10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 1 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Cynthia Way Master Certified Coach President, Way To Go! Inc

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 2 Poll 1.How many people think I did something criminal? 2.How many people think I went to prison as a result of my work at the CIA? 3.How many people are questioning my credibility?

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 3 Purpose To help you understand the link between thinking and results So that – You avoid disconnects and unintended results – You improve communications

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 4 Available Data Draw Conclusions Add Meaning Filter Ladder of Inference Take Action Adapted from Chris Argyris Adopt Beliefs

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 5 Discuss at Your Table 1.Think of a colleague you respect and admire. Suppose they are 10 minutes late to a meeting. What are 5 conclusions you might make about why they were late? 2.Think of a colleague you don’t like, that you regard as a poor performer. Suppose they are 10 minutes late to a meeting. What are 5 conclusions you might make about why they were late?

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 6

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 7 Available Data Draw Conclusions Add Meaning Filter Ladder of Inference Take Action Adapted from Chris Argyris Adopt Beliefs

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 8 B-A-R Cycle BeliefActionResults

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 9 Table Exercise 1.What Belief-Action-Result cycle is occurring for you that may be a barrier to success or change, or making a bad situation worse? 2.Write belief as if it were fact. 3.Chart it out in a B-A-R cycle. 4.Share at your table.

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 10 Poll 1.How many people recognized they had an unhelpful B-A-R cycle at play?

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 11 How the Ladder Gets You In Trouble Belief ≠ Fact Conclusions ≠ Truth Red Flags – Always, Never, Every, You… – I’m right, you’re wrong mindset

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 12 What’s the Way Out? Willingness to Temporarily Suspend Judgment Attitude of Curiosity Seek First to Understand Before Being Understood (Stephen Covey) Ask yourself: “Why would a reasonable, rational person do/say that?” Walk Up/Down the Ladder

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 13 Walking Up/Down Ladder For others: unattached curious inquiry –Can you help me understand your thinking? –What led you to that conclusion? –When you said X (their words), did you mean (your interpretation)? For yourself: skillful advocacy –Here’s my view, and here’s how I got there. –I think X is going to happen and here are the data points I’m basing that conclusion on. –Let me explain where I’m coming from on this. Adapted from Peter M. Senge, The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 14 Table Exercise Consider a time when you climbed the wrong ladder – What could you have done differently? What can you do to change your Belief-Action- Result cycle?

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 15 Intended Outcomes Learn about the Ladder of Inference model Learn about the Belief-Action-Results cycle Learn how to use this information for better communication and more positive results

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 16 In Conclusion… Jot down 3 key takeaways Identify the next opportunity you will have to practice

10–12 November 2014 How Our Thinking Impacts Our Results Page 17 Resources BOOKS: Covey, S. R. (1989), The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (New York: Simon and Schuster). Patterson, et al. 2002), Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High (New York, McGraw-Hill). Rock, D. and J. Schwartz,(2006), “The Neuroscience of Leadership,” Strategy + Business, Reprint Senge, P. M., et al. (1994). The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization (New York: Doubleday/Currency). WEBSITES: Systems Thinking In Action Conference & resources Society for Organizational Learning Way To Go! inc. coaching and consulting