Bill Harris asked:
>> > But, suppose we're a learning organization here... what can we learn from
>> > each other's positions that advances all our understanding?
>One thing I haven't seen as I follow this thread from a bit afar is a
>discussion regarding how a learning organization deals with
>unreconcilable differences.
>Do we (or our workplaces) have to have agreement on such issues (or on
>what subset of such issues) to continue to function productively?
>
> If so, how will we ever create learning organizations if we require
> agreement from our colleagues up front on issues they may hold as
> dearly as a number in this discussion hold their positions?
Bill, may I suggest Brian Muldoon's <underline>The Heart of
Conflict.</underline> He talks about conflict as a growth process that is
quite able to change all participants because it allows them to be open to
influences that they don't normally see. His book provides very practical
strategies for changing conflict from "I win - you lose" into growth. The
world is complex enough that very few things must be a zero-sum game.
Here's a quote from the book which I found very helpful. "Lao-tzu called
the Tao, or Way of Power. The Way is found not on one side or the other,
but at the center, where the opposites meet and dance with each other." In
other words, to look for one answer probably makes the world more simple
than it really is. The paradox of conflict is that many answers may all
be right. The key is to figure out a path for action that respects the
parties involved.
Janet Winchester-Silbaugh
--Silbaugh Consulting <silbaugh@ccvp.com>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>