Doug,
Why does an otherwise rational person enter into a dark, forbidding, damp
and potentially dangerous cave to explore?
Why does your colleague want the others around her in the workplace to
learn?
I find the two examples incongruous...perhaps because the first is a
choice of self-actualization and the second seems to be a desire for
others to change. (or I took your words totally out of context and
interpreted in such a way that I could make a point...would I do that??
wait and see!)
When I choose to learn, and offer the opportunity for others to learn with
me, it's more like sharing a secret joy (like that of exploring a new
cave) than it is a matter of expressing frustration.
I firmly believe that only 1 person holds the keys to their
self-actualization, and that is each person. If I can find a fellow
traveller, then I find myself enriched in fellowship along a steep and
perilous way.
When G.B. Shaw wrote, "This is the true joy in life, the being used for a
purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one . . . the being a force of
nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and
grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you
happy," he described an approach to life that I encourage in myself and
others.
Recently I wrote on this list that if you would like to start a learning
organization, you could just start one by beginning a learning circle and
working through the 5th Discipline Fieldbook with one another. Several
people thought that a poor idea...it seems that there's a need to look for
structure and power to begin a good idea. While I agree it's a good idea
to find a sponsor within the organization, and to develop and implement a
good strategy to develop an LO, the truth is that each person has some
power to begin an LO within the small work group that they influence.
The worst case scenario is that the Ebenezer Scrooge stereotype boss
lashes out at his minions who would dare to learn new ways to work
together and to see and understand systemic thinking...and they would have
to stop their lunchtime learning circles. Those who learn for the sake of
learning would still be much better off than if they never started, and
they will probably look for an organization that is more likely to
exemplify the LO than this "bah, humbug" one.
When I started a similar learning circle a few years ago (with the
blessing of my boss), the mutual agreement among those in the LC was that
we would learn and apply our learning to the work groups over which we had
management or supervisory responsibility. I saw significant positive
changes, many of which are still in place, and I have some small occassion
to speak and coach some of those same people. The only ones who lost
their jobs were myself and my boss--and we're both much better off now
than we were then. You know, this cave exploring is a pretty neat
past-time!
I would encourage your friend to find friends and coworkers who are
interested in learning, and find a guide, perhaps (like you?) who might
facilitate a seditious activity like this. Develop a learning strategy and
agreement, ground rules (dialog circles were real important to us when we
started). Start working on personal mastery and mental models before you
tackle systems thinking (at least that was my experience) and end up
working on team learning, combining the elements of the other disciplines
into that one.
A couple of lifetimes isn't often enough...but a couple of years will make
a big difference.
Or, your friend could try to influence the organization to hire a Chief
Learning Officer, instead.
seditiously yours,
Doc Holloway
-- "The only way out is through." -Robert FrostThresholds <http://www.thresholds.com> Meeting Masters <http://www.thresholds.com/masters.html> Richard Charles Holloway - P.O. Box 641, Long Beach, WA 98631 Voice 360.642.8487 ICQ# 10849650
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>