Seven learning disabilities which are often responsible for organizational failure: – Prof. Peter Senge (MIT)

1 – I am my position

 2 – The enemy is out there

3 – The illusion of taking charge

 4 – The fixation on events

5 – The parable of the boiled frog

6 – The delusion of learning from experience

7 – The myth of the management team  

[1]-I am my own position is when people focus only on their position within the organization and have little sense of responsibility for the results produced -when all positions interact.  

[2]-The enemy is out there syndrome is when we focus only on our position; we do not see how our own actions extend beyond the boundary of that position. 

[3]-The illusion of taking charge is that we should face up to difficult issues, stop waiting for someone else to do something, and solve problems before they grow into crises but proactiveness is really reactive ness in disguise.

[4]-The fixation on events leads to “event” explanations that are true for now but distract us from seeing the longer-tenri patterns of change behind the events and understanding the causes of the patterns to events.

[5]-The parable of the boiled frog is in relation to the maladaptation of organizations to recognize gradually building threats to survival; just as the frog placed in a pot of water brought to boiling temperature will not attempt to jump out of the pot but adjusts to the temperature and slowly dies.

[6]-The delusion of learning from experience is when our actions have consequences in the distant future or part of the larger operating system, which makes it impossible to learn from direct experience.

[7]-The myth of the management team because teams in business tend to spend their time fighting for turf, avoiding anything that will make them look bad personally, and pretending that everyone is behind the team’s collective strategy.

Advertisements