Roxanne says,
"I have frequently read messages on this list that exhort individual
responsibility in one form or another. My understanding of the Fifth Discipline
and Systems Thinking in particular is that we need to enlarge our focus from the
individual to the larger system. We need to quit blaming individuals, including
ourselves. The problems in our organization are unlikely to be solved simply by
my putting on a happy face. I need to work with others to determine the system
causes for my sad face (the symptom of a larger problem)."
If I am not counted as one of those urging personal responsibility, then I am
disappointed. After reading Roxanne's message, I went back to the Fifth
Discipline Field Book, and reread the section on Personal Mastery. Some bits
and pieces.
"People who are convinced that a vision or result is important, who can see
clearly that they must change their life in order to reach that result, and who
commit themselves to that result nonetheless, do indeed feel compelled. They
have assimilated the vision not just consciously, but unconsciously, at a level
where it changes more of their behavior. They have a sense of deliberate
patience -- with themselves and the world -- and more attentiveness to what is
going on around them. All of this produces a sustained sense of energy and
enthusiasm, which (often after a delay) produces some tangible results, which
can then make the energy and enthusiasm stronger."
It goes on to say that some people think they can never accomplish their vision
because of -- you list the possibilities -- the way I was raised, the system,
bad management, and so forth. These fears are manifestations of emotional
tension -- basic beliefs that we are unworthy or powerless to obtain our deepest
aspirations. That emotional tension is also part of our reality.
Personal mastery teaches us not to lower our vision even if it seems impossible.
Personal mastery teaches us not to ignore the world as it is, even if it makes
us uncomfortable. Look closely and clearly at current reality. Face it
squarely, understand it, describe it dispassionately. Ask yourself, not just at
quiet times, but during times of stress, what is going on for you right now?
"Personal mastery teaches us to choose. Choosing is a courageous act: picking
the results and actions which you will make into your destiny."
In other words, there is an opportunity for individuals to make themselves
significant in the cosmos. We get to choose our own roles in the world. The
magnitude of what we may accomplish is unimaginable until we begin the struggle.
Some of the disagreement going on in this thread is over the acceptance of
responsibility versus 'acceptance of blame'. My focus is clear. Blaming is not
a useful activity, whether it be to blame management, the system, or the
participants in the organization. All three blamings are equally irrelevant,
equally useless. Accepting blame and accepting responsibility are different at
their core. The former is useless, the latter is grand, uplifting, and
empowering. The latter is a hell of a lot of fun, and it is the _only_
beginning that can result in a good change.
So henceforth, my suggestion is that we understand the distinction between
accepting blame and accepting responsibility. Accepting responsibility is
powerful, courageous, expansive. It is about learning, changing, and living
with consequences. We accept responsibility as the essential first step to
examining our mental models and our systemic thinking. We accept personal
responsibility as the only way to begin the process of correcting all the things
that are not as they should be.
You may want to read the section on Personal Mastery in the Field book. It is a
good read, and it is frightfully inspiring.
--Rol Fessenden LL Bean, Inc. 76234.3636@compuserve.com
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>