Reading Observations – Part 3

“Organizations learn only through individuals who learn” (Senge 129). Must all individuals learn who is apart of a learning organization? How does one work with individuals who do not learn? 

What does an individual’s spiritual welfare have to do with working in a corporate setting? How can a corporation or workplace help one feel spacious yet safe?

“The first is continually clarifying what is important to us” (Senge 131). How does a corporation continually clarify what is important to contributors? How do you align those objectives with personal objectives? 

In the book, it states that many people can work until the age of 80 without feeling “burn out”… people work until this age because “they have an accurate view of human nature, of our potential and limitations.” (Senge 135). How does one individual find their limitations without falling short or pushing those human limitations? Do they vary per individual? Do they vary throughout the span of one’s lifetime? 

If one must have a true vision rather than a purpose, because a purpose is just a directional aspect, encouraging you to follow a set of rules or checkboxes… why don’t schools or educational groups teach this from a young age? Imagine if every young individual created their vision (which I feel I haven’t even done yet), from the beginning of their college or technical career, wouldn’t every individual have a clear reason for their living experience? 

* This next week, I want to create a vision that is clear and outlined, that way I can clearly outline my 5-year plan accordingly. 

How does one determine the difference between creative tension and emotional tension? For example, I have a multitude of different creatives or goals I want to achieve but the thought of having that many objectives does seem unrealistic or unattainable. Do I tell myself that it is unrealistic because it is, or because society has told me that the norm is just getting by doing less, like the majority of humans do? 

Moreover, how do I begin to expand my ability to juggle this many goals? I constantly feel myself being “stretched too thin” but is there a way to solve that? 

In the third generic strategy of will power, psyching yourself up to overpower all forms of resistance to achieve goals, Senge claims that people who display this form of will power often wonder if it was worth it after following through to achieve something… I feel like this is the strategy I most often align with. I believe I most often align with this one because I struggle with “stopping to smell the roses,” how does one begin to take away that mindset and feel mindful or thankful for the personal efforts? 

When attempting to master the discipline of balancing inquiry and advocacy, it seems to me that in real life this practice must be an ever-changing discipline. For example, most people handle certain amounts of feedback differently than their other co-workers. So one must learn openness to getting to know each individual’s threshold for inquiry and advocacy. When you inquire with an individual who expects more direct feedback, they may not understand or comprehend feedback that is too “soft”. Does one just have to spend time with each individual finding that threshold? Is it just trial and error? I feel like there must be a better way to approach this issue… 

I think that one of the most important parts of this whole book is in the chapter team learning. There are three basic conditions that are necessary for dialogue… I think that within a team there is almost always one of these missing unless the group has set an agenda about what the expectations of the conversation are. I think almost always in groups you have individuals who are not willing to be open to conversation. I believe it is crucial for management to set the agenda and reiterate it throughout the time spent together that the conversation and the meeting is an open space for people to feel comfortable and welcome to express their opinions, ideas, or concerns. 

Lastly, I think that practicing these disciplines always begins with self-awareness and vulnerability to others. If one individual begins with being vulnerable and remaining open then all other individuals will also begin to feel open to the idea, no matter their previous experiences.