Massachusetts Bay OD Learning GroupBlue Cross Blue Shield
Landmark Center, BostonSeptember 19, 2007
Presencing: Leading From the Future as it Emerges
© 2007 C.O. Scharmer
The Blind Spot of Leadership
Process of Painting
Completed Painting
Blank Canvas
Source: Who
Process: How
Results: What
© 2007 C.O. Scharmer
“The success of an intervention depends on the interior condition
of the intervenor.”
William O’Brien, former CEO of the Hanover Insurance Company
© 2007 C.O. Scharmer
Open Will
Open Heart
Open Mind
LISTENING 2: from outside
disconfirming [new] data
Co-sensing Co-presencing Co-creating© 2004 C.O. Scharmer
Downloading habits of judgment
reconfirming old opinions & judgments
precise listening, noticing differences
LISTENING 3: from within
seeing through another person‘s eyesemotional connection
empathic listening
LISTENING 1: from habits
LISTENING 4: from Source
connecting to an emerging future whole; shift in identity and self
generative listening (from the future wanting to emerge)
© 2007 C.O. Scharmer
Three Types of Complexity
Social complexity:Actors have different views and interests
Dynamic complexity:Cause and effect are
distant in space and timeEmerging complexity:Disruptive patterns of
innovation and change
⇒ Whole system approach
⇒ Multi-stakeholder approach
⇒ Sensing and presencing approach
4. regenerating
1.reacting
3.reframing
2.redesigning
thinking
process, structure
Source of identity, inspiration
and will
manifest action
Four Levels of Responding to Change
social complexity
emerging complexity
dynamic complexity
© 2007 C.O. Scharmer
Two Sources of Learning, Two Learning Cycles
A. Learning by reflecting on the experiences of the past
act - observe - reflect - plan - act
B. Learning from the future as it emerges (presencing)
© 2007 C.O. Scharmer
The U Process of Presencing in A Nutshell
© 2007 C.O. Scharmer
Downloading
Observe,observe,observe
Retreat and reflect:Allow the inner
knowing to emerge
Act in an instant
Downloading:Talking nice
Debate:Talking tough
Dialogue: Reflective inquiry
Collective creativity: Generative flow
Saying what I thinkExchange of divergent viewsI am my point of viewAdaptive System
Seeing what we say and doFrom defending to Inquiry into viewpointsI can change my viewSelf-reflective System
Saying what they want to hearEmpty phrasespolite, cautiousAutistic System
Speaking from what is moving throughCo-creating something newpresence of an emerging future WholeGenerative System
© 2006 C.O. Scharmer
suspending
deep dive
letting-go
Open Will
Open Heart
Open Mind
Seeingwith fresh eyes
Sensing from the field
Prototyping: co-create strategic microcosms
Crystallizing vision and intention
embodying
enacting
letting-come
Who is my Self? What is my Work?
Presencing connecting to Source
Performing:achieve results through
practices, infrastructures
AccessYour...
Co-sensing: Places and practices
of observation
Co-presencing: Places and practices of stillness
Co-creating: Places and practices
of prototyping
Downloading patterns of the past
© 2006 C.O. Scharmer
VOC
VOJ
VOF
Downloading:Talking nice, politenessrule-reenacting
Debate:Talking toughrule-revealing
Listening 1:Downloadinghabits of thought
Listening 2:Factual, object-focused
Listening 3:Empathic listening
Listening 4:Generative listening
Centralized:Machine bureaucracy
Decentralized:divisionalized
Networkedrelational
EcosystemBa
Micro:THINKING/LISTENING
Meso:CONVERSING/LANGUAGING
Macro:ORGANIZING/STRUCTURING
Mundo:Mechanism of COORDINATING
Hierarchy:Central plan
Market:competition
Dialogue:(mutual adjustment)
Collective Presence:Seeing from the emerging Whole
Dialogueinquiryrule-reflecting
Presencing:Collective creativity, flowrule-generating
Field 1: Operating from the old me-world
Field 2: Operating from the current it-world
Field 3: Operating from the current you-world
Field 4: Operating from the highest future possiblity that Is wanting to emerge
Field Structure of Attention
suspending
deep dive
letting-go
Open Will
Open Heart
Open Mind
2. Observing:Attend with Your Wide Open Mind
3. Sensing:Connect with
Your Heart
6. Prototyping: Integrate Head,
Heart, Hand
5. Crystallizing:Access the
Power of Intention
embodying
enacting
letting-come
Who is my Self? What is my Work?
4. Presencing:Connect to the Deepest Source
of Your Self and Will
7. Performing:Play the
“Macro Violin”
1. Holding the Space:Listen to What Life
Calls You to Do
© 2004 C.O. Scharmer
Resources and Literature:
Scharmer, C. Otto (2007). Theory U: Leading from the Emerging Future As It Emerges. The Social Technology of Presencing), Cambridge, MA: SoL Press.
Senge, P., C. O. Scharmer, J. Jaworski, and B. S. Flowers. (2004). Presence: Human Purpose and the Field of the Future, Cambridge, MA: SoL Press.
Scharmer, C.O. (2001). Self-transcending knowledge: Sensing and Organizing Around Emerging Opportunities. In: Journal of Knowledge Management, Vol. 5, no. 2: 137–150.
www.ottoscharmer.comwww.theoryU.comwww.dialogonleadership.org www.presence.netwww.presencing.org