The Learning Nut

Meeting a big picture guru

2011-10-25T15:48:00.000-04:00

I was a middle manager with a business school education working for AT&T in the late 80s and early 90s, based in Wilmington, Delaware and working primarily in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. I worked for AT&T's now-defunct computer systems unit. I was frustrated at our inability as a corporation to accomplish some simple tasks—deliver the right equipment on time, generate an accurate invoice, or agree on an effective marketing strategy, among other challenges.

It was in that context that I opened the Wall Street Journal one day—June 4, 1990—and fell upon an interview with Dr. Deming. What grabbed me was the title: Deming's Demons: The management guru thinks U.S. Corporations are crushing their worker incentive. As I read further, Deming's comments struck me as somewhat shocking, contrarian, even curmudgeonly. I was intrigued. Here was a plain-talking, no-nonsense management guru saying essentially that almost everything we do in American organizations is wrong-headed.

Among other revolutionary ideas, Deming believed that:

In negotiation and relationship, whether among people, departments, organizations or countries "if you defend your rights, you're licked".
The grading or ranking of people and "management by objectives" were destructive practices.
The use of monetary incentives was ill-advised, "pay is not a motivator." The reward was in the work itself.

Furthermore Deming did not believe that competitive markets solve problems, i.e. that deregulation or privatization improves a system.

Yet unlike other management consultants or philosophers with contrarian ideas he had very strong credentials. After all, he had been the single most important external influence in the Japanese economy in the latter half of the 20^th century.

I later watched his interviews, particularly one produced in 1991 and aired on PBS called The Deming of America. I bought (and read) his books, and eventually met him—briefly—at one of his very last seminars on Quality and Competitive Position, in late 1992. When I met Dr. Deming I was struck by his warm, cordial manner—contrast to his prickly public persona. Deming died in December 1993.

I believe Deming will continue to have a profound impact on those who study his work and thinking. In my mind he possesses all of the characteristics of a genuine and fully qualified guide, teacher or mentor outlined in a previous post. He is one of only a few management philosophers I have met whose interest and motivation seem to fully transcend any concern for personal gain or reputation.

In the weeks ahead I will share some of Deming's big picture teaching on knowledge, systems and variation, and what these teachings mean for us at work, in our communities and in our personal lives.

Re-discovering Deming: Big Picture Guru?

2011-08-08T12:26:00.000-04:00

William Edwards Deming (1900-1993), Ph.D., was an American leadership and management philosopher whose thinking profoundly influenced the Japanese after WW II. Originally trained as a scientist, he worked for Western Electric alongside renowned engineer and statistician Walter Shewhart. He later worked for the US Census Bureau, where he himself became a renowned statistician. After World War II he was assigned to the rebuilding effort in Japan, where he had opportunity to introduce some of Shewhart’s ideas on management, systems and variation to the Japanese. Through his efforts Japan was able to develop vastly improved quality and consistency in its products and services, and accelerate its recovery after the devastation of the war. Deming probably had more impact upon Japanese manufacturing and business than any other individual not of Japanese heritage. Beginning in 1960 and to this day one of the highest honors awarded to Japanese organizations is called the Deming Prize.

It is important to note that Deming did not export American thinking and practice; he exposed Japanese managers to his own philosophy of management. Through this philosophy he helped create the “Japanese post-war economic miracle” that saw Japanese quality and productivity soar, particularly in the years 1950 to 1980.

Late in life – beginning about 1980, as Deming turned 80 – he was ‘discovered’ by western mainstream media and business press. At the time, western economies were experiencing a major downturn. In manufacturing particularly North American and European companies were lagging far behind the Japanese in quality. Several notable firms, including the Ford Motor Company, turned to Deming for help. Deming did what he could to help these firms and others through seminars, writing and consulting. He summarized his main points and outlined a system of profound knowledge that can be applied in any organization, and in everyday life.

The challenge then, as now, is that Deming’s ideas require big picture learning – and a radical shift in thinking – that is difficult for many Westerners to accomplish. Examples of this shift:

Creating constancy of purpose (the 1st of Deming’s ’14 Points’). Many organizations (andindividuals) lack clarity and constancy of purpose. We meander without clear aim, or goals that shift from year to year.

Focusing on optimizing the whole – the system – rather than benefits to particular individuals, individual parts, or individual groups. The challenge with this perspective is that some people will need to give up something – rewards, reputation, power, for example – in order that the greatest number can benefit.

More emphasis on the how than the what, particularly how to accomplish improvements to the system rather than what goals or measured objectives we need to meet this month, quarter or year. Many organizations emphasize on (mostly short-term) results, and measure objectives down to the individual level, without much idea on how to accomplish those objectives.

There is also a degree of selflessness implicit in Deming’s points that may be relatively rare among Western managers and workers.

Deming seemed driven by one aim: to stimulate and propagate deep thinking and profound knowledge, to help all of us become better leaders, managers, workers, citizens and people.

He had a profound impact on my thinking about leadership, management, and work.

Next post: How I met Dr. Deming.

Examples of Big Picture Learning

2011-07-21T13:09:00.001-04:00

Over the past few weeks we have looked at what I am calling big picture learning—that which enables us to interpret and effectively manage the most persistent and difficult problems in our lives, individually and collectively.

We’ve looked at what it is, and its benefits.

Here are some examples of big picture learning in action:

(1) Rethinking education. In this engaging animated talk, Dr. Ken Robinson offers a provocative perspective on modern education in the western world[1]. He presents hypotheses about what is valued, rewarded, and produced by our education system. Robinson helps us stand back and consider why we educate the way we do, including when and how these ideas originated, and how our present education system may stifle creative expression—and creative problem solving. Robinson’s presentation stimulates big picture learning because it prompts us to ask basic questions, in this case about something with which we have familiarity: What is its aim? Is this what we want? If not, what do we want and why? How would we know that we are meeting our goal(s)?

(2) Understanding variation. In Out of the Crisis Dr. W. Edwards Deming highlights the importance of understanding variation in systems. Systems are everywhere—globally, nationally, regionally, at work, at school, in our communities, in our families, even in our own bodies. At yet very few of us have a basic understanding of systems. We may know what we want or expect of various systems—we want the bus to arrive on time, our immune system to function effectively, or our local economy to provide good jobs and living conditions. Yet when things don’t work the way we want or expect we get upset, with no idea of how to improve the system. Once we engage in big picture learning about systems, and variation, the fog will begin to lift and we will have a better understanding of how to understand and possibly improve the systems in our lives. And, when it comes to understanding variation we all make two mistakes on a regular basis. This will be a topic of a future blog.

(3) Community interest. I recently attended a meeting of the community association for my neighborhood. On two or three occasions members seemed to be taking positions based primarily on self-interest. Nicole, our community association chairperson, was very clear as she handled these comments: “It’s about all of us, not just what benefits or does not benefit any particular individual or family.” In my view our chairwoman clearly understood the aim of the association: to bring benefit to the community as a whole. She was also clear that self-interest interferes with that aim. One of the maxims of big picture learning is that we need to reduce and ultimately eliminate self-interest if we are to produce the best possible result for the system as a whole.

In all three of these examples we are being encouraged to ask “What is the aim, and what are the desired outputs, of this particular system?

In each case, we engage in big picture learning through:

looking at the whole, not just individual or subgroup actions, effects and benefits;

clarifying the aim or purpose of the system, e.g. “What’s the end game here?”, or “What are we trying to accomplish?”; and

encouraging selflessness, a willingness to give up personal comfort or gains in resources, reputation or recognition for the benefit of all.

In upcoming posts we will explore these and other themes in more depth, particularly systems thinking and variation.

[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

The Benefits of Big Picture Learning

2011-06-09T11:42:00.004-04:00

With the best of intentions and best efforts, managing by results is, in effect, exactly the same, as Dr. Myron Tribus put it, while driving your automobile, keeping your eye on the rear view mirror, what would happen?

W.E. Deming:

Sure we have to solve problems. Certainly stamp out the fire. Stamp out the fire and get nowhere. Stamp out the fires puts us back to where we were in the first place. Taking action on the basis of results without theory of knowledge, without theory of variation, without knowledge about a system. Anything goes wrong, do something about it, overreacting; acting without knowledge, the effect is to make things worse. With the best of intentions and best efforts, managing by results is, in effect, exactly the same, as Dr. Myron Tribus put it, while driving your automobile, keeping your eye on the rear view mirror, what would happen? And that's what management by results is, keeping your eye on results. (1)

Dr. W. Edwards Deming was the American statistician, philosopher and management theorist instrumental in rebuilding Japan after World War II, helping transform that country into an economic superpower.

This quote illustrates Deming’s view that most of us, faced with almost any kind of problem, will tend to “stamp out the fire” without inquiry into root cause or causes.

In other words, we tend to act without wisdom. Yet, as discussed in the previous post, big picture challenges require solutions from another level.

Today’s post will focus on the benefits of big picture learning.

Why would, or why should, an individual – or an organization – invest time and money studying and understanding systems, theories of knowledge and variation, and other aspects of big picture learning?

Or we can ask, what will happen if we don’t invest resources in big picture learning?

Two results: (1) more of the same systemic problems that face us now, and (2) new systemic problems bringing additional suffering.

Unless we stand back and look at the greater – actually, greatest – good, we are likely to remain in a world where, for example…

Individuals suffer from anxiety, sickness and loss;
Organizations experience lack of purpose, inner conflict and economic failure; and
Communities, regions and nations endure crimes, poverty and war.

Without big picture thinking, we tend to experience events as problems. And, we tend to put energy into ‘quick fixes’ with a mistaken belief that we have ‘solved the problem’. Most of the time, however, these problems are in fact symptoms of deeper, systemic issues.

As Deming and others point out we make matters worse through this uninformed approach. Each of us can therefore benefit immeasurably through the vision and direction that comes from systems thinking—liberating ourselves from such chronic problems.

Many may think at this point “That’s nice but I do not have the ability to tackle this sort of learning.” Or “I’ll leave these big questions and problems to somebody else with the smarts to handle them.”

No. Systems – biological/ecological, sociological, economic/geographic and so forth – are everywhere, so much so that one person, or some elite group of profound thinkers, cannot possibly tackle them all.

Furthermore, each one of us is deeply entwined in systems that are unique to you or to your close communities. Just look at your body (a system), your family (another system), or your local community (yet another).

Thinking that we should leave big picture learning to others just doesn’t make sense. Each of us, to the extent of our abilities can and ideally should try to adopt big picture thinking and learning.

Among other benefits, by engaging in big picture learning you will:

Gain wisdom that will guide you to the most beneficial decisions. You will gain a deeper understanding of cause and effect, able to remove the root causes of your most intractable ‘problems’.

Gain your own personal system of profound knowledge, including a theory of knowledge that will help you make sense of your world.

Become more effective, and grow your circle of influence(2). As you grow in understanding of the systems around you, you will make increasingly better choices, decisions and recommendations, bringing lasting improvement in your own life and in the lives of those around you.

Become more employable. As you demonstrate an ability to solve difficult problems, your services will be in more demand.

Attain clarity of thinking, and message. With clarity of thinking and message you will probably gain a happier, more peaceful state of mind, which may in turn lead to healthier choices, and longer life.

Next week: examples of big picture thinking.

[1] The Deming of America, Documentary broadcast on the PBS network (1991)

[2] https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit1.php

What is Big Picture Learning?

2011-06-02T11:06:00.003-04:00

To paraphrase Albert Einstein, we cannot solve the problems we face at the same level where they were created.

Or, to quote the renowned statistician and management philosopher Dr. W. Edwards Deming,

A system cannot understand itself. The transformation requires a view from outside.

Many esteemed thinkers have expressed the realization that big picture challenges—war, poverty and mental illness, to name three—require solutions from another level.

I suggest that to generate such big picture solutions we need big picture learning.

To engage in this level of learning and problem solving we do not require advanced university degrees, nor do we need to hold high-level positions in business or government.

We simply need an interest, an open mind, some ability to absorb new ideas, and a willingness to apply effort.

The purpose of this series is to explore some of the thinking that supports such ‘big learning’.

In the previous post I defined big picture learning as…

…that which enables us to interpret and effectively manage the most persistent and difficult problems in our lives, individually and collectively.

Many of us have resigned ourself to ignore or simply endure difficult problems, and the suffering they bring, because we do not believe they can be solved.

Yet with effort and application big picture learning will provide the tools to reduce and eventually eliminate these seemingly intractable personal, organizational and global problems.

It can only accomplish this aim if many of us examine, modify and adopt a new view of the world and our place in it. Big picture learning is not just for a select few. It is for everybody.

To engage in big picture learning it may be helpful to adopt a mind of scientific inquiry.

You may recall studying the scientific method at some point. What I will lay out over the next several weeks (or months) is a set of hypotheses that attempt to explain observed phenomena, and to use these hypotheses as the basis for big picture learning.

These hypotheses may one day form the basis of a general theory for positive change in the human condition. It will hopefully serve as a blueprint for further inquiry, thought and research.

You do not have to accept any of these hypotheses, and as I said in the previous post I welcome constructive suggestions, comments and questions.

I am hoping, with your help, that we can shape a new curriculum, and a new paradigm for positive change.

This new curriculum will feature several elements, each containing one or more central hypotheses. Among the topics:

§ Preparing for big picture learning

§ Constructing a theoretical world view

§ A view of leaders as servants

§ Systems thinking

§ Understanding variation

§ Understanding psychology

§ Understanding cause and effect

§ The wheel of life

§ A view of self and others

§ A view of phenomena in general

§ Contemplating life purpose and meaning

I look forward to discussion. Next post: contemplating the benefits of big picture learning.

Big Picture Learning

2011-05-25T13:18:00.004-04:00

Over the past few months this space has been dedicated to our progress and eventual success as great learners. We’ve examined what it means to be a great learner, why we would want to be one, and how we can become one. More specifically we’ve looked at how to generate motivation for learning, how to prepare ourselves for learning, and specific techniques for realizing our full learning potential.

Today the focus shifts to curriculum, specifically to what I’m calling ‘big picture learning’. Here’s a working definition:

Big picture learning is that which enables us to interpret and effectively manage the most persistent and difficult problems in our lives, individually and collectively.

So what are some of those intractable problems? At the personal level that list may include:

§ Sadness or depression when you are separated from things you like

§ Irritation or anger when you encounter things you do not like

§ Anxiety about money or resources

§ Physical or mental sickness

§ Fears of ageing or death

§ Failing to satisfy desires

§ Dishonesty

At our place of work we may encounter:

§ Unclear methods

§ Unexpected layoffs

§ Poor working relationships

§ Poor or non-existent training

§ Lack of clear or consistent purpose

§ Failure to remove barriers to effective performance

§ Failure to anticipate the needs or desires of customers

In our local community, region or nation problems may include:

§ Crimes of various types – theft, assault, murder and so forth

§ Failure to effectively balance the needs of various groups

§ Deterioration of infrastructure

Nationally or globally we observe the following problems[1]:

§ War

§ Famine

§ Poverty

§ Disease

§ Economic failure of organizations – or governments

Big picture learning can help with all of these problems – personal, organizational, community, regional, national and even global.

We may think that learning focused on a ‘big picture’ is for high-ranking corporate or political leaders. Although big picture learning may be very useful to such people, it is intended for everybody, no matter what their personal circumstances.

With motivation and effective methods we can all learn this curriculum. We do not need to occupy high-level positions. We can, for example, lead by example in our families, in our workplaces, and in our communities large or small.

Here are some of the topics I will explore here in the weeks ahead:

§ What is big picture learning?

§ Why does it matter?

§ Preparing for big picture learning

§ Exploring cause and effect

§ Distinguishing ‘problem’, ‘symptom’ and ‘root cause’

§ The big picture curriculum

§ A theory of knowledge

§ Servant leadership

§ Systems thinking

§ Understanding variation

§ Understanding psychology

I hope to build on the work of several esteemed theorists and practitioners, particularly Robert Greenleaf and W. Edwards Deming.

I intend to borrow as well from eastern philosophy, in particularly from the writings of Tibetan guru and meditation master Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

I hope you will enjoy this series. I know I will!

PS Please note that this is very much a work in process. I will welcome any and all constructive suggestions and comments!

[1] Some of these ‘problems’ may be more accurately be described as ‘symptoms’ but for simplicity’s sake I am labeling them here as ‘problems’.

Dedication

2011-05-19T09:30:00.001-04:00

I sincerely hope that some of what I have written over the past two months will be helpful to you, and that the 10-step model outlined in this recent series of posts provides you with a useful framework.

Of course there is no guarantee that by following these practices that you will become a great learner, at least not immediately, or even that you will experience all of the benefits outlined above.

I am nevertheless convinced that if you engage in these practices sincerely you will note progress in your life, and an increasing sense of fulfillment. You will eventually become a great learner, and experience all of the benefits outlined above.

I dedicate this series of posts and this blog to your happiness. May your life be long and may all the conditions appear so that you have the opportunity to meet, study and practice the most beneficial guide, teacher, mentor or coach and teachings imaginable, and may you progress swiftly along your learning path, with great success.

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

Transforming adversity

2011-05-19T09:25:00.001-04:00

One of the most important lessons that guides, mentors and teachers can offer students is how to understand that ‘failure’ can be a good thing.

No one likes to fail but so-called failures carry substantial information about performance and provide the opportunity to become a great learner.

If you view your learning as a life-long path you may already know how to turn such adversity to your advantage. It is easier said than done, but if you can take those ‘negative’ experiences and use them as powerful learning experiences you will find yourself catapulted forward in your realizations and personal growth.

In this step you re-evaluate past beliefs and experiences which you previously understood one way (typically as negative or harmful) and now understand another way (typically, as positive or beneficial). To ‘re-frame’ you think about adverse conditions, failures and mistakes in a way that helps you continue learning.

In the words of meditation master Kelsang Gyatso:

“Our problems are opportunities to observe and contemplate the law of actions and their effects. They are opportunities to contemplate suffering and its causes, and to practice patience and joyful perseverance.”[1] (my italics)

Dr. Jacqueline Leighton mentions an interesting case of transforming adversities:

In her book Basic Black Cathie Black tells the story of decisions she made in the wake of the collapse of her marriage. She decided she needed a change in environment. Even though she had a great career at Ms. Magazine in New York City, she decided to take a job in San Francisco for a new magazine being unveiled by Francis Ford Coppola. She carefully studied the move and the plans for the new magazine. Everything seemed right. She uprooted herself, moved all of her belongings and established herself in San Francisco. Three months later the magazine failed. She went back to Ms. Magazine.

When asked some time later whether she thought the move to San Francisco had been a mistake she replied that it had not been a mistake at all. She had made valuable contacts while in San Francisco and she was able to negotiate a better job when she returned to New York City. The moral of this story is that she could have berated herself for taking a risk but instead she recognized that failure was part of pursuing her passion, and substantially advanced her understanding of the world of publishing.

I once told a friend, who happens to be a Buddhist monk, all about the collapse of my own marriage in the early 1990s. I described the horrendous decision, the anguish it caused for all around me, and the long litigious fight over money.

He responded, “How wonderful!”

At first I laughed, amused by this young monk’s audacity and then, upon reflection realized that this experience really was ‘wonderful’, because of the catalytic positive effect it had in my life. That experience helped me generate the motivation and engage in all the activities I have outlined here.

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

[1] Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Joyful Path of Good Fortune

Taking risks

2011-05-10T13:19:00.003-04:00

If it hasn’t already happened there will be a point in your learning where you will need to take a personal risk.

These are the moments, as the Star Wars character Yoda might say, “Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try.”

By taking such risks you will almost certainly grow in confidence and capability.

This happened for me a few years ago when a colleague asked me to teach a class on a topic for which I had some familiarity, but had not yet fully mastered the material. I was concerned that I might present it in the wrong way, say the wrong thing, and disappoint the students because of my lack of knowledge. I thought, “I am not ready”. I was nervous.

The result: it was fine. Yes I may have seemed a bit awkward during the teaching, but because I had to take this risk, my understanding and deep appreciation for the material grew, as did my confidence.

There is always the possibility that by taking a risk you will in fact fail to meet the goal, let somebody down, or show to yourself and others that you have not mastered the task or the material.

Remember that such ‘failure’ is an essential part of learning, and that persistence and perseverance are essential ingredients in attaining your life goals—more on this in the next post.

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

Applying Joyful Effort

2011-05-03T10:15:00.003-04:00

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been outlining the characteristics of a great learner. These are also the steps that each of us can follow to become a great learner.

Even if we accomplish each of the steps we will inevitably encounter some discouragement and other obstacles. We will realize that we need to find paths through or around these obstacles. We may even find that we need to push a little – or a lot – harder than we ever thought necessary to advance our learning journey.

I was once in a study program where the class was more focused on socializing than on making progress in our learning. The teacher was very affable, and the classes were very enjoyable, but there was almost no pressure to learn or perform.

Then I had to move to another city and had to leave the study program. I looked and found something similar in my new city and signed up. I was expecting a similar, low-key, low pressure environment. As soon as I started with the new class however I realized that the expectations were much higher, and that I would need to work a lot harder to make progress.

I became discouraged. After some reflection I went back to the learning steps outlined above, right back to generating motivation, then slowly began to apply effort to the materials. In the end it became a joyful process as I realized that my grasp of the material, and ability to participate, were improving.

Another way to characterize joyful effort might be happy, deliberate practice, something that all great learners do. Quoting Dr. Leighton,

Deliberate practice is about hard work and lots of motivation to engage in hard work. There’s no escaping it. In fact, K. Anders Ericsson, a pioneer and

groundbreaking researcher in the area of expertise said the following: “A century of laboratory research has revealed that learning is most effective when it includes focused goals, such as improving a specific aspect of performance; feedback that compares the actual to the desired performance; and opportunities for repetition, so the desired level of performance can be achieved.”

Then quoting from The New Yorker magazine, Dr. Leighton continues:

What do Wayne Gretzky, Yo-Yo Ma, and renowned brain surgeon Charlie Wilson have in common? A: They all practice over and over again, until they iron out even the smallest imperfections. Perhaps you were hoping that there was something more mysterious about the way in which high-level performers achieved their excellence in learning. On the one hand, that they practice until they get it right is strangely comforting because it is so accessible to all of us. On the other hand, it’s strangely discomforting that it is in fact so accessible to all of us. We cannot make excuses.

Next I’ll look at an interesting aspect of the learning path: taking risks.

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

Reflection, contemplation and meditation

2011-04-26T14:25:00.007-04:00

Every pure understanding depends upon meditation.

Successful meditation depends on receiving correct instructions.[1]

Now we get to the steps where many of us step off the learning train, so if you’re still on board and engaged in a learning program at this point, congratulations!

Reflection, contemplation or meditation are powerful methods for deepening our understanding, and advancing our learning.

Reflection and contemplation in this context have similar meanings: calm, lengthy, intense consideration of any object of attention, often in relationship to other objects.

Similarly, meditation is generally defined as sustained focus on an object of attention. A more powerful definition asserts that meditation is a sustained focus on a virtuous object of attention, e.g. the thought “I am determined to become a doctor so that I can help others lead long, healthy lives.”

Again paraphrasing Dr. Jacqueline Leighton:

--------

Dr. Howard Gardner has studied the lives of extraordinary individuals such as

Einstein and Mozart and found that these extraordinary individuals spent a tremendous amount of time reflecting on how to meet their goals. At the classroom level, researchers such as Dr. Phil Winne from Simon Fraser University have studied students who engage in self-regulation or meta-cognitive behaviours which are very similar in quality to reflection or meditation. The ability to think about how you think, learn, and perform is very useful to helping individuals understand how to improve their learning and performance and incorporate what their mentors tell them into techniques to get better at what they do.

--------

By engaging in reflection or meditation we deepen our understanding and may even experience a whole new idea, or realization, that transcends our prior understanding. Many ‘aha’ moments have arisen in history in many different fields, directly through this practice.

Meditation is a learnable skill. It depends on many of the preparatory practices mentioned in an earlier blog. I recommend seeking out a qualified teacher so that your reflection, contemplation or meditation – whatever you choose to call it – can be sustained and successful.

Next we will look at the application of joyful effort.

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

[1] Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Generating deep curiosity about the materials, and the teachings

2011-04-19T15:21:00.002-04:00

You may have noticed that great and enthusiastic learners like to ask a lot of questions. If you have generated motivation for learning, found the right coach, mentor or teacher, engaged in a program that will help you meet your life goals, and developed respect for the teacher and the materials, generating deep curiosity will not be difficult.

Many study programs encourage discussion, challenges and even debate. There is a long standing practice of discussion and friendly debate in several Buddhist traditions. Students question and challenge ideas, just as students of arts or science might discuss different theories and hypotheses.

Friendly questioning or challenging is not intended to demean or belittle the teachings or teacher, but rather to extract the greatest possible learning value from them. We question for deeper understanding. If after repeated questioning the answer is still not satisfactory, try to set it aside so that you can remain open to other ideas.

Or, if something is intellectually unfathomable but open to behavioural testing, try an experiment. I have had this experience a few times over the past few years. Rather than reject an idea outright, look at the suggestion from your coach, mentor or teacher and ask yourself, “Can I put this into practice?”

If the answer is “yes”, then try it on a sustained basis, or for however long it takes to experience the effects, and see what happens.

In my spiritual practice, for example, there are ideas that many find intellectually challenging. One of my early teachers suggested that rather than rejecting these ideas or views outright, we should try to contemplate the consequences and benefits of holding the view, meditate as though we firmly believe it, and then head out into the world with this new outlook firmly planted in our mind.

In other words, we experiment and see what happens. The same is true for what we might do if we are training as an athlete, or testing a scientific hypothesis.

So I did what my teacher suggested. In one case I tested the view that every living being I meet is. Everybody. The auto mechanic. The cashier at the supermarket. All of the people in front of me in the line at the supermarket. The guy down the hall at the office. My brothers. The guys digging up my street. My sister. My sons. My girlfriend. My father.

I began to see the benefit and my interest in and motivation for the teachings grew. I still cannot fully fathom the idea, but I no longer dismiss it out of hand.

I opened up to the possibility that there may be another way of looking at experience, and that there may be instances where what is “true” is not necessarily provable through logic or scientific observation.

To quote Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson again, “sometimes you actually do have to make stuff up that might be true, so that you can organize a research plan to find out whether or not it is… this is the creativity of discovery…”

Next: reflection, contemplation and meditation.

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

Developing respect for the materials, and for the teacher

2011-04-12T12:53:00.011-04:00

Once you have selected a mentor, guide or coach and have committed to a specific learning program or path, as discussed in the previous post, it is essential that you develop respect for the materials, and for the teacher.

Most of us have great difficulty proceeding with learning when we hold negative views about the teacher or about the materials. We may judge our teacher or mentor’s character, their background, their credentials, their manner of speech, their appearance or in fact anything about the teacher that we may perceive as unpleasant.

To build your capability as a learner, try to listen or read with the deepest possible respect, however the teacher or the materials may appear. In Five Sets on the Spiritual Grounds, the great Buddhist master Asanga advises students to practice the following five “inattentivenesses” whenever we listen to teachings. We should strive to be inattentive to:

Character faults or lack of moral discipline
Low social standing, social class or education
Unattractive physical appearance
Unpleasant words
Displeasing manner of speech, use of language, or presentation

In other words Asanga is advising us to turn our attention away from a teacher’s faults, or anything about the teacher or teachings that may seem unpleasant, and instead focus on the essence of the advice the coach, mentor or teacher offers.

Developing respect does not however mean that you turn yourself into an unquestioning automaton! It makes more sense to maintain a questioning mind, seek clarification, and then put the teachings, requests or suggestions into practice.

At this point you may doubt this advice. You might think, “Yes but what if I develop a strong sense, for example, that the teacher is ineffective, or that the materials are not right for me?”
Remember first that these obstacles are arising in your mind. It may be that you have had similar unpleasant experiences in the past, for example, or that you may hold some views very firmly that are incompatible with the ideas being presented.

If you have chosen your mentor, coach or teacher carefully, and have made a commitment to the learning or training program, I would strongly recommend sticking with it and exploring the materials for as long as you can.

In any case, I would recommend not making too hasty a judgment and giving yourself time to develop a balanced sense of the mentor and his or her methods. You may want to attend several classes in the case of a long course or study program before coming to any firm conclusion about the teacher, or the materials.

Next: another in the steps to becoming a great learner – generating deep curiosity.

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

Seeking and relying on a guide, teacher, coach or mentor

2011-04-08T14:33:00.005-04:00

One of the most critical steps in becoming a great learner – or for that matter even making significant progress on your path – is to accept and embrace the need for a mentor. This step is difficult for many learners, for various reasons. We value our independence. We want the freedom to choose different teachers, or learning paths, at any time. Many of us simply do not want to admit that we need help.

Nevertheless if we observe those who have excelled in any field – artistic, scientific, athletic or spiritual, to name a few – without exception they have all relied on a highly skilled guide, teacher, coach or mentor.

Ideally this coach or mentor is somebody you can access in person, or at least via phone. It may be that you can only access this guide through books, audio or video recordings. Although not ideal the second option is preferable to having no guide at all.

Paraphrasing Dr. Jacqueline P. Leighton of the University of Alberta:
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Mentorship is critically important in helping ensure that students develop into excellent learners. These can be mentors, role models or simply teachers. Whatever you call them, they directly help students understand what they need to do to achieve a higher level of learning and performance. Ivan Galamian, famous violin teacher, made the following statement about mentors:

“If we analyze the development of the well-known artist, we see that in almost every case the success of their entire career was dependent upon the quality of their practicing. In practically each case, the practicing was constantly supervised either by a teacher or an assistant to the teacher…”

Mentors, coaches, teachers or guides must be more knowledgeable about the student’s field of study than the student. Mentors must be able to help the student achieve a greater level of learning and performance by providing accurate and detailed feedback. The feedback must be specific about the ways in which the students can improve his or her performance. Many extraordinary minds recollect the decisive role mentors had in their development of expertise. Not only do mentors teach directly and help students reduce the gap between their current level of performance and their desired level of performance, but they also inspire, motivate, and support.
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So what should we look for in a mentor, guide, teacher or coach? Here are a few characteristics of what I would consider the ideal teacher or guide in any field. He or she is:

Delighted to be teaching, mentoring or coaching
Wise, calm, focused and disciplined
Very skilled in providing instructions
Sincerely interested in benefiting you, and others
Very knowledgeable in your chosen field of study, and more knowledgeable than you

Of course your chosen mentor may not possess all of these qualities, or they may not be apparent right away. I suggest that if you are not so fortunate to find someone with all of these characteristics that you seek a mentor with at least three.

Next I’ll explore another of the steps to becoming a great learner: developing respect for the teacher, and for the materials.

Listening and learning (part two)

2011-03-28T15:34:00.003-04:00

Over the past week I’ve been exploring what it takes to become a great learner. After experiencing the ups and downs of my own learning (or non-learning) experiences I’ve concluded that becoming a great learner involves becoming a great listener.

Listening is a skill that you can develop, and practice. The following exercises will help develop the attentive or active listening skills I explored in the previous post. You can practice these exercises every day, whenever you are engaged in conversation:

Focus only on the speaker and what he or she is talking about rather than what you want to say next.
Try to maintain eye contact with the speaker at all times. This practice should keep you focused on what the other person has to say, and not so much on what is going on in your mind.
Do not interrupt. As simple as this may seem, it is very important that you abide this rule. Just this one thing, done right, represents a great exercise to improve your listening skills.
Ask questions at natural pause points throughout your conversations. If you ask questions, people will know that you are listening, you will prevent any possible misunderstandings and you will develop your listening skills.
When you do not have a question, acknowledge the other person verbally or non-verbally from time to time, to indicate that you are really listening.

Your listening can also be enhanced by developing awareness of the thoughts arising in your mind. As you notice doubts and obstacles arising, set them aside to make room for new learning. Do all that you can to adopt an open and attentive mind. Open yourself to possibilities, and loosen any preconceived ideas or structures.

If doubts arise as you read or listen to teachings, ask yourself, can I put this idea into practice and see for myself if it works or doesn’t work? In other words, rather than letting my prejudices dictate my response to the material, I can adopt a scientist’s perspective and experiment with the idea.

To further assess our listening and learning skills we can examine how we receive teachings, whether they in a classroom or in written form. In Buddhist practice we try to abandon three faults in listening to teachings:

The fault of being like a pot turned upside down: we are physically present but so profoundly distracted that no teaching can enter our mind;
The fault of being like a bad smelling pot: we listen attentively but our motivation is wrong, for example we are gathering information to discredit the teacher;
The fault of being like a leaky pot: we listen attentively with good motivation but cannot retain what we hear or read.

There are two methods we can use to address the third fault of not remembering. The first is to attempt to recall the essential points of the teaching as soon as possible after the class or reading is finished. The second is to engage in conversation with class mates or study mates soon after a class or reading is done.

Next I’ll explore another of the steps in becoming a great learner: seeking and relying on a guide, teacher, coach or mentor.

Listening and learning (part one)

2011-03-22T16:10:00.003-04:00

Lord, grant that I may seek to understand, than to be understood.[1]

One does not have to be religious to see the wisdom in these words. There is perhaps no skill in this world in shorter supply than listening. We are often so interested in conveying our opinion or experience that we become impaired as listeners. Someone else speaks, our mind goes elsewhere.

Yet developing an open and attentive mind is a critical step in becoming a great learner.

There are three main types – or modes – of listening: competitive, attentive and active.

Competitive listening happens when we are more interested in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring someone else’s view. This is the mode used most commonly in debates, and generally works against understanding, and learning.

In attentive or passive listening we are genuinely interested in hearing and understanding the other person’s point of view. We are open. We assume that we have heard and understand correctly but remain passive and do not verify what we have heard. This mode generally works well when attending lectures or large teachings, and is effective in promoting understanding, and learning.

Active or reflective listening is the most effective mode for gaining clear understanding, and advancing one’s own learning. In active listening we are again genuinely interested in understanding what the other person is trying to convey, yet in this mode we are active in checking our understanding before we respond with our own new message. We restate or paraphrase our understanding of their message and reflect it back to the sender for verification. This verification or feedback process is what distinguishes active listening and makes it effective.

Like most skills this is one that you can develop and practice.

Next I’ll explore exercises will help develop your attentive or active listening skills.

[1] From the Prayer of St. Francis

Preparing your mind (part two)

2011-03-20T21:21:00.005-04:00

Previously we looked at general preparation of your mind for learning. Today we engage in specific preparation that we can use before any learning event, be it a class, a reading, or some other learning experience.

Specific preparation
When you begin any program of study, be it self-study, classroom-based or some combination, your mind is often far from the task at hand. You may be thinking about a conversation you had recently, a project you are working on, the weather, your messy room, what you’ll have for dinner, or any number of things – none of which relate directly to your learning objectives.

Furthermore you may be tired, hungry, not feeling well, or resentful about the time this course is taking away from your regular activities.

These conditions and mental distractions are of course obstacles to learning. So what do we do about them?

Beyond the obvious suggestions – rest, eat, or seek medical attention – there are several things you can do to pacify mental distractions.

First, if you about to engage in self-study, tidy your room or study space so that you have minimal visual distraction. If possible, turn off any video or audio equipment, including computers, to minimize other forms of distraction.

Now identify the distracting thoughts or to-do items. You may find it helpful to write them down. Then identify each as important / not-important and then urgent / not-urgent, so that each item has both an importance rating and an urgency rating.
Remind yourself that you are making time for something – your learning – that may not be urgent, but is very important.

Now let go of all of the not-important items by saying to yourself, “If these become important at some point I will take care of them at that time. For now, they can go.”
Now, take care of those items that are so urgent that you simply must get them out of the way before you start your learning.

Then, having decided how much time you will allot for this learning task, give yourself permission to set aside all of the remaining items on your list for that amount of time, the same way you might for a vacation.

Finally, engage in a relaxation meditation. There are several methods. Here’s one:

Sitting in a comfortable position, with your back straight and not tense, partially or fully close your eyes.

Bring your focus to the gentle sensation of your breath. Notice the slightly cooling sensation as you breathe in, and the slightly warming sensation as you breathe out.
Maintain this focus for about five minutes. If your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to your breath.
At the end of the meditation, gently relax your attention.

Now, open your eyes and prepare to listen – and learn.

Next: listening and learning.

Preparing your mind (part one)

2011-03-16T21:56:00.004-04:00

One of the steps in becoming a great learner involves turning inward and taking stock of one’s own state of mind. In recent posts I’ve explored the benefits of becoming a great learner, and most recently how to generate motivation for learning.

Because mental preparation is so important in any learning task I’ll spend today and tomorrow on this topic.

There are two steps in mental preparation. We’ll briefly discuss the first step—examining your general tendencies, and reinforcing your motivation for learning—today.

In the second, which I’ll explore tomorrow, you engage in specific preparation before any learning event, be it a class, a reading, or some other learning experience.

General preparation

As an adult learner, you bring countless past experiences with you when you begin a new learning task. You therefore carry your past experiences with learning—whether positive or painful—into this new experience. It is helpful to identify such experiences at the outset of any learning experience.

Try sitting in a calm quiet environment for a few minutes, identifying any obstacles to learning, or doubts you may have about yourself or about the program. Then gently set aside these doubts, affirming that you have the will and the skill to take on this new learning challenge. Visualize yourself enjoying the material, making meaningful contributions, and being successful in the learning task.

Before engaging in the learning process, spend a few minutes writing down several specific questions or goals for the learning ahead. If a class, you’ll then be able to watch for the answers to your questions or the fulfillment of your learning goals and jot these down as they occur.

Find ways to connect positively with the subject and your ability to learn. Remember how much you once enjoyed a particular learning experience, how your passion for certain topics led you to excel in one way or another, how challenging some learning task was at first but how it’s ‘second nature’ today.

Next: specific preparation.

Generating motivation

2011-03-10T12:52:00.009-05:00

In recent posts I’ve been exploring the nature of a great learner, and the benefits of becoming a great learner. If you are like me you may read things like these, become convinced of the benefits of life-changing action, but seem unable to get moving—in other words, lacking sufficient motivation.

It is very difficult to begin any learning journey – or for that matter any task – without motivation. If the learning journey you are starting is life-changing you will probably need strong motivation just to counteract your own inertia. Strong motivation will also be necessary when we encounter challenges along the path.

There is no magic switch called ‘motivation’, nor any magic pill that provides it. That being the case, how do we generate motivation for learning? Here are some ideas:

Contemplate your current state; now contemplate the benefits of becoming a great learner (see previous post). If you can, visualize yourself as a great learner. What would you be saying or doing? How would you be feeling? How would it affect those around you?

Contemplate the benefits of the particular training or study program you are attending, or plan to attend. Again, visualize yourself as having accomplished that training. What would you be saying or doing? How would you be feeling? How would it affect those around you?

If you have chosen this particular learning path yourself, strengthen your motivation by reminding yourself how much you need or want this particular learning.

If you have not chosen a particular training event, course or program, strengthen your motivation by looking for the aspects of that training that you believe will be most beneficial to yourself or others. Brainstorm different ways in which this course might apply in your life, even if they don't seem to be immediately applicable.

In order to generate motivation for learning in Buddhist practice we try to develop a sense that we are ‘sick’ – from the mental diseases of delusions – and that we need ‘supreme medicine’ (the teachings), prescribed by a supreme doctor’ (our teacher). This helps us receive teachings eagerly, and helps deepen our respect for our teacher.

In general, we generate strong motivation when the gap between how we are living today and how we would like to be living is large.

Although not always easy, I recommend contemplating how a learning program will truly benefit not just you, but others. If you extend your wish to include others you may notice that it becomes more powerful, and that your motivation becomes stronger.

Once motivation has been generated you can take charge of your own learning. You will learn to love what you do and take an active role in the improvement of your life. In other words you will begin to gain control of your learning, and mastery over your life.

Next: preparing your mind.

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

Why become a great learner?

2011-03-08T09:31:00.023-05:00

Have you ever wanted to excel in some field? Have you ever wanted to be a master, at something? Or have you wanted to develop a new skill, and exceed your own current level of performance? Do you want to benefit others by advancing your own learning?

I shared some thoughts last time about the characteristics of a great learner. Many of us – including me – may have read that post and thought, “Well, sounds like a good thing but not today. I’ve got more urgent business.”

I’d suggest that given the benefits there may be no better use of your time then to spend time becoming a better learner. They may not be noticeable at first but I’ll bet that eventually you will discover many benefits by following the example of great learners.

Here are just a few of those many likely benefits:

You will lead a happier, more fulfilling life. There is certainly anecdotal evidence to support this contention; there may be scientific evidence as well. Think of the people you know or have known who are the most enthusiastic learners.

You will increase your life span. Both anecdotal and empirical data show that you are more likely to enjoy a healthier and longer life if your mind is active, and especially if you find meaning in your activities. Life long learning = long life learning.

You will discover powerful purpose, and meaning, in life. Many view life as a learning lab, our world and universe as an enormous schoolhouse. I encourage you to ask yourself, “What are the most compelling questions I have about life?” and “What are the skills that I most want to develop?”

By deepening your learning you will be able to benefit others in ways not possible today. According to wise teachers throughout history there is no better way to attain your own happiness than by focusing on the happiness of others.

Next I’ll look at the first step in tackling any learning challenge, big or small – generating motivation.

What is a great learner?

2011-03-03T10:00:00.004-05:00

In Tuesday’s post I shared the experience of watching an accomplished scientist – Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson – who demonstrates unusual enthusiasm for learning and discovery. He is somebody we might call a great learner.

So, what is a great learner? Here’s a suggestion:

A great learner is one who excels in their chosen field through commitment to excellence in learning and performance. Such a learner seeks to improve performance or gain realizations consistently through deliberate practice.

Great learners come in all shapes, sizes and sexes. They come from all parts of the world. Some are religious. Others are non-religious. Some are 8 years old, some are 80.

When we investigate the lives of such learners we discover that they share a few common qualities: tremendous motivation, a focus on preparation, a commitment to deliberate practice, deep curiosity about the subject matter, a willingness to take risks, the ability to transform adversity, and seeking help from guides, mentors coaches or other supporters.

Furthermore they show consistent, joyful effort in persevering in the achievement of their goals.

To reassure readers who may already be thinking “that’s not me, I can’t possibly attain those standards”, exceptional learning does not require an exceptional mind – or for that matter exceptional anything.

With the right conditions and strong motivation, everybody can make progress and eventually become a great learner, achieving great performance or attaining high realizations.

Assuming those conditions – that you are fed, housed, living in a usually peaceful household in a usually peaceful community, and free from most mental or physical disabilities – I am confident you can make great progress in your chosen field.

Note as well that as long as you have some mental capacity and capability, age is no barrier to learning. Recent research in the field of neuroscience has shown that people of all ages can learn, i.e. that ‘old dogs’ can learn new tricks.

Next: Why become a great learner?

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.

© 2011 D. G. Luke and FocusFit (2007) Inc.

The Role of the Learner

2011-03-01T13:22:00.003-05:00

It seems most of the focus in the world of learning and development is on the role of the facilitator-instructor, on instructional design and/or learning technologies. Over the next couple of weeks I hope to turn these tables and focus instead on the role of the learner.

I will borrow from academic research and the teachings of a Buddhist spiritual guide, and outline what seem to be the characteristics of those individuals who excel in learning and performance.

But first I’d like to share an experience that was a catalyst for this series.

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and host of the PBS program NOVA scienceNow, made the following statement on a recent episode (US or Canada) of The Daily Show:

“Allow me to say that when you are on the frontier of knowledge between what is known and unknown, reaching out into the abyss, sometimes you actually do have to make stuff up that might be true, so that you can organize a research plan to find out whether or not it is… this is the creativity of discovery…” (my italics)

Watching the interview I was struck by deGrasse Tyson’s enthusiasm. Here is a prominent scientist, more than 30 years into his career, exhibiting the sort of positive energy many of us have not experienced since childhood.

He demonstrates an explorer’s drive to understand, to know. He seems to generate his own motivation, and exhibits deep curiosity about his subject matter. He also understands the power of imagination in learning.

As Einstein said, and as deGrasse Tyson quoted: “Imagination is more important than knowledge”.

Inspired in part by deGrasse Tyson[1] I decided to assemble a list that describes the characteristics of a great learner and, more importantly, a series of steps to become a great learner.

It is my hope that this short series will contribute to the understanding of learning ability, will stimulate constructive discussion and will offer encouragement to people everywhere to expand and deepen their learning practice.

I have drawn upon eclectic sources for this series: the above-mentioned interview; a recent presentation by Dr. Jacqueline P. Leighton of the Faculty of Education at The University of Alberta; and from the writings and teachings of renowned Buddhist meditation master Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

Next: What is a Great Learner?

[1] You can see the full interview at http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-18-2011/neil-degrasse-tyson (US) or http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart/interviews-a-z/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart---interviews-d/clip407200#clip407200 (Canada).

-David Luke, Senior Consultant at FocusFit (2007) Inc.