8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

1/24

The fifth DisciplineThe fifth Discipline

Systems ThinkingSystems Thinking

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

2/24

AASHNI WADHWA - 3113

ABHISHEK BHIDE - 3114

ADITI ARORA - 3115

ANAND TAPADIA - 3116

ANIRBAN KUNDU - 3117

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

3/24

lEARNING ORGANISATIONS : a dEFINITION

Humans are taught right from infancy to parse information into components and to

analyse it in its fragmented form. We pay dearly for this habit : we no longer see

the consequence of our actions; we fail to see the intrinsic value attached to our

actions.

This task is f utile : like re-assembling a broken mirror shard by shard to view our

reflection , it is hard and we give up because we fail to see how little slivers and

pieces fit in.

Thus, if and when we abandon this approach, we can evolve to become Learning

Organisations.

A Learning Organisation is one where people continually expand their ability

and capacity to learn to create the results they desire, where innovative

patterns of thinking are nurtured, collective aspirations are set free and

people are continually learning how to learn together.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

4/24

Learningfull organisations are the need of the hour with the world becoming

more interconnected and businesses becoming more complex and dynamic.

The onus of being the driving force and motivation can no longer rest on theshoulders of a particular individual like the old days where a certain Gates or a

Ford were the fuel of an organisations excellence.

Organisations which will be the stalwarts of the future will be the ones that are in a

constant state of learning flux and which learn how to harness peoples

commitment and capacity to learn at all levels in the organiations.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

5/24

Team work in organisations that helps an organisation overcome adverse

situations is often heaped with praise. However it is forgotten that the team did not

start out as a winning, successful team. The team learnedhow to come together

and work as a cohesive unit to achieve their success.

Learning Organisations are required in this day and age because we are now at

the stage where we have understanding of the latent potential of such

organisations.

Through learning organisations we can work to provide personal benefit to

employees whilst carrying along the environment and other variables that are

affected by the organisations activities to maintain a balance state of being in theorganisations and it environment.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

6/24

"Personal mastery is a discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our personalvi

sion, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively."1. "Mental models are deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, or even pictures

of images that influence how we understand the world and how we take action."2. "Building shared vision a practice of unearthing shared pictures of the future that

fost

er genuine commitment and enrollment rather than compliance."3. "Team learning starts with dialogue, the capacity of members of a team to suspend

assumpt

ions and enter into genuine thinking together."4. Systems thinking - The Fifth Discipline that integrates the other 4.

The Five DisciplineThe Five Disciplines

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

7/24

What is a system ?What is a system ?

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

8/24

a regu ar y n erac ng or n er epen en group o ems orm ng a un e w o e.

The key words in this definition are interdependent and unified whole.

Systems can range from very simple (filling a glass of water) to extremely complex

(climate change) and are constantly working to maintain a level of stability.

Organizational systems are more complex than this. There are two distinct

sections of an organizational system, the internal system and the external system.

The internal system consists of a variety of parts, including the products or

services produced, personnel, the materials and tools used to create products or

services, the relationships that people have with each other this list could be

endless.

The external system is everything outside the organization that influences it:

competitors, the economy, the condition of the financial industry, the environment,

regulations, the political landscape, and the community, to name a few. Both the

internal and

external systems are not only interacting within themselves but are also interacting

with each

other. Observin and understandin these interactions is the crux of s stems

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

9/24

The fifth disciplineThe fifth discipline

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

10/24

Discipline : A developmental for acquiring certain skills or competencies. Constantpractice can help you hone these skills. It is a constant and never ending process.

Systems Thinking is known as the Fifth Discipline because it represents the

synergy of the other disciplines. It is imperative that all the disciplines develop as

an ensemble. Just as a system is put into application as a sum total of all its

components, Systems Thinking is the application of the sum total of the other

disciplines.

Although it is harder to apply a multiple of disciplines simultaneously in contrast to

one discipline at a time, the fruits it bears are manifold.

Systems Thinking is the discipline that integrates the disciplines, fusingthem into a coherent body of theory and practice. It keeps them from being

separate corporate fads and buzz words that thrown around with any real

conviction.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

11/24

The discipline of systems thinking evolved from the field of systems dynamics and

is both a set of tools and a new way of thinking involving new language. In systems

thinking, we look at the whole system rather than trying to break it down into its

individual parts; that is, we become expansive in our thinking rather than reductive.

By looking at the whole, we are more capable of seeing interrelationships andpatterns over time. We also begin to understand that the presenting problem may

be symptomatic of deeper issues within the system, and so we start looking for the

root causes. In doing so, we move away from assigning blame and focus on the

desired outcomes.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

12/24

The essential elements required for systems thinking in an organisation are :

Shared Vision : This fosters a commitment to a long term goal.

Mental Models : To focus on the openness needed to diagnose mistakes in thepresent way of viewing the world.

Team Learning : Helps develops the skills required for people to learn together

and look at problems in the larger scale of things.

Personal Mastery : To motivate us to know our actions continually affect the

world.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

13/24

At the heart of System Thinking is Metanoia. This represents a paradigm shift -from seeing ourselves as separate from the world to connected to the world, from

seeing problems as caused by someone or something out there to seeing how

our actions create the problems we experience.

A learning organisation is the epicentre of Metanoia because people are constantly

discovering how they create their reality and how their actions affect the world

around them.

Metanoia : a shift of mind

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

14/24

system thinkingsystem thinkingin ORGANIZATIONSin ORGANIZATIONS

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

15/24

Events : Begin the practice of systems thinking by telling the story of the currentsituation. It is

important to hear as many perspectives as possible. However, dont jump to solutionsimmediately. It may be necessary to provide a quick fix but do so with the understandingthat it is a stopgap measure that is not designed for long-term solutions. Meanwhile, explore

the nature

of the event or problem in g reater detail.

Patterns of behavior: Track the situation over a period of time. Look for patternsand trends that

go below the surface. Go back in hi story, if youve got the data. Those patterns are key

indictors

for the system.

Systemic structure: Look for interrelationships in the patterns and trends youvediscovered.

Look for balancing and reinforcing feedback and i dentify delays in the system. Uncover the

mental models that are driving these patterns.

Mental models: Create new mental models to i ntroduce change into the system. Bepatient

there will be delays, and things may get worse before they get better. Track and evaluate the

effects of the changes. Determine if there are unintended consequences and decide what

needs

tweaking.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

16/24

System ThinkingSystem ThinkingADVANTAGESADVANTAGES

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

17/24

Develop new ways of looking at old problems.

Integrate new information more easily.

See interrelationships and cause and effect more clearly.

Develop patience with implementing change and tolerating delays.

Step away from the blame game toward shared responsibility.

See the whole rather than the parts.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

18/24

LEARNING DISABILITIES IN ANORGANISATION

LEARNING DISABILITIES IN ANORGANISATION

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

19/24

I AM MY POSITION

THE ENEMY IS OUT THERE

THE ILLUSION OF TAKING CHARGE

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

20/24

THE FIXATION ON EVENTS

THE PARABLE OF THE BOILED FROG

THE DELUSION OF LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

MYTH OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

21/24

sYSTEMS THINKING : THE BEER GAME

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

22/24

Lessons from the Beer Game relating to Systems Thinking -

The structure of a system influences behavior. Systems cause their own

problems, not external forces or individual errors.

Human systems include the way in which people make decisions.

People tend to focus on their own decisions and ignore how these decisions affect

others.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

23/24

Lessons Related to the Learning Disabilities -

People do not understand how their actions affect others.

So they tend to blame each other for problems.

Becoming proactive causes more problems.

The problems build gradually, so people don't realize there is a problem until its too late.

People don't learn from their experience because the effects of their actions occur

somewhere else in the system.

8/3/2019 CTM Project 3113-3117

24/24

Thank youThank you