If you are a football fan, you must have followed the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This year’s event consists of 32 international football teams competing in various parts of Brazil. My new knowledge from the Netherlands vs. Mexico match is that there is such a thing called “cooling breaks”. With high temperatures in Brazil, football players are allowed to take a break after the 30th minute of the first and second half of the game at the referee’s discretion, if the temperature exceeds 32 °C (90 °F).
I always believe that the learning process continues throughout our life time. You learn new things everyday, if you allow yourself to learn. As a consultant, there are quite a number of change theories to choose from. Triple Loop Learning is another interesting organization theory by Chris Argyris.
source: http://www.thorsten.org/wiki/index.php?title=Triple_Loop_Learning
Familiarizing you with the Single Loop, Double Loop, and Triple Loop concepts: “Single loop learning” leads to making minor fixes or adjustments where small changes are made to specific practices or behaviours, based on what has or has not worked in the past. “Double loop learning” works with major fixes or changes, like redesigning an organizational function or structure. This is the level of process analysis where people become observers. We change the way we make decisions and deepen the understanding of our assumptions. “Triple loop learning” results in enhancing ways to comprehend and change our purpose, developing better understanding of how to respond to our environment, and deepening our comprehension of why we chose to do things we do. With this we can produce new commitments and ways of learning.
The theory has direct application to our very own home, our organization, and our community. This is a process of self change. This kind of ‘Change’ happens when you realize that you do not go back to who you used to be; it results in behavioural change and improving performance. Your mind changes the way you see and understand things that are going on around you. The theory works along with Appreciative Inquiry where the process of Discovery, Dream, Design, and Deliver has strong implications on the context, assumptions, action, and results of the strategic management.
Practicing triple loop theory requires us to keep trying just like football games where sportsmanship is honoured. Value of discipline and teamwork plus very hard and frequent practice schedules. The team players will need a good coach who guides them with exceptional strategy as well. When you fall, you get up and start again. Aim for the goal and work your ways toward achieving your goals.
“If you can’t fly then run. If you can’t run then walk. If you can’t walk then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
