The problem with change frameworks

The problem with change frameworks

I recently wrote about this big feeling of relief and elation when coming across a meta-theory that delivers such a powerful perspective that it 'reorganizes' your current world-view of things into a much simpler and more elegant way? So it releases a lot of built up energy or effort that world-view was holding? For me, about 12 years ago, that was Ken Wilber's AQAL framework. It freed me up from reductionisms in my thinking and unreferenced data suddenly had a place to go.
In the last 5 or 6 years I have noted being very impatient or sometimes even rebuked around this framework, also about Scharmer's U-Theory and other change frameworks. Tonight, while listening a talk by Dave Snowden I realized what this impatience and resistance was: When you collect data and then organize it through a framework, this helps to see patterns like constraints, blind spots, resistances to change, attractors and detractors, and your knowledge and your next steps are being organized. NB: The data comes before the framework. When a framework becomes the lens you are seeing things through it becomes a categorization framework which "produces a very different psychology" (Snowden) It leads to all kinds of hidden biases; confirmation, developmental and otherwise. What's more, it becomes a tool of subtle and gross reductionism once more - all in the name of a cutting edge super tool (teal??). That is a fake. This is what has been triggering me as I saw the frameworks being applied as prescriptive categorization frameworks over and over again in the last years. I now have a name for it. 

Dave Snowden's Talk on Complexity and Cynefin

Frank Galea, CFA

Outsourced Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)

8 年

Hello Anne, I have been listening to the Boss Level podcast for some time now and the Dave Snowden episode stood out as a particularly rich one. Thanks for the reminder - I'll revisit. Regards, Frank

David Griffiths

People & Culture: L&D/OD/KM for Impact! I help people and organisations to seize opportunities and overcome challenges.

8 年

Honestly, I would recommend taking a course on research methodology, including bias and modes of reasoning. Sometimes, we can get caught up in regurgitating words without fully understanding their commonly accepted meaning - the output being disorder. Just a thought :)

De Waal Esterhuyse

Program/ Project Management

8 年

Frameworks are just tools that you should wield with pragmatic care. The more you have the richer your toolbox. Imagine being a tradesman with only a hammer to do your work. p.s. Big fan of the work Edward Snowden does.

回复

oh dear do you really understand systems thinking. snowdens work is based on max boisot

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