THE LEARNING ORGANISATION
THE SIXTH DISCIPLINE ?

In Peter M Senge's book introducing the learning organisation, there is a strong bias towards systems thinking (the "fifth discipline"). Indeed, Senge considers this discipline so important that he refers to it as the cornerstone of the five disciplines. Though we would not disagree with his logic in placing systems thinking in such a strong position we find that many organisations have great difficulty in relating to and understanding this particular discipline and as a result they lean towards the easier option of personal mastery, which they more readily understand and therefore welcome. But in order for a discipline to be successful it must be understood, welcomed, initiated and sustained by all participants. This is not the case with systems thinking, and probably not the case with all the other known disciplines of the learning organisation, even personal mastery. What is needed is a foundation discipline upon which the other disciplines can stand and be understood and welcomed by all.

There is a common thread that runs through all the disciplines of the learning organisation and also through all organisations - people - and there is an activity that everyone uses according to their own capacity, has some understanding of and uses most of the time. It is talking together about all sorts of things, conversation. Work by Stewart and Mintzberg shows that managers spend between 63-69% of their time in conversation, so if we can develop a foundation discipline based on conversation, we should be able to initiate the process which will lead to a successful convergence of all the disciplines and launch the learning organisation into the innovation stage. Is this the much sought-after sixth discipline?

We call it Interactive Consultation, so what is it and how can we formulate rules for, what is in effect, good conversation? Interactive Consultation can be defined as a process of sharing thoughts and feelings through talking things out with others in an atmosphere of co-operation and harmony with a commitment to accomplishing some definite, common purpose. We believe that the word consultation is often misunderstood in that it is frequently used to describe the process of communicating information about decisions which have already been made by others (" We will consult the staff about this" often means " We have decided what to do and we will now inform those involved"). We believe that true consultation is the process that takes place in arriving at a decision and not at the later communicating stage. It does not involve talking about things in general, nor entering into mere dialogue, it involves open-minded consideration of all the issues involved and the reaching of consensus, through an increase in synergy, not by accepting the lowest common denominator ( the negotiation trap). Without true consensus there can be no commitment to a course of action and without commitment things tend not to happen.

In those organisations where the management is irresolute, the first steps in this direction cannot involve elaborate goals and lines of action. Initially, it is necessary to create self confidence throughout the organisation, teach everyone how to reach unity of thought and consensus, and develop their organisational capacity. This can be achieved by patiently assisting everybody to carry out a few concrete, well-defined actions. Once the capacity for group action is enhanced and management begins to guide the organisation, the collaborative efforts of the various functions can be directed towards the strengthening of regular activities that characterise each particular organisation. On the other hand, organisations that already have interactive functional activities need guidance to arrive at a unified vision of growth, to devise strategies, to establish lines of action and to arise in unity to carry out collective decisions.

The Attitudes

For Interactive Consultation to be successful certain attitudes need to be encouraged (the seven virtues) and others discouraged (the seven deadly sins).

The Seven Virtues

• Motive - Working towards the same objective without hidden agendas speeds the process.
• Spirit - Enthusiasm and a positive outlook help the process of finding good solutions.
• Detachment - Holding preconceived ideas, positions or answers conflicts with finding new solutions.
• Attraction - Eagerness to hear the contributions of others brings forth better ideas.
• Moderation - Moderation aids consultation, arrogance or patronising attitudes undermines it.
• Patience - Patience and poise under stress allow the best solutions to develop.
• Helpfulness - An attitude of helpfulness gives priority to group over self.

The Seven Deadly Sins

• Discord - Power plays and contention hinder the growth of good ideas.
• Stubbornness - Guarantees discord and wrangling and silences the inherent genius of the group.
• Pride of Authorship - Ideas belong to the group. Once an idea has surfaced it becomes the property of the group, not of its author.
• Discounting - Putting others or their ideas down stifles the group genius.
• Advocacy - Each member should present their views and not those of others.
• Criticism - In or out of the meeting, criticism prevents decisions from proving their worth.

Dominating - Superior/subordinate roles should be set aside and all ideas considered on merit. When one member of the group wins over another, the group loses. When the group wins, there are no losers. Winning is working together.

The Discussion

During group meetings certain conditions need to be present for Interactive Consultation to be successful. Different opinions are crucial and help to create a dynamic tension within the group. We suggest that the following conditions make it possible to use that dynamic tension for the common good.

• Unity - The creation of an environment for fresh ideas occurs when there exists a condition of unity and harmony. This occurs when the attraction of common purpose is seen to outweigh the distraction of differences. This requires putting aside personal differences and having a genuine concern for one another in the group. It involves avoiding both giving offence to others and being offended by the remarks of others.

• Focus - All members of the group need to concentrate on the same thing and seek the best results. The degree of commitment to, and concentration on, the common objective determines the degree to which positive results can be produced.

The Procedures

In order to ensure that the best possible results grow from humble origins, we recommend that all members of the group be aware of the following points:

• Commitment - All involved should be committed to serving the best interests of the group as a whole.
• Courtesy - The best audience for ideas is guaranteed if discussions are carried out in a courteous manner.
• Respect - All group members need to respect themselves, others and the work being done.
• Care - Ideas need to be presented carefully and duties carried out faithfully.
• Moderation - Thoughts should be expressed clearly and strongly in order to be fully understood by others. The main purpose is to inform, not necessarily to persuade. Different points of view, if expressed properly, will lead naturally toward harmony and away from bickering.

Contention produces poor results from otherwise good ideas.

The Decisions

Decisions involve a three-step process, as follows:

• Understanding - The first step is to grasp the problem, project or situation and then determine what is to be accomplished. This involves searching for, finding and weighing relevant facts, understanding their background and considering the implications.

• Resolving - After consultation has been completed, a trial solution is arrived at. If all agree, this solution becomes the decision. If disagreement exists, the solution is changed until consensus or a majority vote settles the issue. We stress that this is not a compromise, rather the search for the best solution.

• Implementing - The last part of the decision making process is the carrying out of the decision that has been arrived at. It makes no difference how anyone voted, a decision is the decision of the group as a whole and all involved must work towards its success. In this process there is no minority opinion, no opposition view. If, at the implementation stage, changes are seen to be needed, these can be made as the plan unfolds.

During this three-step process, different points of view are freely given and it is from often differing opinions that ideas germinate and grow. Ideas produce the spark of understanding and it is vital to understand that ideas come from opinions, they do not come from personalities or positions. These differences should be expressed before solutions are suggested. Judgements need to be suspended until discussion is complete.

The Evidence

How do we know when good Interactive Consultation exists within a group? We know that the product of consultation is heightened synergy within the group and we can recognise the following signs of good consultation:

• Surprise - When the outcome is a surprise. Ideas may not have been allowed to grow and synergy may not have developed to its full potential if the outcome could have been predicted.

• Opinion Shift - If everyone in the group ends up with the same opinion they started with, there is evidence that closed minds exist.

• Enlightenment - When the group feels good and refreshed at the end of the discussion good consultation undoubtedly exists. Feeling weighted down and fatigued is often a symptom of faulty consultation and minimal synergy.

The degree to which individuals try to accomplish the above within groups is the degree to which synergy will be experienced. Synergy enables any group to reach the best possible solutions of which it is capable. Such decisions can often display a touch of genius which would have appeared impossible at the outset.

The Conclusions

In these rapidly changing times, the world is becoming much smaller, the latest technology is becoming available to all, but today's technology is being quickly replaced. Organisations are beginning to recognise that technology-based competitive advantage is transient and that the only truly sustainable competitive advantage they have is their employees. Yet, a recent study by International Survey Research quoted in the Daily Telegraph on January 1st 1997 under the headline "Employees" morale plummets as they lose faith in their firms" suggests that "employees have started to distance themselves from their employers and their aspirations and achievements". This would suggest to us that many employees no longer feel part of the organisation they work for, that they are not committed to the aims and goals of the organisation and in consequence their interest, enthusiasm, ideas and creativity are lost. How can organisations sustain competitive advantage if their employees, or some of them at least, feel alienated?

When we look at the way in which most organisations are structured - the pyramidal structure - we find the advantages of authority, responsibility and control. We also find disadvantages - rigidity and inflexibility, yet in these rapidly changing times organisations need to be flexible and adaptable to survive and grow. We also find isolation - the organisation tends to operate in isolation from the environment in which it exists, in isolation from many of its employees, and worse, departments within the organisation work autonomously without regard to other departments or to the overall aims of the organisation as a whole. Could this be the underlying reason why so many employees no longer feel part of the organisation they work for?

Yet, people in organisations talk to one another, they have social contact and they discuss problems, why should they feel isolated? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that most organisations do not recognise the true worth of good conversation, whether they are striving to become learning organisations or not. Everyone in the organisation should be encouraged to contribute to its success and yet organisations still tend to use outside help to solve particular problems when they have, in all probability, the necessary in-house expertise, if only they could find ways of utilising that expertise. Using employees to solve problems in their own area of influence is usually a cheaper option, and also offers the added advantage of involving employees in the decision-making process, albeit at their own level in the organisation. It is often thought, particularly by senior management, that control and responsibility are lost if employees are involved in this process, but by utilising the principles of Interactive Consultation organisations can create flexibility within the existing structure. Employees or groups of employees are encouraged to take decisions at a level where they may safely do so within guidelines set down by senior management. Employees are, in essence, encouraged to become part of the organisation, not alienated from it.

For those organisations that are on their way to becoming learning organisations, Interactive Consultation can be thought of as the cement that binds together the other five disciplines into a convergent, coherent and manageable philosophy.

For those organisations who want to become learning organisations, yet are daunted by the task, Interactive Consultation can be a powerful tool with which to start the process, a disciplined approach with which to appraise the whole organisation, its strengths and its weaknesses, perhaps even its whole philosophy.

For those organisations who have never heard of the learning organisation, and who currently have no intention of ever becoming one, Interactive Consultation can be implemented as a stand - alone discipline.

At whatever stage organisations are in their development, whether they are learning organisations or not, change is taking place rapidly, both in a structural and global sense, and to cope with these changes they need the flexibility and adaptability that only employees can sustain. Organisations need employees who feel part of the organisation just as much as employees need organisations that they can feel part of. Organisations, therefore, need to put in place a framework within which everyone can participate, within which everyone can contribute to growth, survival and success. We need that framework to unveil the unique blend of creativity, energy and ideas that organisations possess, but which often lays dormant and unused in the minds of their employees.

That framework is called the Interactive Consultation process.

D H Black and C D Synan European Business Systems Ltd.
7 Old Tram Road
Hereford, HR2 7AW
Tel: (01432) 356751
Fax: (01981) 550424
Email: CompuServe 100535.2431
: E.B.S@btinternet.com

May, 1997