January 31, 2003

Is your school, family, or organization about knowing or learning?

A school, family, or organization that focuses on "knowing" will put
the emphasis on measuring being right. The "knowing" culture requires
that:
:: Some people know, some do not.
:: Those who know more are in charge.
:: Those in charge must keep some knowledge secret.
:: There is one right answer.
:: Authority comes from having the answer.
:: Challenging the answer means challenging authority.
:: There is not enough knowing to go around.
:: If everyone gets an "A," there is a problem.
:: People demonstrate their excellence by showing they have memorized.
:: The authority decides if people have done well and rewards them.
:: Comfort is essential; confusion and challenge are in the way of learning.
:: Caring and emotions are only important because they help people
know more.
:: The purpose of knowing is to demonstrate that knowledge and
be acknowledged for it.
:: The ideal is perfection.

A system of learning focuses on growth. The emphasis is on measurable
progress. The "learning" culture requires that:
:: No one knows exactly; there are many perspectives.
:: Those most committed to learning are in charge.
:: Those in charge must support others to learn as much as possible.
:: There are many right answers.
:: Authority comes from relationships.
:: Challenging the answer means success.
:: There is plenty of learning to go around.
:: If everyone gets an "A," there is a success.
:: People demonstrate their excellence by challenging existing beliefs.
:: The authority supports people to recognize that they have done well,
and they reward themselves.
:: Consistent comfort is of secondary importance; confusion and challenge
are part of learning.
:: Caring and emotions essential because they are part of what
we're learning about.
:: The purpose of learning is to make a difference in the world.
:: The ideal is doing your best.

The "system of knowing" has a lot of appeal. It is simpler, more linear,
we know what to believe, and ultimately one system can meet all the needs.
On the other hand, it is inherently stagnant, dehumanizing (mechanistic),
and stifles intrinsic motivation.

The "system of learning" has a lot of challenges. It is messy,
controversial, the lack of certainty creates discomfort, and there must
be hundreds of different systems to meet diverse and changing needs. On
the other hand, it is inherently dynamic, self-improving, supportive of
human interaction, and automatically builds lasting motivation.

What kind of system are you creating in your classroom, school, family,
team, or company? What kinds of actions are you taking to ensure that
system is living and functioning? Email me your ideas, and I will
synthesize them in a future email.

In the meantime, keep on learning!

Warmly,
-Josh


PS. Four news items:
1. Have you seen who is speaking at the NovaNexusEQ Conference? http://nexusEQ.com -- are you coming?

2. 6seconds.org now has a FAQ section. Send me a good question! See the
top left menu.

3. You can get the latest news and articles from 6seconds.org right on your
web site -- free and easy! On the top left menu, click "Web - free content"

4. There are new items in the EQ Store: http://EQstore.com

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Feel free to forward and post so long as you keep this bit:
©2003 Joshua Freedman, http://6seconds.org

This is an EQ Reflection from Six Seconds EQ Network.
To learn more about EQ at school, work, and home, visit our web site:
http://6seconds.org
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