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!