Stealth
'Is everything we know wrong?'
The BBC released a ground-breaking Horizon documentary entitled, ‘Is Everything We Know About the Universe Wrong?’ (2010). It set out to question and challenge current, fundamental and widely-held scientific beliefs about the universe, particularly in relation to ‘dark matter’, ‘dark energy’ and ‘dark flow’. Perhaps the most radical dimension to the investigation was its willingness to wonder. Are our hypotheses, our cosmological theories, so convincing to us, so self-evidently true for us, that they blind us, close down uncomfortable questions, act as powerful psychological-cultural filters?
It coincided with the release of a plethora of popular books (e.g. Chabris & Simons’, The Invisible Gorilla, 2011; McRaney’s, You are Not so Smart, 2012) that set out to reveal and challenge our cognitive and cultural limitations and distortions. An underlying, recurring theme is that self- and group deception act in stealth mode. We are most deceived when we don’t know we’re deceived. We face the same challenges as leaders, coaches, OD or trainers: how to practise reflexivity/praxis (‘critical reflective practice’) whilst enabling other people, groups and organisations to do so too.
Thomas Aquinas offers useful psychodynamic insight here. If we face an unresolved question that captures our interest and imagination, it sets us off on a quest, a journey, of discovery. If, however, we find an explanation or solution that we find convincing, the mind comes to a standstill, our thinking comes to a halt. This is a reason why transformational teachers such as Jesus, Buddha and Socrates are famous for posing high order, high quality, questions, puzzles or paradoxes – searching, evocative, provocative stimuli that leave us deeply restless until, if possible, we find resolution.
So, some food for thought: As leader, coach, OD or trainer, what are you, or your clients, assuming or taking at face value? When have you, or they, leapt to a conclusion too soon, treating an open question as if it were a closed one? What rules, principles or received wisdom (e.g. ‘good practice’) do you, or they, consider obvious or sacred? When do you, or they, shut down questions or avenues of inquiry because they feel too difficult or sensitive to raise? Which tricky issues, experiences or conversations are you, or they, avoiding? How can you get self-deception out of stealth mode?
Can I help you develop critical reflective practice? Get in touch! [email protected]
Integrative & Cognitive-Behavioural Psychotherapist; Senior Lecturer
6 年I think some of the biggest self-deception is in the pseudo-scientific fields of coaching, counselling and therapy and those who believe they can “help” others. A self-deceptive narcissism!! The strength of your personal reaction to this possibility will speak volumes about your unconscious motivation!!
Tutoring-Education Support Specialist
6 年Wow! Great article and insights Nick.? I've been lucky enough to be mentored by 2 people who threw up the? sort of high order and high quality questions you mention and every time it took me days or weeks sometimes before i started to 'get it'.? It was hard work and I had to challenge my current way of thinking to make sense of the problem or question.? Exponential growth and change for me each time though.
Community & Youth Work | Funding & Fundraising | Creative
6 年I have found that reasoning or expert facilitation can impact positively/negatively on assumptions in the immediacy of the training or learning context. The skill brought most to the fore is in the ability to 'question'; to 'ask questions'; to 'question the answers'; and/or to 'accept the answers'. Key to this is the individual reality or experience. If race is on the agenda, or gender, or class, the questions and answers might have culturally defined 'settings' i.e. of "rules, principles, or received wisdom" based on lived experience. If facilitating in these culturally charged contexts (especially without lived experience) it is important to break down the 'stealth barriers' through openness and transparency, the counter to 'self deception' and perhaps to first ask questions of oneself, to bring oneself closer to the answers the learners are seeking to find #hurtmusingsoncivilisation?#questions
Organisational mindfulness practitioner trainer
6 年Hi Nick, good question! In the 'social mindfulness' programme that I've developed, the first activity is looking at an image of Duchamp's Fountain. What is it? Then sharing thoughts with a neighbour. This activity highlights the way we project meaning onto an object, how this is set up by our preconceptions about what it is, how these are different for different people as well as how there are common patterns to the way we do this. This sets the theme for the rest of the programme. A study on the outcomes of this programme has just been published in the journal, Mindfulness, online. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-019-01121-x?fbclid=IwAR3htCKD4N2OFLQrO4jZZKRcNEfZbDYX1s9BQo-kpJXgqVryrb-xRVVIhM4 They key to change is not just becoming aware of our own thoughts, beliefs and sense of self and how we construct them, but learning to explore them in a safe, social context, which develops communication skills based on curiosity, observation, listening and relatedness.
Covid Vaccinator at Haxby Group
6 年cont'd 'being in the question' also seeks to help 'discuss the undiscussables'