Teaching Smart People How to Learn

Idea… Briefly… Single loop learning: problem solving- e.g. :detecting and correcting an error Double loop learning: reflecting on assumptions and testing validity of hypothesis- this is an extra step in genuine learning –More than motivation. Reflect on way we think Failure forces us to reflect on our assumptions and inferences Smartest and most successful employees :poor learners-no introspection When they fail or under perform, become defensive. No critical examination of own behavior. Blame outward- anyone or anything

Idea… Expanded… People profess: open to critique and new learning but actions suggest very different set of governing values or theories-in-use: –Desire to remain in unilateral control –Goal of maximizing ‘winning’ while minimizing ‘losing’ –Belief that negative feelings should be suppressed –Desire to appear as rational as possible These values betray a profoundly defensive posture: a need to avoid embarrassment, threat, or feelings of vulnerability and incompetence This closed-loop reasoning explains why mere encouragement of open inquiry can be intimidating to some. Relevant to behavior of most highly skilled and best-trained employees

Idea… Expanded… Behind high aspirations, equally high fear of failure and tendency to be ashamed when they do not live up to their high standards Consequently become brittle and despondent in situations they do not excel immediately Fortunately, it is possible for individuals and organizations to develop more productive patterns of behavior. Two suggestions for how to make this happen: 1.Apply same kind of ‘tough reasoning’ you use to conduct strategic analysis –Collect most objective data, make inferences explicit and test them constantly. Submit your conclusions to the toughest test of all: make sure they are not self serving or impossible for others to verify

Idea… Expanded… 2.Senior managers must model the desired changes first -When the leadership demonstrates its willingness to examine critically its own theories- in-use, changing them as indicated, everyone will find it easier to do the same Example –CEOs case study to address real problems caused by intense competition among his direct reports –After ‘writing’, has no meeting but scenario analysis discussion with direct reports –Result: illuminating conversation, circumventing close loop reasoning

Learnings… Companies aspiring to succeed in tougher business environment must first resolve a basic dilemma: success in the market place increasingly depends on learning, yet most people do not know how to learn Those employees who many assume to be the best at learning, not very good Companies have difficulty in dealing with dilemma and are not even aware it exists Reason: they misunderstand what learning is and how to bring about it Result: make two mistakes in their efforts to become a learning organization

Learnings… Basic dilemma Difficulty Reason…? Result….?

Learnings… First mistake: most people define learning too narrowly as ‘problem solving’. Their focus is on identifying and correcting errors in the external environment –If learning to persist, managers and employees must also look inward. Need to reflect critically on their own behavior, identify the ways they inadvertently contribute to organization’s problems and change how they act –Chris coined “Single loop” and “Double loop” learning terms. Analogy of a thermostat –Highly skilled professionals are good at single loop learning and not at double loop learning, When single loop strategies go wrong, become defensive –Their ability to learn shuts down precisely at the moment they need it most

Learnings… First mistake: ‘problem solving’ Learning: look inward “Single loop” and “Double loop” learning. –Thermostat Analogy –Highly skilled professionals

Learnings… Second mistake: common assumption is getting people to learn is largely a matter of motivation. Effective double learning is not simply a function of how people feel. It is a reflection of how they think- i.e. cognitive rules or reasoning they use to design and implement their actions Companies can learn how to resolve the learning dilemma –Teaching people how to reason about their behavior in new and more effective ways breaks down the defenses that block learning More jobs taking on the contours of ‘knowledge work’: –People at all levels must combine the mastery of technical expertise with the ability to work effectively in teams, form productive relationships with clients and customers, and critically reflect on and then change their own organizational practices

Learnings… Second mistake: learning a matter of motivation Effective double learning: not how people feel, how they think Companies can learn how to resolve the learning dilemma More jobs taking on the contours of ‘knowledge work’:

Learnings… How Professionals Avoid Learning Consultants embodied learning dilemma Consultants enthusiastic: Focus of learning efforts on external factors Consultants own performance: wrong Embarrassed, threatened, guilty, defensive reaction,blamed others

Learnings… Case of a Premier Management Consulting company –Highlights unproductive parallel conversation. Candid and forceful –Talked past each other, not finding common language –Professionals: fault with others –Managers: professionals contribution Dynamics of defensive reasoning

Learnings… Defensive Reasoning/Doom Loop Professionals’ defensiveness? –Not attitude, commitment –Way they reasoned their and others behavior Theory of action: –set of rules individuals use to design and implement their behavior and understand others’ behavior –Taken for granted

Learnings… Defensive Reasoning/Doom Loop Paradox of human behavior: –Master program people actually use is rarely thought the one think they use –When people are asked to articulate the rules they use to govern their actions, they give ‘espoused’ theory of action –People’s behavior is observed: the espoused theory is at variance with how they actually behave

Learnings… Defensive Reasoning/Doom Loop “Theories-in-use”: when we observe people’s behavior and find rules, we discover a different theory of action People consistently act inconsistently, unaware of contradiction between their espoused theory and theory-in- use, between the way they think are acting and the way they are really act Most theories-in-use rest on same governing values. Universal human tendency to design ones’ actions consistently according to four basic values:

Learnings… Defensive Reasoning/Doom Loop 1.To remain in unilateral control 2.Maximize ‘winning’, and ‘minimize’ losing’ 3.To suppress negative feelings, and 4.To be as ‘rational’ as possible Purpose of these values: avoid embarrassment or threat, feeling vulnerable or incompetent- master program most people use is defensive Defensive reasoning encourages individuals to keep private the premises, inferences, and conclusions that shape their behavior and to avoid testing them in a truly independent, objective fashion

Learnings… Defensive Reasoning/Doom Loop Closed loop: defensive reasoning Doom loop: consultants perform well, but not perfectly and receive no accolades. Go into doom loop of despair Doom zoom: do not ease into doom loop, but zoom into it ‘Brittle’ personalities of professionals

Learnings… Example/case –How the brittleness can disrupt an organization –Professionals must measure performance against formal standard, performance evaluation pushes professionals into doom loop Professionals seemed to hold management to different level of performance than they held themselves –In meetings, they used many of the features of ineffective evaluation that they condemned.. Absence of data, dependence on circular logic

Learnings… Learning How to Reason Productively Focusing on individual’s attitudes or commitment is never enough Nor new organizational structures or systems Problem: vicious circle Organizations can break out –Using universal human tendencies and teaching people to reason in a new way –Change the master programs in their heads and reshape their behavior

Learnings… Learning How to Reason Productively Teach people how to recognize the reasoning they use when they design and implement their actions Begin to identify the inconsistencies between their espoused and actual theories of action Face up to the fact that they unconsciously design and implement actions that they do not intend People can learn how to identify what individuals and groups do to create organizational defenses and how these defenses contribute to organization’s problem

Learnings… Learning How to Reason Productively Apply same kind of ‘tough reasoning’ you use to conduct strategic analysis –Collect most objective data, make inferences explicit and test them constantly. Submit your conclusions to the toughest test of all: make sure they are not self serving or impossible for others to verify Senior managers must model the desired changes first –When the leadership demonstrates its willingness to examine critically its own theories-in-use, changing them as indicated, everyone will find it easier to do the same

Learnings… Learning How to Reason Productively The key to teach senior managers: connect the programs to real business problems Example –CEOs case study to address real problems caused by intense competition among his direct reports –After ‘writing’, has no meeting but scenario analysis discussion with direct reports –Result: illuminating conversation, circumventing close loop reasoning –In the context of discussions, the entire senior management was willing to discuss what had always been undiscussable

Learnings… Learning How to Reason Productively To question someone else’s reasoning is not a sign of mistrust but a valuable opportunity for learning Real work: learning own group dynamics and addressing some generic problems Insights: act more effectively in future both as individuals and as a team Not just solving problems: developing a far deeper and more textured understanding of their role in the organization Laying ground work for continuous improvements. Learning how to learn

Learnings… Relevance for RMs RMs to develop more productive patterns of behavior by practicing two suggestions given in the article Practice eliminate or minimize ‘defensive reasoning’ in them and their team members RMs to learn and teach their team members on ‘how to Reason Productively’ with the help of single and double loop concepts