In a message dated 7/7/99 10:31:01 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
vana@PraxisLearning.org writes:
-- Begin quote --
We know from our own experience and from years of educational and
psychological research that real learning is often precipitated by serious
cognitive pain and stress. What are the most life-altering lessons you
have learned? How did you learn them? I cannot be alone in that my
answers to these questions are linked to painful life events that made me
question my certainties.
Nothing in life makes me learn more than having my assuredness slapped
right out of its seat. Moving beyond that, during reflection, is when I
really learn. I explore new ways of looking at what I thought I
understood. I open my mind to other possibilities. If I am lucky, I can
laugh at myself when it is all over. The point here is to never assume
that we have the answers.
-- End quote --
Dear Vana,
Related to the point you are making, I have recently had my assuredness
slapped right out of its seat -- and have a new found understanding of how
important it is to both anticipate failure and help employees learn from
it if it happens -- but not punish. I don't think punishment teaches
anything except defensiveness -- and I don't think that's an optimum
foundation for learning. How do learning organizations handle the
inevitable failures? I remember Lew Platt of Hewlett Packard saying that
if his R& D groups' failure rate fell BELOW 60%, he got worried because it
meant they weren't pushing the envelope -- ie., taking risks -- the way
they were supposed to. Seems as though not all organizations look at it
the same way -- especially public ones. I'm interested in what others
think about this. Harriett.
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