOCACYADVOCACY
Get Curious About Their Thinking
I observe something
I interpret what Iobserved.
I draw conclusions.
I noticedthat...
To methis means
that...
So, Iconclude
that...
DirectlyObservable Data
Imagine their conclusion (and test it with them). Ask how they interpreted what they observed.Ask for a description of what they actually observed (an example).
INQUIRYINQUIRY
Moving Up and Down the Ladder
I noticedthat...
To methis means
that...
So, Iconclude
that...
DirectlyObservable Data
Imagine their conclusion (and test it with them).
Ask how they interpreted what they observed.
Ask for a description of what they actually observed (an example).
Offer your conclusion.
Share how you interpreted what you observed.
Restate what you actually observed.
ADVOCACYADVOCACY INQUIRYINQUIRY
Double-Loop Quality Process
Double LoopLearning
Single LoopLearning
1
2
3
4
5DevelopCorrective
ActionPlan
AnalyzeData &
PossibleCorrections
ImplementCorrectiveAction Plan
(Re)EvaluateCorrective
Action Results
DevelopNew
Assumptions
AnalyzeAssumptions behindAction Strategies and
Intended Outcome
IdentifyProblem &IntendedOutcome
5a
5b
• Why do we want this outcome in the first place? Is it the right outcome?
•Is there a Is there a betterbetter outcome to pursue?outcome to pursue?
• Why did we think the previous action strategy would work anyway? What assumptions are we making?
•Can we make any new Can we make any new assumptions about assumptions about possible successful possible successful action?action?
Thank You!Thank You!