Spiral of Learning

I’m pretty excited to tell you we have a great new book available. “In Pursuit of the Sunbeam: A Practical Guide to Transformation from Institution to Household” written by our very own LaVrene Norton and Steve Shields of Meadowlark Hills in Manhattan, KS. There’s lots of great stuff in it about growing leadership and turning your organization into a learning organization.

One process mentioned in the book is the Spiral of Learning. (I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned it earlier in the blog!) This is a process of assessing a situation and formulating action. There are five steps:

1. Observation
2. Interpretation
3. Emotion
4. Intention
5. Action

It works like this: You take in information about a situation through your senses. You take your previous knowledge and the new information and formulate a picture of the situation in your mind. Then, your emotions come in and your feelings about the situation arise. The data, your interpretation and your emotions come into play as you think about what you will do or how you will partake in the situation. After formulating your intention, you act. We do this hundreds of times a day without thinking about it. However, as you go through change, it is important and helpful to purposely go through these steps to make careful and well thought out actions.

An excerpt for “In Pursuit of the Sunbeam” further explains:

“In culture change it is important to stop and commit to self-awareness. The conscious sense of self is vital because with the change in culture comes change in data, thinking, feelings and intentions. Your awareness of how these changes impact your interpretations and emotions will enable you to make the transition in culture as effective and smooth as possible. Keeping tabs on your internal thought processes also will give you a sense of stability and control to help alleviate the feelings of anxiety that accompany change.”

A handout also taken from “In Pursuit of the Sunbeam,” will help you go even deeper into the process. The Spiral of Learning is not just a one-time exercise. Work to utilize it on a regular basis to improve your chances for positive, productive outcomes.