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play constructionism LEGO learning metaphor business Papert competition creativity
AN ONGOING COLLABORATION OF SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS, BUSINESS
CONSULTANTS, AND PRACTICING MANAGERS, DEDICATED TO IMPROVING BUSINESS
PERFORMANCE.
We hope this booklet will provide some of the answers as to why SERIOUS PLAY might
work for
your business.
SERIOUS PLAY is our name for the process we have developed to bring the creativity,
the
exuberance, and the inspiration of play to the serious concerns of adults in the business world.
Our presentation here is divided into four main sections, corresponding to the four
key elements
that make up the theoretical foundation of LEGO SERIOUS PLAY: 1) Constructionism, 2) Play, 3)
Imagination, and 4) Identity.
To put it briefly, we will explore the science behind our conviction that constructing
a metaphorical
3-D model of your business in a playful manner will unleash your creative imagination to develop an
innovative and dynamic business strategy based on a clearer sense of your company's identity.
SERIOUS PLAY is a concept developed over several years by Executive Discovery, a member
of
the LEGO Group.
It emerged out of the research and experience of a number of academics and practitioners
searching for more effective ways to meet the increasingly complex and challenging demands of
the business world.
The two lead researchers, Johan Roos and Bart Victor, remain deeply involved in the
development
of SERIOUS PLAY and have been key members of the Executive Discovery team from the outset.
They have been joined by a talented community of practicing managers, consultants,
and
scientists -- all continuing the quest for the fruitful integration of work and play needed to develop
innovative, winning strategies in today's fast-paced, multi-dimensional business world.
The LEGO Group became involved with SERIOUS PLAY very early in its development, both
as a
user of the process and as a company whose basic values are in complete alignment with the core
ideas presented here.
The name LEGO itself is a contraction of the Danish phrase "Leg Godt," which
means "Play Well."
SPECIFIC GOALS IN MIND: SOCIAL BONDING, EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION, COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT, AND CONSTRUCTIVE COMPETITION.
At first glance, all this emphasis on play may seem incongruous.
Social bonding is an important purpose because it brings a sense of partnership, cohesion,
security, and role attribution through cooperation and cultural expression.
In terms of cognitive development, we will see, in our discussion of constructionism,
how play can
contribute to learning and understanding.
Through the use of modeling and metaphor, the objects of play can take on meanings
and can
embody abstract concepts, thus concretizing formal relationships that can otherwise be quite
difficult to comprehend.
These "contests" need not be amongst the players, but can just as well serve
a cohesive group
"competing" for a shared objective.
Through myths, sagas, fairy tales, and family legends, people have used stories as
a means for
expressing ideals and values that are important to them.
In stories, we deal with issues of culture, religion, social and personal identity,
group membership,
good and evil, etc.
In organizations, stories contribute to the production, reproduction, transformation,
and
deconstruction of organizational values and beliefs.
In organizational contexts, narratives serve a number of purposes: the socialization
of new
members, the legitimization of bonding and organizational identification, cultural control, and they
serve as a lens through which organizational action may be understood and interpreted.
The most vivid storytelling makes ample use of the linguistic construct known as metaphor;
that is,
a form of thinking and language through which we understand or experience one thing in terms of
another.
In this section we will explore two such ideas: Constructivism -- a theory of knowledge
developed
by Jean Piaget, his colleagues and his institute in Geneva, Switzerland.
Constructionism -- a theory of learning developed by Seymour Papert and his colleagues
at MIT in
Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA).
Although both Piaget and Papert developed their theories through observing the behavior
and
learning activities of children, Papert, especially, believes that these findings are equally applicable
to adults.
In one of his more famous experiments, Piaget discovered that young children believe
that water
can change in amount when poured from a short, wide glass into a tall, thin one.
enables them to build even more sophisticated things out in the world, which yields
still more
knowledge, and so on, in a self-reinforcing cycle.
Papert first began thinking about constructionism in the late 1960s, after observing
a group of
students, over several weeks, become deeply and actively engaged in creating soap sculptures in
an art class.
Papert's contemplations on that soap sculpture class led him on a many-year journey
to design a
more constructable mathematics.
It was out of the repeated experience of seeing children use these sorts of materials
- - not just in
order to learn about mathematics and design but to actually be mathematicians and designers --
that led Papert to conclude, "Better learning will not come from finding better ways for the teacher
to instruct, but from giving the learner better opportunities to construct."
Although Papert's constructionism embraces and builds upon Piaget's constructivism,
over time,
Papert eventually came to see some drawbacks to Piaget's stage theory.
In 1990, Papert wrote "...I think now that the ...most outstanding corrections
one must make to
Piaget's epistemology are related to his supervaluation of the logical, the formal, and the
propositional forms of thought.
His most important contribution is recognizing the importance of what he calls concrete
thinking.
His major weakness is his resistance to giving up the value system that places formal
thinking "on
top."
This resistance leads him to see concrete thinking as children's thinking, and so
keeps him from
appreciating the full breadth of his discovery of the "concrete" as a universal form of human
reason."
-- Papert, 1990 Papert came to view the notion of "concrete thinking" not
as a stage that children
outgrow, but rather as a style of thinking that has its benefits and uses, just as logical or formal
thinking has its benefits and uses.
In other words, unlike Piaget, he does not see concrete thinking as the cognitive
equivalent of baby
talk.
He sees concrete thinking -- i.e. thinking with and through concrete objects -- as
a mode of
thinking complementary to more abstract, formal modes of thought.
It is a grave mistake, in Papert's view, to forsake or cast off concrete thinking,
(as a snake sloughs
off its skin,) in favor of purely abstract thought, for to do so would seal oneself off from valuable
modes of thinking and pathways to knowledge not as accessible by other means.
OUR FINGERS" WE RELEASE CREATIVE ENERGIES, MODES OF THOUGHT, AND WAYS OF
SEEING THINGS THAT MAY OTHERWISE NEVER BE TAPPED.
Thus, constructionism is not just a theory about how to facilitate children's learning.
Constructionism is a way of making formal, abstract ideas and relationships more concrete,
more
visual, more tangible, more manipulative, and therefore more readily understandable.
The emphasis that constructionism places on concrete thinking has obvious import for
LEGO
SERIOUS PLAY.
At the core of both ideas is the notion that when we "think with objects"
or "think through our
fingers" we unleash creative energies, modes of thought, and ways of seeing that most adults have
forgotten they even possessed.
But we were all children once, and we all knew how to play.
LEGO SERIOUS PLAY stakes its reputation on the belief that adults can regain their
ability to
play, can dust off those modes of concrete thinking and put them to use again, and that when they
do, great benefits are in store for them.
A business or company is so much more than a building and the people in it.
It is a vast network of interconnections and complicated relationships on many different
levels.
LEGO SERIOUS PLAY is our bold attempt to take the power of constructionism and apply
it to the
complexity of the business world, thereby making the abstract network of interrelationships that
make up any business, concrete, appropriable, and comprehensible.
They can manipulate it, play with it, and ask all sorts of "what if" questions
by physically
manipulating their business model.
While all share the basic idea that humans have a unique ability to "form images"
or to "imagine"
something, the variety of uses of the term "imagination" implies not one, but at least three
meanings: to describe something, to create something, to challenge something.
From the point of view of LEGO SERIOUS PLAY, it is the interplay between these three
kinds of
imagination that make up what we call strategic imagination --the source of original strategies in
companies.
Creative Imagination is associated with innovative strategies where companies sought
to make their
competitors irrelevant rather than just beating them at their own game, in the spirit of what Hamel
and Prahalad call "competing for the future," or what Kim and Mauborne call "value innovators."
Many management concepts and techniques, like TQM, stimulate managers to innovate
"new
ways of being" that are better than the current state.
CHALLENGING IMAGINATION is completely different from the other two kinds.
The methods of Challenging Imagination include deconstruction and sarcasm.
At Executive Discovery we are committed to a continuing development of both the art
and the
science of playing well for a purpose.
New York, NY: Harper and Row, 1990.
1995. Kearney, R., The Wake of Imagination: Toward a Postmodern Culture.
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play constructionism socialization storytelling competition stories metaphor "social
bonding" "adult
play"
Learning Through Exploration and Storytelling At first glance, all this emphasis on
play may seem
incongruous.
Adult play is often undertaken with a specific goal in mind, whereas in children the
purposes of
their play are less conscious.
We have identified four purposes of adult play that are especially relevant to our
discussion of
LEGO SERIOUS PLAY: 1) social bonding, 2) emotional expression, 3) cognitive development and
4) constructive competition.
Social bonding is an important purpose because it brings a sense of partnership, cohesion,
security and role attribution through cooperation and cultural expression.
In terms of cognitive development, we will see, in our discussion of constructionism,
how play can
contribute to learning and understanding.
Through the use of modeling and metaphor, the objects of play can take on meanings
and can
embody abstract concepts, thus concretizing formal relationships that can otherwise be quite
difficult to comprehend.
Through myths, sagas, fairy tales and family legends, people have used stories as
a means for
expressing ideals and values that are important to them.
In stories, we deal with issues of culture, religion, social and personal identity,
group membership,
good and evil, etc.
Organizational members dramatize organizational life through stories, transforming
mundane
events into symbolic artifacts that contribute to the organization's history.
In organizational contexts, narratives serve a number of purposes: the socialization
of new
members, the legitimization of bonding and organizational identification, cultural control, and they
serve as a lens through which organizational action may be understood and interpreted (Putnam,
1995).
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constructionism Papert "concrete thinking" play LEGO business learning mathematics
Piaget
Constructionism -- a theory of learning developed by Seymour Papert and his colleagues
at MIT in
Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA).
Although both Piaget and Papert developed their theories through observing the behavior
and
learning activities of children, Papert, especially, believes that these findings are equally applicable
to adults.
In what follows, we first discuss how these theories were developed and then see what
their
implications are for LEGO SERIOUS PLAY.
Constructivism Jean Piaget is perhaps best known for his stage theory of child development.
Piaget discovered that children are not just passive absorbers of experience and information,
but
active theory builders.
In one of his more famous experiments, Piaget discovered that young children believe
that water
can change in amount when poured from a short, wide glass into a tall, thin one.
This theory was no doubt built out of many experiences (measuring children's heights
back to
back, building block towers, amount of milk in one glass) into a robust structure.
Several things impressed him: the level of engagement of the children; the elements
of creativity
and originality in the actual products; the interaction and collaboration among the children; the
longevity of the enterprise; and the sheer sense of fun and enjoyment that permeated the
experience.
He knew from his own experience that mathematics was exciting, beautiful, challenging,
engaging
and every bit as creative as making soap sculpture.
Papert's contemplations on that soap sculpture class led him on a many-year journey
to design a
more constructable mathematics.
He knew he would have to work with media more sophisticated and powerful than simple
art
materials.
In the 1970s, Papert and his colleagues designed a computer programming language called
Logo,
which enabled children to use mathematics as a building material for creating pictures, animations,
music, games, simulations (among other things) on the computer.
The Value of Concrete Thinking Although Papert's constructionism embraces and builds
upon
Piaget's constructivism, over time, Papert eventually came to see some drawbacks to Piaget's
stage theory.
He sees concrete thinking -- i.e. thinking with and through concrete objects -- as
a mode of
thinking complementary to more abstract, formal modes of thought.
At the core of both ideas is the notion that when we "think with objects"
or "think through our
fingers" we unleash creative energies, modes of thought, and ways of seeing that most adults have
forgotten they even possessed.
LEGO SERIOUS PLAY is our bold attempt to take the power of constructionism and apply
it to the
complexity of the business world, thereby making the abstract network of interrelationships that
make up any business, concrete, appropriable and comprehensible.
They can manipulate it, play with it and ask all sorts of "what if" questions
by physically
manipulating their business model.
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imagination "creative imagination" "challenging imagination" "descriptive
imagination" sarcasm
deconstruction innovators business competitors
Tapping Into Our Creativity Throughout history, the term "imagination" has
been given many
different cultural and linguistic connotations.
From the point of view of LEGO SERIOUS PLAY, it is the interplay between these three
kinds of
imagination that make up what we call strategic imagination -- the source of original strategies in
companies.
Descriptive Imagination not only reveals what is happening in the often confusing
world "out there,"
but it enables us to make sense of it and to see new possibilities and opportunities.
The literature on strategic management prescribes a wealth of techniques to stimulate
our
descriptive imaginations.
Value chains, 2-by-2 matrices, flowcharts, as well as more artistic pictures of the
business
environment are all examples of such techniques, as is the delineation of future business scenarios.
Creative Imagination Creative imagination occupies a central role in the literature
on strategy
making.
Creative Imagination is associated with innovative strategies where companies sought
to make their
competitors irrelevant rather than just beating them at their own game, in the spirit of what Hamel
and Prahalad call "competing for the future," or what Kim and Mauborne call "value innovators."
Many management concepts and techniques, like TQM, stimulate managers to innovate
"new
ways of being" that are better than the current state.
Challenging Imagination, often using deconstruction and sarcasm, overturns all the
rules and wipes
the slate clean.
Scott Adams' sarcasm and parody of the business world has become a vital force within
conversations among strategy makers across industries throughout the world.
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play successful imagination executives business "strategy making" "original
strategies" portfolio
management
The eight top executives of a major European metals company gather in the boardroom.
They've been meeting once a week over the last four months to flesh out the next strategic
plan.
The senior vice president of the largest business unit sighs.
"This is disheartening," he says, flipping through the pages before him.
"Our portfolio strategy looks an awful lot like the one we came up with five
years ago."
He looks at the CEO for some sign of agreement.
"We know the industry's changing fast, the data show it.
All of us feel we've got new business opportunities."
Original Strategies: How About Some Serious Play?
seven years with our same four business areas, the same old thing."
The Senior VP says, "I just don't think we're imaginative enough."
The CEO says, "OK, so how are we supposed to become more imaginative?"
The problem is that all the advancements in the methods and tools for strategy making
have not
changed the essential challenge, which is to develop original and powerful strategies.
Nor have all these advancements replaced the ultimate source for such strategies:
the human
imagination.
These executives are looking for a strategy which has the originality and the power
to move their
company from where they are now to where they need to be in the future.
Over the last four months they have been analyzing their industry and critical success
factors of
generic strategies.
The idea they are searching will likely come from one - and only one - source: their
strategic
imagination.
So how do we make it possible for experienced, informed executives to imagine original
strategies?
"Research in dozens of companies, shows clearly that what was missing from the
strategy making
process was some serious play!
To imagine profitably, we need to have the possibility to make choices that do not
really matter, to
move in directions that may well lead us nowhere, and to say whatever comes to mind.
Playing is one of the best ways to stimulate the imagination.
Unfortunately, while most children play frequently and well, most adults do not.
Using a large supply of Lego bricks and a couple of hours, we gave the executives
that started this
story the opportunity to construct the best business portfolio they could imagine.
Our experience teaches us however that personal visions are not enough to make a good
strategy.
For our imagination to move organizations into action, we must not only produce great
ideas.
Today, too many strategic ideas never move beyond a small circle of executives.
As a result, management theorists are rediscovering the importance of story telling.
Such differences appeared not only in the details, but also in the underlying assumptions
about
how the business works, what the customers want, and how competition might respond.
Perhaps most importantly though, they were able to share a common sense of the gap
between
where they were today as a business and where they could be tomorrow.
"Play can be a context in which risks can be taken without risk, in which the
unimaginable can be
imagined without fear, and in which the unhoped for can be realized without hesitation."
When a child can bring others into their imagined world, the next phase of play can
begin.
Child psychologists claim that children learn best through play.
In so claiming, they are not referring to the learning process of a grammar lesson,
but the essential
learning that brings a child successfully to adulthood.
IMD is generally regarded as the business school in the vanguard of executive education.
In our experience, more people than you might first imagine think serious play could
be very useful.
But it is also the case that the chances for success are significantly better if the
serious play
starts at the top.
Professors Roos and Victor are developing an approach for how to apply Serious Play
in executive
teams.
If you have questions or are interested in a dialogue on this topic, just send an
e-mail to:
roos@imd.ch or victor@imd.ch.
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peaks "fitness landscapes" exploring metaphor "organization science"
autopoiesis "knowledge
landscapes" "potential knowledge" climb
Systemic Practice and Action Research, Vol. 12.3, forthcoming June 1999.
Based on the complexity theory concept of fitness landscapes, this article develops
and discusses
the concept of "knowledge landscapes."
A knowledge landscape is metaphor of an ever-changing knowledge of each individual
and
organization.
Each one of us is surrounded by potential knowledge landscape peaks and valleys.
Individuals, communities, and organizations move on their own knowledge landscapes
by
simultaneously climbing local peaks and exploring other visible peaks.
The higher one climbs, the harder it is to climb still further.
The ability to climb is also limited by the identity, who we are, which on an organizational
level is
linked to the tightness of organizational interconnectedness.
Co-evolutionary struggles between individuals and organizations can lead us to climb
potential
knowledge peaks faster.
Moreover, our knowledge landscapes exist on many levels of scale, meaning what appears
to be
one peak is actually a series of sub-peaks on a smaller level of scale.
The purpose of this article is to introduce and discuss the concept of "knowledge
landscapes"--
analogous to the concept of fitness landscapes in complex adaptive systems theory-- which we
believe brings forth new insights in the organizational science realm.
More precisely, viewing individuals and organizations through a lens of knowledge
landscapes
raises new research questions on what is the boundary of organizations (Scott, 1987), the role of
managers (Thompson, 1967), co-operative strategies (Hamel, 1991), and organizational learning
(Huber, 1991).
Because it rests on a different set of assumptions than much organization theory,
the concept of
knowledge landscapes also raises important questions regarding research methodology
(McKelvey, 1997).
Some scholars have pointed out that extending theories developed for natural sciences
to social
systems is fraught with potential pitfalls (e.g. Mingers, 1995).
While we acknowledge these concerns, we believe metaphors and analogies can allow
cross-
fertilization between complexity and other theories to improve our understanding of organizational
phenomena.
Johnson and Burton themselves concede that metaphors are "fair game" in
the context of discovery
processes.
The value of analogies has similarly been highlighted by Holland: analogy helps to
generate new
rules applicable to a novel target problem by transferring knowledge from a source domain that is
better understood (Holland, et al., 1986).
The current state of organization theory-building drawing on complex adaptive systems
theory
bears many similarities to the situation facing organizational learning in the early 1990s.
A small but dramatically increasing number of people are conducting research in the
area, and a
number of conferences, seminars, Internet list servers, and journal special issues are drawing more
and more attention to the topic.
An inevitable "jockeying for position" is underway in complex adaptive systems
theory development
analogous to the process cited in Huber's (1991) critique of organizational learning.
However, some emergent order is becoming evident as the field seems to be dividing
into two
streams: those developing theory using computer modeling (e.g. Bruderer and Singh, 1996) and
those using metaphors and narrative (e.g. Lissack, 1997).
This article follows the latter research stream.
We use metaphors and analogies to relate the concept of fitness landscapes to organization
theory.
Using his NK model, Kauffman has developed simplified versions of fitness landscapes
containing a
series of peaks and valleys of varying heights and depths.
He postulates that in the competition for survival, species use mutation and selection
to take
"adaptive walks" to reach higher viability "fitness points" in their "adjacent
possible".1 Species who
fail to move to higher points on their landscapes may be outpaced by competitors who are more
successful in doing so, and thus face extinction through a process of natural selection.
Each move up a local peak reduces the number of directions in which the technology
can be
improved by a constant fraction, so climbing becomes more difficult.
Autopoietic systems engage their environment through a co- adaptive process of structural
coupling, which leads to structural changes in both the system and its environment.
From the rolling contours of a species' fitness landscape, using the notion of knowledge
potential
we can develop an analogy of an individual, community, or organization (actor) in its own
"knowledge landscape".
Knowledge landscapes surrounding organizations with identities that are characterized
by more
connections will have more hills and valleys, containing many lower "compromise" peaks rather
than one easily- apparent optimal peak.11 As epistatis--the equivalent of "K" on fitness landscapes-
- increases, the knowledge landscape becomes more "rugged".
Kauffman also draws the concept of co-evolution into a species' climb up peaks on
its fitness
landscape.
A co-evolutionary struggle can ensue between "predator" and "prey"
species, in which the former
develops a slightly better predation method that is subsequently countered by a new protection
innovation by the latter, and so on.
The knowledge landscape concept rests primarily on the theoretical grounds of complex
adaptive
systems and secondarily on theories of autopoiesis.
Eigen, M. and R.W. Oswatitsch (1992), Steps Towards Life: A Perspective on Evolution,
New York:
Oxford University Press.
Garud, R. and P. Karnoe (1996), "Path Creation & Dependence in the Danish
Wind Turbine Field,"
Presented at INFORMS College for Organization Science, Atlanta, November.
Kauffman, S. and S. Levin (1987), "Towards a General Theory of Adaptive Walks
on Rugged
Landscapes," Journal of Theoretical Biology 128, p.11-45.
Kauffman, S. (1993), The Origins of Order: Self- Organization and Selection in Evolution.
Kauffman, S.A. (1996), "Investigations: The Nature of Autonomous Agents and the
Worlds the
Mutually Create," Santa Fe Institute Working Paper: 96-08-072.
Senge, P.M. (1990), The Fifth Discipline, the Art and Practice of the Learning Organization,
London: Doubleday Currency.
Complexity: The Emerging Science at the Edge of Chaos.
Wright, S. (1932), "The Roles of Mutation, Inbreeding, Crossbreeding and Selection
in Evolution,"
Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference of Genetics 1, pp. 356-366.
reaction step away from those that currently exist.
The adjacent possible can be said to describe the fitness landscape that could exist
in time t+1,
which is the effective limit to adaptive walks for any given time t.
2 Represented by "K" in the NK model.
couple grows, increasing the probability of internal conflict within the species over
the value of a
particular step in its adaptive walk, and reducing the chance that an improvement will take place.
threshold", and information within a species is completely lost (Eigen and Oswatitsch,
1992).
with the mechanical arts or applied sciences", and can thus can be considered
knowledge-based.
receive signals from its "domain" (the realm or sphere within which it engages
external systems),
but closed to changes to internal rules or norms of operation.
These rules change only when an external signal stimulates processes that already
exist within the
system.
Embodied knowledge and internal rules the system follows to reproduce itself constitute
the
system's "identity"--the basis from which autopoietic systems self-reference.
There is also a growing application of the use of the autopoietic epistemology in
the management
literature, including work by Morgan (1986), von Krogh, Roos and Slocum (1994), Nonaka and
Takeuchi (1995), and Sveiby (1996).
Grant's (1996b) assertion that only individuals can engage in knowledge creation would
also seem
to lend indirect support to the autopoietic epistemology.
Each seem to share many anti-representationist assumptions (Varela, Thompson, and
Rosch,
1991; von Krogh and Roos, 1995).
Moreover, on a more fundamental level, a coevolutionary world is brought forth through
interaction:
whether by structural coupling (autopoiesis) or nonlinear interaction among adaptive agents
(complex adaptive systems).
The "autopoietic entity" can be compared to the adaptive agent in complex
adaptive systems
theory.
Each theory has also been shown to be scalable-- interaction on one scale leads to
emergent
behavior on a higher scale.
Von Krogh and Roos (1995) postulate that autopoietic knowledge development might be
fractal
across different scales.
If what is a system at one hierarchical level of scaling is an agent at the next level
up, patterns that
apply to one can be seen in the other in some form.
10 A metaphor used by Waldrop (1992) to convey the dynamics of fitness landscapes.
Such an organization is thus forced to make many internal compromises to develop new
knowledge and adapt, and is prone to getting "stuck" on local peaks.
At the other extreme, an extremely loosely-connected organization can explore a broader
part of
the landscape and take on new innovations/genes with relative ease.
However, as each sub-unit attempts to selfishly climb peaks on its fitness landscape,
positive
innovations will not spread easily throughout the organization, possibly leading to a wildlyshifting
fitness landscape.
overlooked the possibility that air flows and directions would vary drastically, once
outside the
confines of the laboratory.
14 This metaphor is echoed in the common phrase "surfing the internet".
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management "coherent viewpoint" business Internet production instructions
customers context
efficiency
In March 1999 Hewlett Packard announced a major restructuring.
The old scientific instrument part of HP was recreated as the "measurement"
company, leaving the
computers and imaging businesses coupled together.
Certainly, because the two businesses were operating in vastly different worlds.
Clearly the marketplace for measuring instruments does not change at the tumultuous
rate that
marks the computer and imaging markets.
But, there is a more straightforward explanation: Coherence, or rather the lack of
it.
Though sometimes hidden in the guise of such words as "alignment," "synchronicity,"
or "fit,"
coherence is critical for day-to-day productivity and effectiveness of both individuals and
organizations.
"Coherent actions are those that make sense to all relevant people in organizations."
Coherent actions are those that make sense to all relevant people in organizations.
HP decided to break itself apart so that its managers could act coherently and in
the absence of
coercion from above.
If the key actors in a business all have vastly different understandings about these
issues, no
actions will have coherence.
For people to take actions that make sense to them and others, both the actions themselves
-- and
the underlying viewpoint from which they stem -- must be aligned with the basic values and purpose
of the individuals and of the organization.
Corporate culture serves as the base on which coherence and coherent viewpoints are
constructed.
What the old HP lacked was a coherent viewpoint from which to contemplate strategy
and tactics.
By 1998 the company had been losing contracts from established customers to rivals,
operating
margins had shrunk drastically, as had revenues.
And huge production problems had resulted in the closure of two assembly lines.
Boeing is embedded in an intertwined mesh of hundreds of contracting firms, subsidiaries,
etc., all
dependent on one another.
The company itself admits that it needs to be dragged out of the dark ages of management
and
into the (post-) modern, dynamic and rapidly changing world.
"Coherence is a characteristic that is necessary across the whole spectrum of
activities, from
development and production to marketing and sales."
In the past, business markets were less complex -- for managers to view all the different
entities as
separate and independent was a false but acceptable way of managing.
However, nowadays, given the dynamic and evolving natur e of a complex industry such
as
aerospace, this approximation is entirely inadequate.
"When a system is coherent, virtually no energy is wasted on achieving internal
synchronization."
Coherent organizations thrive in attainment of their goals.
Power is maximized -- the power to adapt, flex, and innovate, resulting in a major
leap in efficiency
and effectiveness.
To this end, a few, simple guiding principles matter.
Every action is interpreted through our mental model and our actions are based on
that
interpretation.
Building canals for these flows means locking them into a reality that will be outdated
before the
canal even opens.
Consider the space created by ad campaigns such as "cool Britannia", "Intel
inside", or the current
"AOL: we make the Internet easy."
Southwest Airlines does the same with its consistent image of "family",
which it applies to
employees, customers and suppliers.
By contrast, the many-paged rulebook at the old IBM or the present mega-merger company
does
little to create space.
"Stories allow others to relate to facts, contexts and emotions, and to bring
their own interpretation
to what they hear or read."
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LEGO? SERIOUS PLAY?
Per Kristiansen
An adult thinking
tool centred on building with bricks and elements for the purpose of
uncovering business insights and enhancing business performance. The first application of
LEGO SERIOUS PLAY is Real Time Strategy, which is designed to transform strategic
planning into a process of continuous strategizing. The roots of Real Time Strategy and LEGO
SERIOUS PLAY are found in the work of researchers at learning labs and universities in the
United States and Europe.
Research shows
when people play, it unleashes imagination and leads to unexpected, creative
and groundbreaking insights into individuals and businesses. During LEGO SERIOUS PLAY,
teams use LEGO bricks to create metaphors and stories that add meaning to their Identity and
awareness to the company's Landscape. This is termed "speaking LEGO". Physiological
research supports the idea that building with the hands engages different parts of the brain.
Thinking is "deeper" when the hands are involved; the range of concepts and possibilities
is
expanded.
Real Time Strategy
is based on the premise that a deep knowledge of who you are (Identity),
where you are (Landscape), and how to act (Simple Guiding Principles) enables business to
make decisions in real time and make the most of opportunities that are emerging today.
The workshops conducted
at the conference will give the participants a hands on - minds on
introduction to the LEGO SERIOUS PLAY methodology and Real Time Strategy. Particpants
will be introduced to challenges similar to those used in the Real Time Strategy workhops, the
workshops will be facilitated by LEGO SERIOUS PLAY trained facilitators
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