Day 23: Notice What We Add

You've been exploring a situation of interest, seeing from different vantage points (zoom in to inner structure, zoom out to context; consider dynamic flows and exchanges in the ecosystem; notice the structure of the ecosystem, or ecology of systems; explore forces and constraints, effects and side-effects; explore the composition of a system in terms of the capabilities that enable it's purpose; consider actors and their experiences and concerns; etc.).

Shifting perspectives is one way to (help ourselves) notice what we are missing. Today's activity is to notice what we add. This time we're drawing on Argyris and Schon’s left column/right column exercise: think of a recent conversation, and write what you actually said and what the other person said, in the right column, and what you heard (in your mind; interpretations; internal responses) in the left column. This prompt is to do that, with a recent conversation related to the situation.

This is the Left Hand Column/Right Hand Column exercise developed by Chris Argyris and Donald Schon:

Pick an important (perhaps difficult) conversation you've recently had, and

  • Draw a line down the center of your page.
  • In the right column, reconstruct the conversation to the best of your ability - e.g. I said this, then [other person] said this, then I said this etc.
  • In the left column, jot down what you were thinking and feeling at the moment that each thing was being said.
  • Review both columns
  • Are there differences between your external dialogue and internal thoughts and feelings?
  • If so, how can you begin to productively raise some of your left hand column thoughts?
“In every collaborative modeling session, YOU are part of the model: your biases will affect the flow and the outcome too. Better be aware of yours” — Alberto Brandolini
‘Rick Ross notes: "You can't live your life without adding meaning or drawing conclusions. It would be an inefficient, tedious way to live. But you can improve your communications...by using the ladder of inference in three ways: Becoming more aware of your thinking and reasoning (reflection); Making your thinking and reasoning more visible to others (advocacy); Inquiring into others' thinking and reasoning (inquiry)’ — Ed Bastista, Racing up the ladder of inference