In LO5056 it was written:
> What I have found more difficult to deal with is the tension between the
> goals of learning organizations....to identify and correct ineffective
> systems...and the goal of a military organization...to develop and project
> ineffective systems upon an opposing organization. Even though this is
> externally projected, is it possible for the military to separate itself
> from its own product?
One of the interesting things about the LO approach (and Argyris' work) is
the surfacing of underlying mental models and assumptions. For example -
"the goal of a military organisation is to develop and project ineffective
systems upon an opposing organisation".
Well, this is one way of viewing a military organisation - but is it the
only way?
For example, there is no way that the Australian military would conceive
of this mental model - they don't have (and won't have in the conceivable
future) the resources to implement it. Nor do most of the countries of the
world.
Maybe the mental model described above is the result of inefficiently
implementing the _real_ mental models of the org. On the other hand, maybe
the US military thinks they're bully boys who can inflict their values on
everyone else .... (OK, OK, I've got my flame repellant suit on :->).
The central point of LO theory (as I understand it) is to develop and
explore alternative mental models with the aim of increasing
understanding, creating new things, becoming more efficient ....
Without being too disrepectful, my experience with the military is that
the Generals have a completely different set of mental models to the
Captains, Majors and Colonels of this world. The reason they have a
different set of mental models is because they are forced to think about
how the military integrates with the rest of society, and this often
forces them to radically rethink the role of the military (well the good
ones anyway).
We all have our set of mental models that constrain the way we think about
the world. The trick is, how do we retain our individuality and yet still
explore other people's mental models? The only way I know is through open
dialogue where people are happy to surface their underlying assumptions. I
highly encourage you to talk to people both within and outside your
organisation, and at all levels of an organisation - sometimes the
privates lay the foundations for insights more effectively than generals.
The LO list is probably one of your most effective resources for learning
about different mental models (or at least finding pointers for resources
for learning) - I've certainly learnt a lot over the last 12 months.
Hmmm, another $0.02 worth :->
-- John O'Neill DSTO C3 Research Centre, Australia email: jao@itd.dsto.gov.au