Changing my practice

I am currently involved in some work with a new client to help them work out how best to manage the programme of work needed to deliver a new business plan to their regulator.  The existing team has the skills, knowledge and expertise to develop the content for the solution but have less experience in developing a process to get them to the submission deadline on time.  I have been asked to design, develop and implement such a process.

Conscious of what I have been learning about complexity in situations and the reading I have completed around the Juggler* and the M (managing) ball I want to understand whether I, as a consultant within the organisation could "create the conditions for cooperative self organisation from which a new product" could emerge.

The starting point was to analyse my current approach using a table from the text (Table 8.2) which outlines the characteristics of a consultant with a traditional perspective and one with a complexity perspective.  The blue dots describe my current approach - predominantly traditional.  Given the context of the organisation and how I need to engage with them as a client a wholesale shift would not be appropriate.  There are some aspects where a shift to a complexity approach could be advantageous (arrows to green dots).

If I change my practice and adopt these complexity perspectives it should allow a solution to emerge as opposed to be imposed.





* Ison, Ray (2017) Systems Practice: How to Act in Situations of Uncertainty in a Climate Change World, The Open University

Reading

The study guide for my current module (Managing Systemic Change) makes several references to the importance of how to read including:

• "create time and space for reading"
• "I remind you that reading is quite demanding and needs preparation to be done well"
• "Take responsibility for managing your active reading"

I've studied before so took these recommendations without much thought.  I thought I knew how to read to learn.  However, the core text (Systems Practice: How to Act, Ray Ison, 2010) is very demanding to read.  And even more difficult to retain.

Some of the language is obscure and is not found in everyday use (eg ontology).  This makes reading challenging as I have to pause to remind (or re-remind) myself of the meaning.

Some of it is language which is in everyday use (eg tradition).   However the specific meaning within the context of systems practice is very precisely defined, so when reading, even when I come across a commonly used word I need to pause to remember what it means within this context.

So reading becomes a very slow, careful, time consuming, demanding activity.  If there is the slightest  noise or conversation or movement it breaks my concentration and I have to go back several steps to refocus and start again.  And often I have to take a break to reflect and digest what I've read.  And often I go back to re-read sections which reveals that I have forgotten or misunderstood or missed bits.

My daughter is dyslexic.  I now finally really understand how much of an effort it is for her to read

Blogging and Firewalking

How can blogging and fire walking be similar?

Some years ago I completed some NLP training with Jane Talbot - the master practitioner course included the option to do a FireWalk.  I signed up for the training and was very clear on many occasions that I would not be doing the firewalk but would happily support the others and would observe from the sidelines.  On the evening of the firewalk (which I still vividly remember) we prepared the fire and ourselves and I watched as others started to walk across the glowing embers.  To my surprise I found myself, without any conscious thought or premeditation, sitting on a log and removing my shoes and socks ... I then, still in some degree of abstraction, walked across the fire.

I have recently started studying again and one of the modules I'm doing (Managing Systemic Change) strongly encourages students to reflect on their learning and capture thoughts through a blog.  I signed up for the course and was very clear that while I would write to capture my learning and my thoughts I would not write publicly.  And here I find myself, without much conscious thought and certainly no premeditation, writing in a public space and posting thoughts which can be read by others.

And having started, the words are pouring out 😄


Jane Talbot can be found at:

• as a writer, storyteller and coach
• on twitter as @IntrepidJane

Firewalks available via Oona at Tir na nOg

Forum behaviours

I'm fascinated at the differences in the two different OU forums I'm currently engaged in. In this post I describe the characteristics of each.  At a later stage I'll apply some of the academic theories to help me work out why they are so different.


One forum is for a science and technology module:

• one forum for all students on the module
• membership is the module team (10) and all students (110 *)
• threads are created by students
• much discussion and debate (only a third of the way through the course and already there are over 3 pages of forum threads)
• longest thread (excluding introductions) has 86 posts
• there is a separate chat forum

One forum is for a management module:

• a specific forum just for the tutor group
• membership is one tutor and about 50 students
• threads are created by the tutor (with only 1 or 2 exceptions)
• limited discussion and debate (there is a page and a half of discussion threads)
• longest thread (excluding introductions) has 20 posts
• there is an archive forum where the tutor files old posts

* the actual number may be greater - based on the number of introductions on the forum thread

To blog or not to blog?

While I am comfortable with micro-blogging as @TransfChange on twitter I've never been comfortable with the concept of writing and sharing publicly.

However, having recently started studying again, one of the modules really encourages you to reflect on what you are learning and keep a journal.  After a couple of months I've actually got into the habit of reflective writing and having posted a couple of blogs on my OU and survived the experience I've decided to take the plunge and write for the world to read (if they wish)

Links to previous posts:

• My journey to choosing an OU module
• Frustrations of getting to grips with a new academic subject

Interesting that the other module I'm currently studying has never once mentioned reflecting on what you're learning or keeping a journal.