"Unlearning" to me connotes a return to some immaculate "unlearned" state
from which the subject (person, group, organization) may proceed to
relearn the "correct" skill. This is a seductive model in its simplicity,
and it might be a useful characterization with respect to elemental, very
well-delimited skills (such as simple motor skills). But it does not work
for complex behaviors for, among other things, "unlearning" implies that:
o the behavior is isolable from a belief system
about the nature of some reality;
o time moves in reverse, as if "unlearning"
also involves amnesia about all the experiences
and belief structure related to the old behavior.
o the context of the new and old behaviors is the
same -- but new contexts (environments) often
force behavioral changes;
o the scope and purpose of the new and old behaviors
is the same.
Any complex behavior relates to a belief system and (probably) a set of
metaphors. And any change in the belief system or behavior or metaphor
entails a change in all the others.
Regards,
Michael Scudder
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mscudder@jpmorgan.com
--Michael Scudder <scudder_michael@jpmorgan.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>