leading Innov

Respond to the two discussions post using 150 to 200 words

LaTanya

The learning topic I chose is Strategic Thinking. Strategic Thinking is how our mind works and makes decisions based on past experiences. Information keeps us informed, but we need to be wiser. Therefore, we need more than the information we get to be problem solvers. For strategic Thinking to work, we must be aware of how the world works. We must process the information we receive, use it, and gain knowledge. One of the most potent things in strategic learning is mental models. Mental models express emotions or awareness of our thoughts, just like in the video. One wanted to pet the dog, but the other person was scared. This can be due to past experiences they both have encountered that made them take in that information and react differently. Integrating this concept with adult learning is significant in the workplace. All adults learn differently; I want to be the leader to tap into those different areas of my team to bring out the best in them to help them grow.

Using this organizational learning concept as a foundation relates because I want to be open-minded and respectful to the different cultures and diversity of the ones I lead and, in my case, teaching students. When I go to coaching, I can build from the knowledge I have gained from their background to help them be successful. The most important takeaway from my chosen concept is breaking things down into four categories. One is a distinction. This is how our brain makes decisions about one thing or another. Then we organize them into a system and how things work together. Then we create a relationship based on our decisions; this is our cause n effect. This is critical because building relationships in the company is vital. Keeping yourself aware of your employees and the skills that they may have can bring on new ideas to help move the organization in the right direction. Lastly, we have our perspective, which is our point of view. They all work together at the same time using our senses. My goal after watching the video is to be open to different perspectives so I can grow and learn and build healthy relationships in my organization.

References: System-thinking: A little Film About s Big Idea

Mary

I connected the most with the Iceberg Model. My team is frequently approached by our internal clients with issues regarding their client’s ledgers that need to be resolved to the client’s satisfaction and to properly report the revenue in a way that is sound bookkeeping. I have found in my own experience that there is a real need to drill down to the problem or scenario that is prompting the question that is being asked.  There is always more to the story. More discussion and questions should be asked to get to the real issue and the real catalyst behind the current scenario. Once the whole story is mapped out from start to current time, it is clear what the best way to resolve the issue should be.

When it comes to adult learning, I train my team to ask questions from their internal client that lead them to the origin of the issue they are experiencing. It means they have to put  themselves into the shoes of the client and think about how the questions appears to them. It is not always a good idea to bounce emails back and forth with our internal clients because each issue could have several moving parts to it and is difficult to convey that through written text. The more an email conversation volleys between the two parties, the more likelihood that one or both parties will be come frustrated with the amount of time that is being used to resolve the problem. I encourage my team to jump on a phone call and have a short conversation with the person about the topic at hand and then propose the solution or seek a solution and get back to them. We are all busy and it makes more sense and saves more time to just step aside for a few minutes and talk live with someone than bounce emails back and forth.

As it relates to diversity, culture and multicultural issues, I think it is important to be aware of our unconscious biases prior to collaborating with our internal clients. Real conversations are often a better way of connecting with others than written emails.  Additionally, I have found that emails that are sent from our internal clients of other nationalities are often difficult to decipher. Finding the time for a short conversation shows our internal clients that we value their time and want to get to the bottom of their problem quickly and resolved quickly so they can focus on billable activities. 

The most important take-away for me with regard to this concept is that learning becomes a side effect of everyday processes when the iceberg model is employed. It helps each person involved to develop better understanding of the opposing role with which they are dealing.