ORGL 537 - Foresight & Strategy
My Course experience
As my third and final immersion during the ORGL program, 537 stretched me more than any other course I experienced. As I began my time in this program, one of my personal goals was to be someone who engaged first with the content. My personality is typically to hang back, waiting for others to engage first and I would jump in when I felt more safe or comfortable. This course was out of my comfort zone but because of my growth over the program I was able to jump in and engage whole heartedly. The connection and vulnerability I experienced with others during this immersion was only possible because I had grown enough to choose to engage deeply. Learning to move through Theory U and engage in pathfinding foresight was deeply impactful to me as a leader.
Course Takeaways
-
Foresight is more than just data
Honestly, when I registered for this course, I was expecting a lot of data based exercises. How I can view data to forecast where to go? This course was anything but that, and it was exactly what I needed. Taking this as my last true course was perfect as it stretched me in deeper ways than I was expecting. I am not sure I would have been able to get as much as I did from this course had I taken it earlier in the program. The connection I felt with myself and others during the immersion was truly life changing for me as a leader.
-
Theory U
The idea of working through areas of challenge or “Stuckness” using Theory U was a growth experience for me. Early on in the program I made a commitment to go against my usual habits of hanging back and chose to be someone who will engage early and often in classes and immersions. I knew it was my instinct to hang back and wait for comfort and safety, but I know I would grow more if I challenged myself to leave that behind and take the risk of being early to engage.
In the immersion, I worked hard to step out and engage with all the aspects of Theory U and the course expectations. Gesturing, one on one walks, vulnerability…these were all things I would usually be very uncomfortable with but instead was able to learn and grow through them because I was willing to engage deeply with others in the content.
-
People know what it is like
One of the most impactful experiences was the case clinic experience in the immersion. Each person brought forth a case that was moved through a case clinic process in a small group. The group would listen to the candidates case, then ask clarifying questions, go through a period of gesturing, and then offer some insight and feedback, allowing the candidate to take steps towards discovery and movement through the “U” process. I found this to be one of the most impactful times in the program for me and am thankful for the experience.
Artifact
Featured Reading
Changing our Expectations Reflection
Assignment Prompt: The reality of crystallizing, developing and testing a prototype idea/solution often takes years. The purpose of this paper is to jump start the process by encouraging you to continue the crystallizing process and begin to apply some U Tools to help you begin refining a solution in your case.
Based on the case/information you presented in the course (and specifically the intensive); apply the pathfinding-foresight model to the crystallizing and prototyping processes from the course material. In addition, apply Scharmer’s global systems framework to help clarify the processes value (acupuncture points) and "test" them to your proposed solution as you go- thus, to be sure your solution is not inadvertently contributing to the problem (three divides).
For this assignment you are encouraged to use insights and learning from your Intensive Case Clinic exercise (you may also choose a new case issue to address).
Use U Tool Prototyping as the guide for the assignment, and write up your findings following the Prototyping: Address the 7 steps and the Prototyping Criteria 1-7 (adapt to context as necessary).
To further test/develop your idea; collect additional organizational/societal data for this presentation using at least one of the following processes: Dialogue Interview; Sensing Journey; Shadowing; or, Stakeholder Interview (see Course Resources: Module Three).
Developing a global systems strategy: consider the eight acupuncture points (Scharmer), which one's are relevant to your idea, how does your prototype improve Scharmer’s three divides.
Leading from the emerging future: From ego-system to eco-system economies-applying Theory U to transforming business, society, and self
By Otto Scharmer & Katrin Kaufer