Human Flight

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O D P RAC TI TI ON ER | VO L. 3 6 | NO. 2 | 2004 3

The journey is demanding; it requires a true desire for growth and results and the dedicationto persevere. For those willing to meet the challenge, it is rewarding beyond description.

I

N 1989, THE two authors began an applied research collab-

oration that continues to this day. Using organization devel-

opment and sports psychology principles, we intended to

develop a skydiving team into a high-performance, sustainable

learning organizationan engine for creating a sports dynasty.

Working with the U.S. Skydiving team, we applied our knowl-

edge of organization development principles as the team pre-

pared for the 1991 World Championship Meet. One author

was the team coach and the other the team captain. We imme-

diately became a dominant team in the U.S.A., but it took four

years of training based on these concepts to build a dynasty at

the world level that continues today.

Our overarching goal was to realize our potential and to

improve the sport of skydiving as whole. These goals were real-

ized on our successful journey, and this article shares some of

the learning gained through our experiences.In early 1990, the coach began the study by collecting data

and reporting it to the team. The initial evaluation included a

series of individual and group interviews, personal style assess-

ments, and team-building workshops. The assessment resulted

in the following analysis:

1. Team leadership was charismatic and centralized. Team

members were both afraid of and wanting to please the

leader, which inhibited team communication and learning.

This dynamic drained significant energy from the team and

damaged group cohesion.

2. Interpersonal skills were weak across the team. There were

no procedures in place available for resolving conflict or for

giving and receiving constructive feedback. The leaders

dominant style inhibited the flow of ideas and seriously

reduced technical learning.

3. There was no clear value set, no agreed-upon working prin-

ciples, and no shared vision beyond winning the next com-

petition. There was little focus on interpersonal, group and

organizational dynamics.

4. The team had considerable technical talent, high individual

achievement motivation and the simple belief that leader-

controlled hard work would overcome all obstacles.

Based on this assessment, the coach introduced the fol-

lowing concepts to the team. He established a continuous learn-

ing strategy that incorporated communication, a shared gameplan, and leadership trainingall with the intent of improving

and sustaining development at the individual, team and organi-

zational levels. The team agreed to an operational design based

on this plan and committed to

regular review and learning.

Learning is key to sustain-

ability and success over the long

term (Senge, 1990 & Wheatley,

1992). Fundamental to our

Lessons from Human FlightHigh Performance Sustainable Learning

By Robert B. Moore and Jack H. Jefferies

P Plan

E Execute

D Debrief

L Learn

LEARNING STRATEGY


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approach was the commitment to learn as much as possible and

to incorporate the learning directly into action plans. To accom-

plish this we extensively used a strategy called PEDL (plan, exe-

cute, debrief and learn). PEDL is an iterative, cyclical process

that creates meaningful change over time. The team constantly

questioned and reshaped its mental models, procedures and

dynamics through open and ongoing dialogue. While the con-tent varied over time, PEDL provided the foundation for sus-

tainability and achievement.

A positive view toward growth and development made it

possible to focus on getting the best at the personal, team and

organizational levels of the system. We intentionally committed

to a positive psychology (Orlick, 1990) by accumulating and

celebrating small wins into a chain of successes, which built con-

fidence and momentum. The team envisioned its future from

the best of what was, innovating what had never been achieved

before by pulling together snapshots of best performances into

an image of what could be.

THREE LEVELS OF SYSTEM

Illustrated in the center of the model (Figure 1) are three

levels of system: personal, team, and organization. The organi-

zation level includes the team and all its major stakeholders.

From the beginning, the teams success strategy was constant

improvement at each of the levels, integrated and synchronized

by a shared game plan, high-quality leadership and communi-

cation. We believed that excellence at each level would result in

excellence on the playing field and create a sustainable winning

dynasty. The focus was on internal cooperation and constant

improvement to enhance performance (Moore, 1993). Para-

doxically, winning came from a focus on being the best we

could be by improving ourselves and our systems, rather than

focusing on beating the competition.

Leadership

Leadership was key to aligning the three levels of the sys-

tem. The team used three forms of leadershipformal, shared

and consultativethat combined to sustain growth and unity of

purpose. 1) Formal leadership provided direction with com-

pelling messages that developed clarity and passion, resulting in

commitment to a unified purpose. 2) A shared leadership

model developed trust, respect, accountability, and leadership

skills. 3) The teams coach provided consultative leadership that

helped individuals and the team and the organization improve.

Roles, rules, boundaries, and processes were established to

engender a safe environment of warmth, freedom, guidance,encouragement, and healthy friction (Horney, 1991).

Initially, a seasoned competitor on the team, who held the

formal designation as captain, provided directive leadership. He

provided the message necessary to help crystallize the teams

long-term vision and the level of commitment required to

achieve it.

The team shared leadership wherever possible, making

each player responsible for team performance. We set in motion

a rotating captain schedule where each week a different player

4 O D P RAC TI TI ON ER | VO L. 3 6 | NO. 1 | 2004

ROBERT B. MOORE, Ph.D., is the Co-CEO and

President of Oneteam. Bob has over twenty-five years

experience as a business leader and consulting

psychologist. He. currently serves on the Board of

Trustees of Champlain College and chairs the

Strategic Planning and Academic affairs committees.

Bob earned his doctorate from the Fielding Institute.

He was the Coach of the 1995-2000 World Champion

U.S. Skydiving Team and has coached the last nine

U.S. National Skydiving Teams. He was a 1995 U.S.

National Silver and Bronze medalist in the sport. Bob

can be reached at: [email protected].

JACK JEFFERIES, MSOD, has twelve years of

experience in organization development and sports

psychology. He is highly experienced in large and

small group dynamics and has worked in Europe,South America, Africa and Australia. Jack is a world

class athlete and has won multiple world champi-

onships and national titles as Captain of the US

National Skydiving Team. Jack earned his graduate

degree from NTL/American University masters

program in organization development. He can be

reached at: [email protected].

AUTHORS

Lessons from Human Flight: High Performance Sustainable Learning

Figure1: STRATEGIC SYSTEMS THINKING

PERSONAL

BEST

TEAM

BEST

ORGANIZATION

BEST

COMMUNICATION

SHARED

VISIONL

EADER

SHIP


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had responsibility for managing the training or competition

schedule for that week. This provided a wonderful way to dis-

tribute the burden and concern that comes with the position. It

also facilitated a keen awareness of good followership, as team

members realized the value of small things like getting to meet-

ings on time. The rotation also provided an excellent learning

platform for gaining insight into individual player strengths andweaknesses and allowed leaders to emerge for different situa-

tions, based on their individual strengths or their need to

develop.

In high-stress situations, such as competition at the World

Championships, the team placed people in positions that

played to their strengths. In lower stress training periods, the

rotation allowed for development in areas outside of the indi-

viduals comfort zone.

Another aspect of shared leadership was the partnership

between the coach and the team. The coach provided systems

design and facilitation but the direction and focus were out-

comes of dialogue between the coach and the team. The coach,

a consulting psychologist and OD consultant, was viewed from

the beginning as having the role of systems consultant. The

team was self-directed and responsible for sport-specific expert-

ise and for the teams own learning.

Communication

Communication created the coordination and openness to

optimize continuous learning at each level. We wanted to

develop an organization in which individuals could assume full

responsibility for their development in an environment of sup-

port and encouragement. To begin, we established a Contract

for Working Together (Moore, 1993), in which we committed

to be honest, to use differences as assets, to be open to and will-

ing to give constructive feedback, and to hold ourselves and

each other mutually accountable for aligning our behavior with

our stated intentions. In addition, we committed to process our

behaviors at the personal, team, and organizational levels, and

we designed specific, overlapping methods to facilitate that pro-

cessing.

Open, structured communication was applied at all levels.

Communication quality inside the team separated the team

from the competition by enabling team members to confront,

understand, and use conflict and difference for learning. We

institutionalized communication processes through disciplined

practice over time until regular, open communication became

an integral aspect of the organizations culture. The structuredcommunication processes permitted all three levels of the sys-

tem to work in concert to achieve success.

The teams communication processes all had a similar

underlying format that involved structured disclosure and feed-

back. For example, during technical debriefing sessions, each

team member was required to first discuss what he liked about

his own behavior in a given performance and only then discuss

ways that same performance could be improved. Following

everyones turn, teammates had an opportunity to make sug-

gestions or point out things unnoticed. This format developed

everyones ability to give and receive constructive feedback

while ensuring all necessary information for performance

improvement. Over time this type of communication produced

a high responsibility low defensiveness environment. The abil-

ity to challenge underlying assumptions in this way led to a

higher level of creativity and quality processes at every level.

A Shared Game Plan

The dream of winning the World Championships brought

the U.S. Skydiving team together and focused our collective

energy. Creating a clear game plan that all members understood

and were committed to helped transform that energy into

action. The group established a long-term vision of creating a

winning dynasty and positively changing the entire sport. Vision

creation through a collaborative process ensured that the teams

vision supported each individuals values and goals. This align-

ment of organizational and individual vision was instrumental in

generating commitment and accountability.

A shared game plan and goals generated commitment to

the organization and its members, along with deep motivation

to achieve the vision. Establishing the game plan became an

ongoing process that shifted the teams direction as the envi-

ronment changed and the organization matured. The teams

plan had both near-term and long-term components. The near-

term plan had a focus on winning the upcoming World Cham-

pionship. The long-term focus was on building a winning

dynasty that would go on indefinitely.

The development of a shared game plan was facilitated by

the coach but owned by the team. We used pre-season offsite

retreats to clarify and form the plan and to set goals for the sea-

son. Shared vision was largely generated through visualization

techniques that involved relaxation exercises, with a focus on

imaging the successful future. These were followed by discus-

sions on the individual, team and organizational levels, resulting

in deep commitment to creating the desired future. A midsea-

son retreat was designed to make adjustments based on col-

lected data and team dialogue.

PERSONAL BEST

At the individual level we applied the PEDL methodology

using not only the technical debriefing sessions described ear-

lier, but also personal goal-setting and individual journaling.These techniques reinforced personal responsibility and learn-

ing in a nurturing environment, and provided encouragement

and support as well as challenge. The underlying belief was that

individuals needed to actively challenge themselves and receive

teammate feedback related to their goals and their perform-

ance.

Individuals set goals and received feedback in team meet-

ings that became very candid and non-defensive over time. This

process facilitated proactive behavior in their personal and pro-



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fessional growth. Teammates did not hold back when giving

feedback as to the level of challenge in the goals that others

were setting. Stretch goals became the norm along with the atti-

tude that the goals would be met or exceeded. Further, these

goal-setting sessions became a vehicle for a caring dialogue that

sustained both personal and team learning. To increase individ-

uals openness and self-awareness, we constantly strove for self-disclosure, feedback, and experimentation with new behavior.

The principle of coach-to-learn became an important way

to accelerate individual learning as well as deepening awareness

of team dynamics. Team member responsibilities included

coaching other teams. In order to support this, we provided

training to the team on coaching, interpersonal skills, facilitation

and sports psychology. This training took on heightened mean-

ing and responsibility for team members when they knew they

had to teach it to others. This train the trainer methodology

was so powerful that it became a major income source for the

team and helped change formation skydiving worldwide as the

U.S. Skydiving teams ethos was spread through coaching and

successful event participation.

TEAM BEST

Team best was promoted by a shared game plan, regular

truth-telling sessions and adherence to the principles of self-

directed teams. Shared leadership and effective coaching cre-

ated the optimal environment for development. The pass-the-

rock truth-telling session was a powerful methodology for

improving team functioning. In this process each team member

takes a turn telling the truth about what is going on for him. This

disclosure can be about any topic and the only requirements

are that each person takes ownership for his or her statement

and that no one can speak during another persons time. Each

team member takes his or her turn and then discussion as a

group is opened up. The objective is honest, forthright disclo-

sure to create understanding.

These sessions proved invaluable in providing the commu-

nication necessary to raise conflicts, clear the air, refocus, and

support one another. Regardless of personal style, no one had

to carry conflict or personal burdens alone. This process contin-

ually reinforced team cohesion and caring. It also reinforced our

stated belief that our ability to cooperate, resolve conflicts and

support each other was directly linked to our capacity to com-

pete externally.The U.S. Skydiving team is a self-directed team. One of the

bedrock principals of self-directed teams is to adhere to the

belief that those doing the work know most about it (Hackman,

1990). We honored this belief and supported it through systems

design and process. In order to avoid the common pitfalls of

hierarchical control, or strength of personality issues, we set up

technical methods for innovation and testing of new ideas. At

regular intervals we solicited ideas from all team members and

then tested and measured those ideas. Innovations were then

incorporated based on their merit, not on who suggested them.

This process contained the double benefits of increasing cre-

ativity and innovation, along with team cohesion.

Content input was gained by bringing in outside experts to

coach the team. We did this intermittently to add new ideas to

the mix and to stimulate team learning. The focus was on tech-

nical aspects of skydiving, exercise physiology, and physicaltraining, as well as on courses in coaching skills and sports psy-

chology. All of these opportunities reinforced the concepts of

innovation and learning, so vital to sustainable high perform-

ance.

The team also used visualization and imaging to great ben-

efit. We visualized technical success each morning to start the

day. This learning strategy combines deep relaxation with visual

images of completing a high performance sequence or achiev-

ing organizational goals. Visualization, combined with viewing

videotape of best performances, increased the teams capacity

to perform and sustained learning at a higher level than could

be accomplished through physical practice alone (Csikszent-

mihlyi, 1990).

ORGANIZATIONAL BEST

We obtained organizational best by focusing on the whole

system and including all stakeholder groups closely associated

with the team. Decision-making processes were implemented

to consider the entire system, and a unifying culture of excel-

lence pushed the entire organization to grow.

Utilizing various methods over time created the best com-

munication and understanding possible with all stakeholder

groups. These methods included retreats, one-on-one connec-

tions, and inclusion in relevant PEDL processes.

Initially, we knew we had to include spouses and significant

others in building a collaborative learning system. Professional

athletes have significant job stress, much like that of most man-

agers and executives. Long hours, demanding challenges, travel

and frequent changes in schedule are just a few such issues.

Spouses and loved ones are more understanding and support-

ive when they are attended to in positive interpersonal ways

and when their goals and desires are being addressed as part of

the system. Consequently, along with key sponsors and other

stakeholders, they were invited to attend a retreat at the begin-

ning of each season. We intended this process to help facilitate

alignment with all stakeholders in support of the teams gameplan. We included opportunities to debrief about the last season

and to set new goals going forward. This was very useful in cre-

ating an inclusive, open environment. Planning sessions where

we set goals at personal, team and organizational levels fol-

lowed these retreats.

The teams decision-making process helped achieve orga-

nizational best. At both the team and organizational levels,

major decisions were made by consensus. This process worked

well and was reserved for significant issues and concerns. For




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less significant issues, individual decisions were made with input

from team members. The delineation between these methods

became clear with practice and use of PEDL. While slow at first,

the decision-making process produced a high-trust, high-com-

mitment culture throughout the system. Team and organization

meetings became efficient and effective and stakeholders came

to take the teams word as gold.

OUTCOMES

Through all of the techniques described, the team built and

maintained a unifying culture of excellence that optimized the

entire organizations performance. The outcome of these efforts

is a high-performance sustainable learning organization that has

maintained itself at the leading edge of the sport for twelve

years. The team consistently meets its goals of winning national

and world championships. The system has also achieved a high

level of impact on the sport as a whole. The predominant mod-

els used worldwide in the sport for technical, team and systems

development are now those created by the U.S. Skydiving team.

Excellence at the individual level is achieved by creating a

sense of personal responsibility reinforced within a nurturing

environment. Team members are encouraged, supported and

challenged in an atmosphere that creates high self-esteem and

low defensiveness. Individuals develop the ability to self-disclose

and to give and receive constructive feedback that brings per-

ceptions and assumptions to the surface. Ever-increasing self-

awareness accelerates personal and technical learning and cre-

ates a culture of high achievement through caring and

challenge.

Excellence at the team level is achieved with a shared

game plan and unity of purpose, combined with mutual under-

standing, respect, and support. Maintaining focus on a desired

future state allows the team to change course and adjust meth-

ods as needed. Conflicts are addressed in a healthy manner and

the team is able to refocus and support individual members,

which reinforces team cohesion and caring. An innovative cul-

ture exists along with a commitment to efficiency and effec-

tiveness. These combine to increase the teams capacity to learn

and change over the long term.

Excellence at the organizational level, achieved with com-

munication and understanding amongst subgroups and stake-

holders, aligns the organization with the vision and fosters a cul-

ture of trust and commitment.The study supports the concept that a sustainable high per-

formance learning organization requires thinking in terms of

whole systems. Making the whole successful requires keeping

all of the parts in alignment with leadership, communication,

and a shared game plan. The learning strategies must be clear

and used with discipline in an environment of safety and sup-

port to obtain sustainable growth throughout the system.

CONCLUSION

Creating a sustainable learning organization is a journey

without an end. It is not the territory for those who are timid or

ambivalent. The journey is demanding; it requires a true desire

for growth and results and the dedication to persevere. For

those willing to meet the challenge, it is rewarding beyond

description.

While we certainly believe in the model outlined here, this

article barely touches on the commitment, trust and feelings of

joy that come from being in a truly supportive learning envi-

ronment. The competitive accomplishments of the U.S. Skydiv-

ing team, while significant, pale in comparison to the personal

growth and feelings of abundance that exist in the system.

REFERENCES

Csikszentmihlyi, M. (1990). Flow. New York, NY: Harper and

Row.

Hackman, J. R. (1990). Groups that work (and those that dont). San

Francsico, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Horney, K. (1991). Final Lectures (D. H. Ingram, Editor). New


World cup or

US Nationals World championship

1994 4 person gold 4 person -gold

1995 4 person gold 4 person -gold

1996 4 person gold 4 person - gold

8 person silver 8 person - gold


8 person silver

1998 4 person gold N/A

8 person gold

1999 4 person gold 4 person - silver

8 person silver 8 person - gold

16 person gold


8 person gold

10 person gold

16 person gold


8 person gold 8 person - silver

10 person gold

16 person gold

2002 4 person silver 4 person - silver

8 person gold 8 person - silver

16 person gold

10 person - silver

AIRSPEED COMPETITION ACHIEVEMENTS


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York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company.

Moore, R. B. (1993). Working together. Paper presented at the

Lotus Development Corporation, Boston, MA.

Orlick, T. (1990). In pursuit of excellence. Champaign, IL: Leisure

Press, a division of Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.

Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the

learning organization. New York, NY: Currency Doubleday.Wheatley, M. J. (1992). Leadership and the new science. San Fran-

cisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.



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Human Flight