Following on from out Outcome Thinking which we looked at on May 8th (in case you have forgotten...) This article looks at how we learn from what we do and how being flexible in thought will help us achieve our Outcomes that we have set.
What is Flexibility?
One of the core beliefs in NLP is that
the person with the most flexibility has the most influence in any given
interaction. This belief comes from the
Law of Requisite Variety, which is from systems theory.
What this means is that it is
important to be able to vary your response to possible change and uncertainty
around you, so that you have alternative choices available to you. By knowing your outcome from the start will
mean that you can decide what choices you might need so that you can respond
immediately with a reaction that has been thought through rather than reflexively
and possible chaotically!
Why is it useful
If we understand that what we are
doing (in thought or behaviours) isn't working it is much more useful to
already have thought through more choices so that we can quickly and
effectively change what we are doing in order to reach our outcome. It is said that 'if what you are doing isn't
working do something different - do anything different!' If what you are doing has proved to not be
effective then it does not seem a good use of time and energy to continually
prove this to yourself.
It is useful to think about the
implication that if you come across resistance in another person then it is
probable that there is inflexibility in you in this particular situation. So if you are confronting resistance in
others then look to yourself to see where you are not being flexible.
How to use it
If you are getting stuck in your
communication or when using particular techniques, because they worked before,
then take a step back and look at coming at the issue from another approach. -
Remember if something is not working then do something, anything differently.
We also need flexibility when we are
looking at how we learn and there are two frameworks to keep in mind.
The first model is from the work of
Chris Argyris. He described the concept
of single loop and double loop learning.
With single loop learning we continually attempt to work out a way of
achieving our goal using the same method of thinking and behaviours and without
questioning the goal we are working towards.
With double loop learning an individual or organisation is able, having attempted to achieve a goal on different occasions, to modify the goal in the light of experience or possibly even reject the goal.
The second model you may have seen as a learning ladder looking from moving
between unconscious and conscious competence and incompetence. The version below takes into account mature
reflection and practice throughout the process and is courtesy of Will Taylor,
Chair, Department of Homeopathic Medicine, National College of Natural
Medicine, Portland, Oregon, USA, March 2007
"We revisit conscious
incompetence, making discoveries in the holes in our knowledge and skills,
becoming discouraged, which fuels incentive to proceed (when it does not
defeat). We perpetually learn, inviting ongoing tutelage, mentoring and
self-study (ongoing conscious competence). We continually challenge our 'unconscious
competence' in the face of complacency, areas of ignorance, unconscious errors,
and the changing world and knowledge base: We challenge our unconscious
competence when we recognize that a return to unconscious incompetence would be
inevitable. We do this in part by self-study and use of peer review - such that
mature practice encompasses the entire 'conscious competence' model, rather
than supersedes it as the hierarchical model might suggest."
By understanding these models and how we learn we can raise our ability to be flexible in our
thinking which means we can create and achieve our goals and outcomes.
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