Bronze Certification
Training Programme Outline

WORKSHOP TRAINING STRUCTURE:

WORKSHOP MODULES:	TIME FRAME
#1: Introductions: Concept of Learning Organizations & Tools of Systems Thinking Part I	5 days / 45-48 hours
#2: Deepening:  Tools of Systems Thinking Part II	5 days / 45-48 hours
#3: Introductions:  Tools of Generative Conversations	5 days / 45-48 hours
#4: Introductions:  Tools of the Leg of Aspirations	5 days / 45-48 hours
#5: Learning to cross the bridge: From Theory to Practice	5 days / 45-48 hours

MODULE 1:  INTRODUCTIONS TO LEARNING ORGANIZATION

DAY ONE:  “HOW DO WE SEE THE WORLD NOW?” Morning: Welcome Opening and Context Setting The Living Company by Arie de Geus: ”What organizations have done to create results that matter” Learning from organizations that survived hundreds of years of change Discovering “Learning Organization” Introducing the fundamental frameworks of Learning Organization: – The Three-legged stool – Introducing the 60 tools of Learning Organization – Structural Tension Model Group Work: Seeing Our World Together Afternoon: Introduction:  Discipline of Systems Thinking Definition Distinctions between detailed and dynamic complexities Seeing the world anew (what is causing complexities: ignoring feedback and delays) Understanding Circles of Causality Introducing Reinforcing Loop, Balancing Loop and Delays Managing vicious circles (of complexity) DAY 2-3: “UNDERSTANDING THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF SYSTEMS THINKING” Seeing the world anew: Learning to design Systemic Interventions Learning to grow systemically: Deeper understanding of balancing and reinforcing loops The 11 Laws of dynamic complexity: – Understanding the nature of systemic complexity – Learning to design interventions in a systemic complexity – Learning to uncover systemic structures Using the laws to intervening systemic issues: – ‘Too much workload’ and – ‘Not enough manpower’ DAY 4-5 (MORNING):  PRACTICE SESSION Understanding droughts

MODULE 2:  DEEPENING SYSTEMS THINKING

DAY ONE:   INTRODUCING SYSTEM ARCHETYPES Morning: Review Definition of “Learning Organisation” ”What organizations do to make it difficult for it to create results that matter – the ability to deal with dynamic complexity – “Dynamic Complexity” / Beer Game Seeing the world anew (what is causing complexities – circular causality and delays, when things happen … eventually) Linear versus circular (systemic) thinking; Events versus patterns over time Planning and management through use of systemic structures Laws of Dynamic complexity: Principles of systems thinking (Re)Introducing the language of Systems Thinking. Afternoon: Introducing Systems Thinking Archetypes Learning to Uncover System Archetypes Natural templates to explain most commonly seen vexing long-term problems that systems thinking can help overcome complex behaviours in organizations DAY 2-4: LEARNING SYSTEM ARCHETYPES Fixes that Fail (quick fixes to crisis that exacerbate the problem) Shifting the burden (treating symptoms and diverting attention from sources) Limits to success (succeeding to where performance slows or declines) Success to the Successful (reinforcing the successful – successful units get more resources to the detrainment of other units or people) Escalating actions that threaten the organization (one party continually one- upping others in response to perceived threats) Drifting organizational goals (gaps between goals and current conditions) Tragedy of the Commons (each person pursues self-benefiting actions which diminish the overall benefits) Growth and underinvestment (setting lowering performance standards to justify underinvestment) Accidental Adversaries (the best of friends become the worst of enemies) DAY 5: The role of visions and mental models in system archetypes Practice I: Case-study = Solving real-life case-issues (provided by facilitator) using the tools of Systems Thinking

MODULE 3:  GENERATING PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS

DAY ONE: INTRODUCING MENTAL MODELS Morning: Review Definition of “Learning Organisation” Definition Systems Thinking Review System Archetypes Presentation: Organizational Project Case Afternoon: Introducing the  Discipline of Mental Models Definition Exercise:  Mind Game Introducing Ladder of Inference DAY 2:  UNDERSTANDING THE STRUCTURE OF DEFENSIVE CONVERSATIONS Morning: Role Play:  Urgent Files Afternoon: Introduction to Key Concepts of Organizational Defenses and Skillful Discussion: Theory of Action Espoused vs Theory-in-Use Defensive Routines Skilled Unawareness Skilled Incompetence Designing Skillful discussion DAY 3: CASE DISCUSSIONS AND SKILL PRACTICE Practice in Skillful Discussion Testing assumptions and inferences Sharing all relevant information Explain your reasoning and intent Focus on interests, not positions Combining Advocacy and Inquiry Jointly design next steps and ways to test disagreements DAY 4 -5 : INTRODUCTION TO KEY CONCEPTS OF DIALOGUE Level and stages of dialogue Designing a Dialogue Session Understanding distinctions in the ways we learn and communicate Case Discussion and Skills Practice Check-in Exercises for deeper listening – Projector and Screen Exercise Fishbowl Undiscussables Exercises on Balancing Advocacy and Inquiry Four-Player Model Introduction to Human Dynamics

MODULE 4:  CREATING SHARED VISIONS

DAY 1: INTRODUCING LEG OF ASPIRATIONS Arrival and registration Welcome opening and context setting Morning: Review (Participants are required to have the following foundation, prior to attending this workshop) – Learning Organizations – Systems Thinking – Mental Models Afternoon: Introducing  Discipline of Personal Mastery Definition Accessing that Mastery Exercise:  Chevreul’s Pendulum, Peacock Feather exercise Story of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade.  And why not since? DAY 2-3: DISCOVERING PERSONAL VISIONS DAY 4: UNIT PROJECT PRESENTATION PROGRESS DAY 5: BUILDING SHARED VISIONS

MODULE 5:  BRIDGING THEORY TO PRACTICE

DAY ONE Morning: Review Definition of “Learning Organisation” Definition Systems Thinking Review System Archetypes Definition Mental Models Definition Personal Mastery and Shared Visions Presentation: Organizational Project Case Afternoon Practice II: Applying Systems Thinking to your own real issues at the workplace Building causal loop diagrams within each student’s actual or case study organization Anatomy of a causal loop diagram Reinforcing loops, balancing loops, combinations, delay mechanisms Systems archetypes DAY 2: “UNDERSTANDING VISION DEPLOYMENT MATRIX” DAY 3: “DESIGNING SYSTEM-BASED INTERVENTION Getting all stakeholders involved Make interventions specific, measurable, and verifiable Preventing the fall back to linear thinking Application of systems thinking in your organization General guidelines Use of dynamic, structural, and computer-based thinking tools Introducing the Onion Getting started Designing systems-based interventions for each student’s actual or case study organization DAY 4: UNIT PROJECT PRESENTATION PROGRESS DAY 5 (MORNING):  PRACTICE Practice I: Quick review of the system archetypes using a newspaper article – show-and-tell – Linking Structures to Patterns and Events Practice II: Applying Vision Deployment Matrix to your own real issues at the workplace

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