Programme Post-Graduate: Leaders for Learning Organizations @ Work

Bronze Certification
Training Programme Outline

WORKSHOP TRAINING STRUCTURE:

WORKSHOP MODULES:TIME FRAME
#1: Introductions: Concept of Learning Organizations & Tools of Systems Thinking Part I4 days /
28 hours
#2: Deepening:  Tools of Systems Thinking Part II4 days /
28 hours
#3: Introductions:  Tools of Generative Conversations4 days /
28 hours
#4: Introductions:  Tools of the Leg of Aspirations4 days /
28 hours
#5: Learning to cross the bridge: From Theory to Practice4 days /
28 hours
MODULE 1:  INTRODUCTIONS TO LEARNING ORGANIZATION
3-legged Stool Module1-2
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
3-legged Stool Module1-2
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
3-legged Stool Module3
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
3-legged Stool Module4
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
3-legged Stool Module5
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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