Diving into strangeness

Learning how to facilitate within a virtual business school where I am represented by a qubot and all interaction is virtual has caused me to stop and reflect on what learning really means for me as well as how comfortable I am not being the one with the answers. It’s encouraged me to purposefully put myself into the shoes of ExecEd leaders and explore learning from their perspective and, more importantly, how I can add richness and depth for them.

In my exploration I have found a beautiful analogy of learning by Scott Young where he likens learning to be either stamp collecting or diving into strangeness.

Stamp collecting learning means making a collection of new knowledge and information that we add to our existing collection and which we can get out and show people when the time is right.

Diving into strangeness learning means leaving behind what we know, unlearning and exploring the strangeness that lies beneath, the sacrifice  of certainty and reaching for footholds that we don’t yet fully understand.

For me, the latter, is a much richer, although potentially more uncomfortable place to play and it’s the approach I encourage in my facilitation and teaching. How can we, in Exec learning, move towards “diving into strangeness” where we spend time unlearning and more time exploring what’s underneath our current paradigms and patterns, rather than just being safe and happy to show another stamp in our collection?

Adopt the beginner’s mind where there are many possibilities, as opposed to in the experts mind where there are few (Shunrya Suzuki). Be prepared to let go of being the one with all the answers. One of my most moving recent experiences has been watching a senior leader in the banking world,  with absolutely no musical training, sit and play a piano in front of one hundred of her peers while being guided by a jazz musician. When asked afterwards how it was for her “Totally Amazing” came the response.

Treat the questions themselves as a source of wonder. Look for alternatives and be patient with the question itself. Let it bubble and build before seeking an answer.  What are some great questions we can ask  - How might we…? I wonder what would happen if…?

Be curious and experiment and try things out. “If I do this…. then that might happen.”

Seek out others experiences – especially those of diverse backgrounds of thought.  

Be prepared for things not to work out, after all we are, together, diving into strangeness .