Why don’t I get it?
Yesterday, I spent the morning with the leadership team of an organisation. To help them make better sense of their world, I introduced a model and got them into smaller breakout groups to apply it and experiment with it.
One group seemed stuck, and for a long time, they wrote nothing on their flip chart. I went over to check in on them.
Leader #1: “We’re stuck because we’re confused, is [Aspect] ‘A’ or is it ‘B’?”
Me: “Why might it be ‘A’? And why might it be ‘B’?”
They went on to explain. Their answers made sense.
Leader #2: “So... It is both?”
Me: “It can be… But rather than simply say it can be both, try asking: If it is ‘A’, what is the effect? If it is ‘B’, what is the effect?”
Leader #1: (Pondering) “Quite different.”
Me: “Mm hmm.”
Leader #3: “Actually, it can also be ‘C’, because …” (and gives the explanation)
Leader #1: “Har?”
Leader #2: “Oh yah.”
Leader #1: “So it can be everything.”
Me: “Maybe? Again, rather than just say it can be everything, ask: When might it be A, when might it be B, when might it be C? And how might it be different, each one of those?”
They went on discussing, and came up with more examples to stress test the model.
Leader #1: “Wah, this is confusing.”
Me: “It’s not the model that’s confusing. What’s confusing is the world you live in. Can you imagine if you didn’t have a model to even name things and question them?”
Leader #1: (sighs) “We are so not getting this.”
I paused, and then I smiled.
Me: “Oh, I think you guys are totally getting this! The fact that you can come up with all these examples to stress test the model.”
Leader #1: (sneaky smile) “Yes, we are getting there.”
Totally made my day ✨😌
Unfortunately, we live in a world that has developed rather narrow ideas of learning. And in a fast paced world, we hope (or maybe even expect) learning to be done quickly and efficiently.
But often, the most valuable learning is not efficient. It is difficult, it is confusing, and you feel like you don’t get it.
But in the midst of your struggle, frustration or exasperation, you get it…
As a teacher at heart, to witness this is one of the most rewarding things… 🐌🌷☺️