Non-positional Thinking:
Thinking Beyond the Obvious
Today you’ll see that you don’t really know what you think you know
…and you’ll learn how to “see” what you’ve never been able to see
before
Shrink-Wrapped in Our Own Thinking:Thinking That Transforms
Presented byAriane David, PhDSenior PartnerThe Veritas Group
Senior LecturerCalifornia State University, Northridge
Non-positional Problem SolvingLeadership Burbank 2016
Leadership Burbank 2016
Ariane David, PhDThe VERITAS Group
Woodbury [email protected] TheVeritasGroup.com ArianeDavid.com
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
The Life of Organizations
The four principles of non-positional thinking
Non-positional problem solving and decision making
Critical listening and reading
Today we’ll focus on…
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Non-positional thinking is Based on
Four Principles
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Principles of Non-positional Thinking
and Intellectual Virtues
Uncertainty > intellectual humility
Curiosity > intellectual openness
Discernment > wisdom
Courage > commitment
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
The Science of the Brain
Why should we be uncertain?
A Quick History of the Thinking
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Max Wertheimer’s Stroboscope
The whole is more than the sum of the parts.
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Sir Frederick Bartlett
The War of the Ghosts
“Asian” mask *
Schemas
Making Memory, Meaning, & Schemas
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Sir Frederick Bartlett
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Sir Frederick Bartlett
The War of the Ghosts
“Asian” mask *
Schemas
Making Memory, Meaning, & Schemas
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Elizabeth Loftus
Eyewitness Testimony
Memory is affected by:
Pre-existing knowledge
Post-event information and language
What we remember might never have happened.
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Thinking: The ProcessPerception, Emotions, Memory
The Neurobiology of Thinking
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Perception Millions of bits of information every minute; we can perceive
only a tiny number.
We focus only on what is relevant, what moves us emotionally NOW.
Present perception is shaped by the past: based on what we believe is so, not on what actually is so.
The Neurobiology of Thinking
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Emotions
Body reactions to what’s happening Paired with every sensory impression as an
emotional tag at the moment of perception The pair become memory Purpose: rapid response Govern decision-making (myth of rational decision-making)
The Neurobiology of Thinking
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Memory
NOT a video
NOT stored complete anywhere in the brain.
Neurons carry only the pattern code.
“Memory Is a trick of timing”! (Antonio Damasio) like the image on your TV screen.
The Neurobiology of Thinking
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
…thus
Memories are a subjective and creative fabrications.
Memories change every time we recall them. We can never be certain our memories are accurate.
Confidence doesn’t mean accuracy: memories can be completely fabricated and seem absolutely real.
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Organizing Patterns
Organizing patterns: templates that allow us to organize everything; are constructed out of our beliefs about the world (similar to Bartlett’s schemas).
We start making them at birth; the first are the most persistent, resilient, and powerful.
All future organizing patterns are formed within the first.
The totality of all our organizing patterns creates our constructed universe – the only reality we know.
A working model of the brain.
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
No impartial evidence needed.
What we perceive is taken as proof that our position/beliefs are right.
Organizing patterns (beliefs) dictate what we see, what we see reinforces the organizing patterns.
Organizing Patterns
Reinforce themselves.
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Examples of Simple Organizing Patterns
Organizing Patterns
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Organizing Patterns
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Organizing Patterns
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
View from Apollo 17
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Organizing Patterns
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Organizing Patterns
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
…and my favorite
“Sensible and responsible women do not want to vote.”
– Grover Cleveland, US President 1905
Say WHAT?
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
We each live in a universe of our own making.
Its organizing patterns and logic are perfect for physical
survival but tend to hamper good thinking.
Why is it important to know this?
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Challenges to Good Thinking
Tyranny of Knowledge
Tyranny of Emotion
Tyranny of Logic
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
What is logic?
What determines if something is logical?
Can anything be illogical?
Tyranny of Logic
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Example: Zero Sum Illusion
Believing that only one position can be right – if I am right then you must be wrong
Believing that there is a limited number of solutions
How many “accurate” points of view can there actually be on any given issue?
Tyranny of Logic
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Tyranny of Logic
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Tyranny of Logic
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Tyranny of Logic
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Tyranny of Logic
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Nothing is … either/or
It’s always … both/and
Non-positional Thinking in a Box
In complex situations…
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Principles of Non-positional Thinking
and Intellectual Virtues
Uncertainty > intellectual humility
Curiosity > intellectual openness
Discernment > wisdom
Courage > commitment
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Uncertainty Principle
Uncertainty: realizing our constructed universe is not the world, just a good-enough representation of it that allows us to survive(ish).
Certainty that our constructed universe is the world leads to almost all of the world’s problems.
Uncertainty doesn’t mean being paralyzed by doubt,
but rather being aware of the fallibility of our knowledge.
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
hold in our minds that our knowledge, beliefs and assumptions are fallible.
doubt constructively, with the intention of learning.
realize that our beliefs cannot tell us with certainty anything about the world.
keep ALL conclusions, no matter how excellent, open to scrutiny.
The Ability To:
Uncertainty Principle
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
The uncertainty principle makes us realize that we can’t be
certain what color the ball actually is no matter how
obvious it seems.
The curiosity principle makes us want to find out.
Uncertainty Principle
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Means we are eager to discover what we don’t know, and…
That we are determined to see the merit in others’ points of view.
Leads to the impartial gathering of relevant information.
Curiosity Principle
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Enthusiastically and impartially gather information.
Be open-minded with respect to the assertions of others and questioning of our own beliefs.
Honestly ask, “What is it that I am not seeing the seeing of which
might change everything?”
Honestly answer, “Do I really want to know?”
Curiosity Principle
The Ability To:
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
The desire to weigh evidence impartially, without favoring confirming evidence.
Recognizing/questioning our own assumptions and biases, and seeking to go beyond them.
Judging the merits of others’ points of view by the same standards we use to judge our own.
Discernment Principle
Wisdom
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Be truthful with ourselves, and weigh information fairly.
Recognize when information is factual, provable, anecdotal, or opinion.
Assess the credibility of the all sources.
Identify and question all assumptions including our own.
Seek an impartial solution.
Discernment Principle
The Ability To:
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Means being determined to move beyond our own point of view, even in the face of our own fear, and
Having the courage to acknowledge and act on those discoveries, and being willing to change our dearly held position, and
Having tolerance for differing, even opposing, points of view.
Commitment Principle
Courage: The Overarching Principle
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
be open to new evidence even if it conflicts with our beliefs; have courage to acknowledge it.
discard inadequate hypotheses no matter how dear to us
adapt oneself to new facts.
persevere even when it’s uncomfortable.
operate in a demonstrably fair and tolerant way.
Commitment Principle
The Ability To:
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Individual Breakout 5 minutes
Written:
Briefly describe an ongoing/recurring problem at work.
What do people/you think the problem is?
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Non-positional Problem Solving and Decision Making
The Myth of Rational Problem Solving and Decision Making
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
There’s one thing, and ONLY one thing that keeps a complex problem in place:
How we THINK about it.
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
The Bridge Bat Problem
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Bridge-Bats Bind
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Bridge-Bats Bind
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
What is the issue or problem?
What are the decision criteria?
How important are each of those criteria?
What are possible solutions?
What are pros and cons of each solution?
What is the best solution?
How we usually solve problems:
Rational Problem Solving Method
Bridge-Bats Bind
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Faulty assumptions
Problem clarity
All relevant options are known
Preferences are clear and unchanging
Maximum payoff is unambiguous and known
Emotions play not part
Doesn’t work for a complex problem; never has!
The Problem with Rational Problem Solving
Bridge-Bats Bind
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Non-positional Problem Solving
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Beneath every apparent problem is a hard to see condition that fosters the problem.
Discovering the actual condition/problem is the most important part of finding the solution!
The actual condition/problem involves people and how they think about the problem, including their attitudes, beliefs, and feelings about the problem.
Solving only the apparent problem (the symptom) leads to worse problems.
Foundations of non-positional problem solving
Non-positional Problem Solving
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Challenges to Good Thinking
Tyranny of Knowledge
Tyranny of Emotion
Tyranny of Logic
The Tyrant Brain
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Principles of Non-positional Thinking
and Intellectual Virtues
Uncertainty > intellectual humility
Curiosity > intellectual openness
Discernment > wisdom
Courage > commitment
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
What do people/I think the problem is?
What are the factual issues (technical; human dynamics)?
How are we thinking about the problem?
What information is there?
How does the system operate?
What will we do to remedy the problem?
Process of non-positional problem solving
Non-positional Problem Solving
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Design a plan that fits the actual issue
Examine the consequences of the plan on a systemic level
Decide on measures that measure what counts not what’s easy to measure
Non-positional Solutions
Finally…
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Group Breakout(teams of 3)15 minutes
• Finish filling in your worksheet• Each person will take 2 minutes to share their results
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Solving the Bridge Bat Problem
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Bat Facts
500,000 bats eat 10,000 pounds of bugs a day.
Bats are no more prone to rabies than squirrels or chipmunks.
No cases of rabid bats were reported in the area.
The four reported bat bites did not break the skin.
All cases involved people trying to handle or interfere with bats.
This information was readily available at the time:
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Bridge Bats
What do you think the real problem is?
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Austin Bats Create an Industry
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
The Four Principles of Non-positional Thinking
And Organizations
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Hidden Organizational Thinking
What usually happens in organizations
Organizational defense patterns (hiding failure and errors)
Undiscussables
Blame (the buck doesn’t stop)
Mixed messages
Groupthink, group shift, and conformity
Espoused theory vs. actual theory
When culture trumps change (Levi Strauss)
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Two Kinds of Learning
Adaptive learning Based in fear; blame Purpose is survival Defensive
Generative learning Based in curiosity and openness; accountability Purpose is growth and self-expression Creative
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Non-Learning Organization
Blame
Problem
Fear
Blame / Fault
DefensivenessDenial
Distorted Information
Ineffective Action /No Learning
Fear /Blame
Problems are met with uncertainty and defensiveness.
Positional Problem Solving
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Non-positional Problem SolvingProblem
Quality informationand communication
CollaborationEffective action
Organizational learning
Openness / Curiosity
Accountability
Problems are met with uncertainty and curiosity.
Learning Organization
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Changing Organizations
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Non-positional Organizational Change
Based in the knowledge that: Human thought is fallible:
we cannot trust what we think we know.
Organizations ARE the people in them.
Organizational thinking IS human thinking
If you want to create permanent change you need to transform the people/culture to support it.
A different way.
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Clearly define where you are now
(This is what you figured out about the secret life)
Clearly define where you want to be
For each change that you want to introduce, ask
What in the culture needs to change? What are the behaviors associated with these? How can we strengthen the things that will help us and
minimalize the one that will hinder us?
Identify “resistance”
Transforming the Secret Life
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Define a strategy for the change including how to overcome
cultural obstacles and resistance, and reinforce allies*
Include how to engage people
Communication: up and down
Ask for people’s ideas
Find out what people need
Find out what really motivates them
Be consistent in upholding changes
Transforming the Secret Life
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Resistance
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Overcoming Resistance
News Flash!
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Overcoming Resistance
Resistance Does Not Exist!
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Resistance is an illusion - it does not exist.
Only reactions to change exist.
Overcoming Resistance
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
All change generates reactions that:
Reinforce the change (positive feedback), or Push back on the change (negative feedback)
Push-back cannot be managed by bull-dozing it. It can only be handled by understanding what it’s made up of.
Reactions to Change
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Reactions to Change
News Flash! It is not human nature to resist change or
fear the unknown.
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Reactions to Change
How, then, do we deal with push-back?
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Resistance is a natural, inevitable and unavoidable human reaction to disruption.
How much of it we have relates to the size of the disruption and the way in which it is being handled.
Begins immediately when people become aware of the change.
It is neither good nor bad.
It can be overt or covert
Reactions to Change
Perception is reality!
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
• Don’t assume you know what’s going on. Resistance is very rarely what we think it is.
• Identify specific resistors: people, conditions, fears, motives (think “fruit”)
• Identify the underlying causes of each of these resistors.
• Identify specific enablers.
• Make a Force Field Analysis for resistors and enablers.
• Find ways of weakening resistors and strengthening enablers.
Managing Resistance to Change
Non-positionally
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Resistors(weaken resistors)
List RESISTORS and assign a value from 1 to 6, 6 being strongest
Enablers(strengthen enablers)
List ENABLERS and assign a value from 1 to 6, 6 being strongest
5 4 3 2 1 ITEM ITEM 1 2 3 4 5
Change Force Field Analysis
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
How can you take this back to your workplace?
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble,
it’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. – Mark Twain
Parting Thoughts…
Leadership Burbank Non-positional Thinking Ariane David PhD
Non-positional Thinking:
Thinking Beyond the Obvious
Today you’ll see that you don’t really know what you think you know
…and you’ll learn how to “see” what you’ve never been able to see
before
Shrink-Wrapped in Our Own Thinking:Thinking That Transforms
Presented byAriane David, PhDSenior PartnerThe Veritas Group
Senior LecturerCalifornia State University, Northridge
Non-positional Problem SolvingLeadership Burbank 2016
Questions?
Ariane David, PhDThe VERITAS Group
Woodbury [email protected] TheVeritasGroup.com ArianeDavid.com