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how_do_we_overcome_i_win_you_lose_type_thinking_to_open_organization_to_learning [2018/12/26 14:34] – created hpsamioshow_do_we_overcome_i_win_you_lose_type_thinking_to_open_organization_to_learning [2022/07/26 09:42] (current) hans
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-====== How to we Overcome Win Lose Type Thinking to Open and Organization to Learning? ======+====== How To Overcome Win-Lose Type Thinking to Open an Organization to Learning? ======
  
 ====== Premise ====== ====== Premise ======
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 ====== Meta Data ====== ====== Meta Data ======
  
-Title: How to we Overcome Win / Lose Type Thinking to Open and Organization to Learning? +  * Title: How to we Overcome Win / Lose Type Thinking to Open an Organization to Learning? 
-Co-Presenter: None +  Co-Presenter: None 
-Featured Participants: None +  Featured Participants: None 
-Track: Leadership  +  Track: Leadership  
-Session Type: Workshop +  Session Type: Workshop 
-Audience Level: Practicing +  Audience Level: Practicing 
-Room Setup: Rounds +  Room Setup: Rounds 
-Maximum Desired Attendees: 125? +  Maximum Desired Attendees: 125? 
-Duration: 75mins +  Duration: 75mins 
-Keywords: Leadership Win Lose Betting Truth +  Keywords: Leadership Win Lose Betting Truth 
  
 ====== Abstract ====== ====== Abstract ======
  
-===== V1 =====+===== Version as Initially Presented =====
  
-Once decision is made need to move away from win / lose if something gets changedWhat exercise helps this. How do we get people to jointly collaborate, work to improvehold accountable.+When we work an agile transformation we see a number of leadership behaviors that slow the adoption of the new approach. One is that we continue to see people, especially leadership, get stuck on a particular position which they have trouble moving from. The feeling is that they don’t want to be seen to be losing if things don’t follow their thinking; that someone else will win. So while everyone will talk about "establishing a learning culture"the behavior isn't really about learning at all but rather posturing
  
-How do we encourage seeking of truth instead of posturing.+In traditional management cultures the problem is in the relative positioning - its either that I 100% win, or that I 100% lose. How do we encourage truth-seeking instead of posturing? What we need to do is to get the conversation to be able to better deal with ambiguity by becoming more explicit on working with probabilities and less about absolute positions.
  
-And related to this, how do we become more disciplined in our experiments and move away from “let’s experiment” just means “we can do whatever we want”+This workshop will work through an understanding of why people think the way they do, the problems traditional thinking causes, an alternative approach using a "betting" metaphor to more accurately assess positions and encourage less posturing. By thinking in terms of bets, and setting up real experiments, you will be able to improve how you and your organization makes decisions and conducts experiments.
  
 Of course in many ways this is all a lead up. In the final analysis we want people to retrospect regularly, discover problems and learn new things, and figure out ways to get better. This thinking should also support that and, if we have scheduled retrospectives, will help us be crisper about what we are seeing when we review the results of the experiment at the next retrospective. Of course in many ways this is all a lead up. In the final analysis we want people to retrospect regularly, discover problems and learn new things, and figure out ways to get better. This thinking should also support that and, if we have scheduled retrospectives, will help us be crisper about what we are seeing when we review the results of the experiment at the next retrospective.
  
-===== V2 =====+===== Updated Version as a Result of Feedback =====
  
-When we work transformation we see a number of leadership behaviors. One is that we see that leadership learn how to use the new language to work in old waysFor example we see the idea that if we say this is an experiment” it gives us license to do whatever we want+When we work an agile transformation we see a number of leadership behaviors that slow the adoption of the new approach. One that we often see is when people, especially leadership, get stuck on a particular position from which they have trouble moving even when there is significant evidence that their position is wrongThe feeling is that they don’t want to be seen to be losing if things don’t follow their thinking; that someone else will win. So while everyone will talk about establishing learning culture”, the behavior isn't really about learning but rather posturing.
  
-We also see people get stuck on positions and the feeling is that they don’t want to be seen to be losing if it doesn’t go their way. We need to get the conversation more precise in dealing with ambiguity by becoming more explicit on working with probabilities and less about absolute positions.+In traditional management cultures the problem is in the relative positioning - its either that I 100% win, or that I 100% loseHow do we encourage truth-seeking instead of posturing?
  
-By thinking more in terms of bets, and setting up real experiments, the thinking is that:+What we need is to better way to deal with ambiguity by becoming more explicit on working with probabilities and less about absolute positions. This workshop will work through an understanding of why people think the way they do, the problems traditional thinking causes, an alternative approach using a “betting” metaphor to more accurately assess positions and encourage more collaboration and less posturing. We will:
  
-- Help us deal with motivated reasoning bias (our drive to create positive self-narrative) +  * Review bad decision you have made 
-- Help use deal with self-serving bias (also our drive to create a positive self-narrative) +  * Understand how we interpret the outcome of that decision 
-  - If I win it is because of my skill; if I lose it is because of bad luck +  * Understand how this interpretation leads to posturing and other poor outcomes for the organization 
-  - If you win it’s because you were lucky; not because of skill +  * Use of a betting metaphor to change how we think about the outcome 
-- Working through need to be seen to competitive human nature win (my decision, my skill) vs lose for decisions +  * Use of an template to capture these bets as an experiment 
-- Allow us to develop new habits +  * Develop ideas on how you can take this approach back to your organization
-- Allow more people to contribute (more collaborative) as it is no longer just me vs you +
-- Get us away from “let’s run an experiment” meaning “I’ll do whatever I want to do” by putting a little precision behind things +
  
-Of course in many ways this is all a lead up. In the final analysis we want people to retrospect regularlydiscover problems and learn new things, and figure out ways to get better. This thinking should also support that and, if we have scheduled retrospectives, will help us be crisper about what we are seeing when we review the results of the experiment at the next retrospective.+By thinking in terms of bets, and setting up real experiments (with testable outcomes that are captured and reviewed)you will be able to improve how you and your organization makes decisions and collaborates. And you will help move the culture away from posturing to learning.
  
 ====== Learning Outcomes ====== ====== Learning Outcomes ======
  
-Improve our ability to make decisions (so we are able to leverage everyone’s input, and I don’t have to be right (win) at the expense of everyone else (lose)) +  * Improve our ability to make decisions (so we are able to leverage everyone’s input, and I don’t have to be right (win) at the expense of everyone else (lose)) 
-Establish a learning culture by more formally tracking decisions (so “it’s an experiment” doesn’t just mean “we do whatever we want”) +  Establish a learning culture by more formally tracking decisions (so “it’s an experiment” doesn’t just mean “we do whatever we want”) 
-Work experiments into retrospective process so we become more intentional about our learning +  Work experiments into retrospective process so we become more intentional about our learning
- +
-Other ideas. What is the learning model for leadership and how is this part of that? We want new behaviors for leadership. Is there a learning model we can pull together?+
  
 ====== Prerequisite Knowledge ====== ====== Prerequisite Knowledge ======
  
-Expectation is that people have have come across the issue of leadership not really leaning in to the transformation, that they are pretty much behaving as they normally have.+None really, although there is an expectation that people have have come across this issue with leadership not really leaning in to the transformation, that they are pretty much behaving as they normally have and would like to work this issue.
  
 ====== Information for Program Team ====== ====== Information for Program Team ======
  
 This is an outline for the session. After the introductions, scene setting, we will run through the following steps: This is an outline for the session. After the introductions, scene setting, we will run through the following steps:
 +
 +Information for Program Team
 +
 +This is an outline for the session. After the introductions, scene setting, the problem I was trying to solve, we will run through the following workshop steps:
 +
 +  * Exercise: “What was the best and worst business decision you made in the last year and why was this the best / worst decision?” (5 minutes brain write / 5 minutes discuss at table / 5 minutes debrief including my experience)
 +  * Exercise: “Why is it bad to conflate the decision and the result? Let’s capture some ideas” (5 minutes discuss at table / 5 minutes debrief including my experience)
 +  * Exercise: “At each table there is a sheet with some common biases that effect our decision making. At your table quickly come up with definitions of these biases. You can use your phones:-)” (5 minutes discuss at table / 5 minutes debrief)
 +  * Exercise: “Remembering these biases, what do you notice about the outcomes that didn't turn out the way you wanted?” (5 minutes brain write / 5 minutes discuss at table / 5 minutes debrief including my experience)
 +  * My story: Understanding the difference between skill and luck in any outcome
 +  * Exercise: “I want you to go back to your worst decision and reflect, based on what you know now, whether the decision (versus the outcome) was actually good or bad, whether you learned anything as a result.” (5 minutes discuss at table / 5 minutes debrief including my experience)
 +  * Introduce: Betting approach including sample approach to capturing experiments
 +  * Exercise: “On your table, you have a template for 'experiments'. This not the final version, just an idea on what it could look like but is mainly about the fields that we should capture. I've also supplied a sample experiment I've run. I want you to think about a decision you are in the process of making right now. Let's set up a real experiment about this decision. Be prepared to present experiment.” (5 minutes discuss at table / 5 minutes debrief including my experience)
 +  * My story: How I applied this approach
 +  * Exercise: "What Are We Going to Do Tomorrow?" (5 minutes brain write)
 +  * Close (5 mins)
 +
 +====== Presentation History ======
 +
 +I have been doing agile transformation work since 2007 coaching, facilitating workshops, developing training materials, working with executives and leadership, and working day-to-day on agile transformations from team to enterprise level. I am currently leading a transformation of a traditional IT organization that will result in over 100 teams, geographically dispersed. This experience lead to the creation of this new workshop. The approach discussed has been worked with groups of leaders and coaches in that transformation. This is the first time it has be pulled together as a single workshop session.
 +
 +I have also previously presented at the Agile Alliance Conferences:
 +
 +  * In 2016 I ran a workshop "How to Work Personality Issues Without Sounding Like a Marriage Guidance Counsellor?". The workshop was aimed at simple conflict resolution approaches for people who do not feel comfortable with soft skills. The workshop had well over 100 people in the room and received great reviews. The link below shows the preparation work for this session and has links to the PowerPoints and PDF versions of the workshop. Also see https://www.agilealliance.org/resources/sessions/how-to-work-personality-issues-without-sounding-like-a-marriage-guidance-counsellor/
 +  * In 2014 I presented a user experience called  "Our Estimates are Terrible!". This session was aimed at helping people change their focus from improving estimates when their plans don't work out to working the real issue - in this case over-committing. See https://www.agilealliance.org/resources/experience-reports/estimates-terrible/
 +  * In 2011 I presented a session called "Overcoming Traditional Project Release Reporting with an Agile Approach Focused on Change". This session was aimed at moving reporting away from status reporting with lots of data to an approach based on basic agile metrics. See https://www.agilealliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Overcoming-Traditional-Project-Release-Reporting-with-an-Agile-Approach-Focused-on-Change-v04.pdf.
 +
 +====== More Detail on the Workshop ======
 +
  
 ===== Bad Decision? ===== ===== Bad Decision? =====
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 ===== Biases Effecting Decisions ===== ===== Biases Effecting Decisions =====
-  
  
 Exercise Exercise
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 Learning charter:  Learning charter: 
  
-A focus on accuracy (over confirmation), which includes rewarding learning, objectivity, and open-mindedness within the group;  +  * A focus on accuracy (over confirmation), which includes rewarding learning, objectivity, and open-mindedness within the group;  
-Accountability, for which members have advance notice; and +  Accountability, for which members have advance notice; and 
-Openness to a diversity of ideas.+  Openness to a diversity of ideas.
  
 And finally use the natural agile ceremonies to operationalize learning with experiments as an input into that.  And finally use the natural agile ceremonies to operationalize learning with experiments as an input into that. 
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 Biases Effecting Our Decision Making: Biases Effecting Our Decision Making:
  
-Blind-spot bias:  +  * Blind-spot bias:  
-Motivated reasoning (or confirmation bias):  +  Motivated reasoning (or confirmation bias):  
-Hindsight bias: +  Hindsight bias: 
  
 Special bonus bias Special bonus bias
  
-Loss aversion:+  * Loss aversion:
  
 Answer Sheet Answer Sheet
  
-Blind-spot bias: an irrationality where people are better at recognizing biased reasoning in others but are blind to bias in themselves (part of positive self narative+  * Blind-spot bias: an irrationality where people are better at recognizing biased reasoning in others but are blind to bias in themselves (part of positive self narrative
-Motivated reasoning (or confirmation bias): form / cling to beliefs despite overwhelming evidence. Seek out information that confirms what they believe. (Part of positive self narrative) +  Motivated reasoning (or confirmation bias): form / cling to beliefs despite overwhelming evidence. Seek out information that confirms what they believe. (Part of positive self narrative) 
-Hindsight bias: Thinking that, after an outcome is known, to see the outcome as having been inevitable. (Part of need to have certaincy) +  Hindsight bias: Thinking that, after an outcome is known, to see the outcome as having been inevitable. (Part of need to have certaincy) 
-Loss aversion: Refers to people’s tendency to avoiding losses to acquiring equivalent gains: it is better to not lose 5 than to find 5. It is thought that the pain of losing is psychologically twice as powerful as the please of gaining.+  Loss aversion: Refers to people’s tendency to avoiding losses to acquiring equivalent gains: it is better to not lose 5 than to find 5. It is thought that the pain of losing is psychologically twice as powerful as the please of gaining.
  
-===== Experiment Template ===== 
  
-Experiment Template+{{page>how_can_we_more_formally_capture_an_experiment#experiment template&notags&noindent&noeditbutton&nouser&nomdate&nodate}}
  
-See “snippet:experiment” 
  
-Idea: Brief description of the experiment +====== My Notes ======
  
-- Expectation: +Broader objectives of this session:
-  - I think this will happen, but I am a 6(say, of of 10, so 60% chance) on that +
-- How will we know:  +
-  - Data: what will we track +
-  - Tracked by: who with track it +
-  - Timebox: when will we come back and review this +
-- Result +
-  - TBD - to be filled in while experiment is running  +
-- Next: +
-  - TBD - to be filled in on completion of experiment+
  
-====== My Notes ======+  * Help us deal with motivated reasoning bias (our drive to create a positive self-narrative) 
 +  * Help use deal with self-serving bias (also our drive to create a positive self-narrative) 
 +     * If I win it is because of my skill; if I lose it is because of bad luck 
 +     * If you win it’s because you were lucky; not because of skill 
 +  * Working through need to be seen to competitive human nature win (my decision, my skill) vs lose for decisions 
 +  * Allow us to develop new habits 
 +  * Allow more people to contribute (more collaborative) as it is no longer just me vs you 
 +  * Get us away from “let’s run an experiment” meaning “I’ll do whatever I want to do” by putting a little precision behind things  
 +  * Allow the formation of a learning organization 
 + 
 +Other ideas. What is the learning model for leadership and how is this part of that? We want new behaviors for leadership. Is there a learning model we can pull together?
  
 Perhaps we go with better approach to win / lose and set up real experiment. Say probability, and we are seeking to improve. Perhaps we go with better approach to win / lose and set up real experiment. Say probability, and we are seeking to improve.
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 This is how we think we form abstract beliefs:  This is how we think we form abstract beliefs: 
  
-We hear something;  +  * We hear something;  
-We think about it and vet it, determining whether it is true or false;  +  We think about it and vet it, determining whether it is true or false;  
-only after that We form our belief. +  only after that We form our belief. 
  
 It turns out, though, that we actually form abstract beliefs this way: It turns out, though, that we actually form abstract beliefs this way:
  
-We hear something;  +  * We hear something;  
-We believe it to be true; +  We believe it to be true; 
-Only sometimes, later, if we have the time or the inclination, we think about it and vet it, determining whether it is, in fact, true or false.+  Only sometimes, later, if we have the time or the inclination, we think about it and vet it, determining whether it is, in fact, true or false.
  
 In other words, people are credulous. In other words, people are credulous.
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 Learning charter:  Learning charter: 
  
-A focus on accuracy (over confirmation), which includes rewarding learning, objectivity, and open-mindedness within the group;  +  * A focus on accuracy (over confirmation), which includes rewarding learning, objectivity, and open-mindedness within the group;  
-Accountability, for which members have advance notice; and +  Accountability, for which members have advance notice; and 
-Openness to a diversity of ideas.+  Openness to a diversity of ideas.
  
 Powerful questions for learning groups: Powerful questions for learning groups:
  
-Why might my belief not be true?  +  * Why might my belief not be true?  
-What other evidence might be out there bearing on my belief?  +  What other evidence might be out there bearing on my belief?  
-Are there similar areas I can look toward to gauge whether similar beliefs to mine are true?  +  Are there similar areas I can look toward to gauge whether similar beliefs to mine are true?  
-What sources of information could I have missed or minimized on the way to reaching my belief?  +  What sources of information could I have missed or minimized on the way to reaching my belief?  
-What are the reasons someone else could have a different belief, what’s their support, and why might they be right instead of me?  +  What are the reasons someone else could have a different belief, what’s their support, and why might they be right instead of me?  
-What other perspectives are there as to why things turned out the way they did?+  What other perspectives are there as to why things turned out the way they did?
  
  
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 References: References:
  
-Book Thinking in BetsTo work through concept of bets, and setting up truth-seeking culture +  * [[thinking_in_bets_-_annie_duke|"Thinking in Bets" - Annie Duke]] - To work through concept of bets, and setting up truth-seeking culture 
-Book Math with Bad Drawings. To understand impact of independent events vs cascading events.+  Book Math with Bad Drawings. To understand impact of independent events vs cascading events.
  
  
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