LADDER of INFERENCE
Climbing a Different Kind of Ladder1
Presented by
Sylvia Gaffney, Ph.D.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
LADDER of INFERENCE
Climbing a Different Kind of Ladder
In collabora:on with
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Tuesday, April 19, 2011
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✓ Improve communica:on
✓ Reach agreement or advance resolu:on
✓ Arrive at new possibili:es
✓ Learn from another’s perspec:ve
✓ Allow for mul:ple voices
✓ Understand resistance to change
✓ Surface outdated assump:ons
✓ Understand the logic behind recommenda:ons
Why the Ladder? Facilitate conflict solu:ons Improve team interac:on Open for diverse opinions Prevent overreac:on Understand your
immediate response to a situa:on
Uncover own & other biases
Unearth reasoning & origin of your assump:ons
Surface and test your thinking before you discuss a topic
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Consider and Remember
Two or more ladders in any conversa4on
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✦ Unconscious & Automa.c✦ Auto Pilot✦ Mental Models✦ Different Interpreta.ons✦ Jargon & Acronyms✦ Emo.onally Charged Triggers
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Make the Ladder Work
Observe from a pool of all available Data
Screen Data
Take Ac:on
Select Filtered Data
Add Meaning
Make Assump:ons, Draw Conclusions & Adopt Beliefs
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Intui:on and Experience Count
✦ Trust flashes of insight
✦ Rely on lessons learned
✦ Have knowledge & know-‐how
✦ Been around the block a few .mes
In addi'on to walking down the ladder
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Context MaVers
Content = Actual words or behaviorContext = Background for content
Contextual clues needed for shared meanings
✦ The framework
✦ The environment
✦ The seJng
✦ Like the canvas for a pain.ng
Consider the villagers response when the boy cried wolf!
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Making the Ladder Work for Us
Awareness
Our natural tendency & comfort with default approach
✦ Self✦ Others ✦ Situa'on
Advocacy – clarifies my Ladder
Inquiry – explores your Ladder
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Default Posi:on -‐ Advocacy or Inquiry
Natural Tendency = Promote or Ques'on
More Comfortable Either Or Both
Can LEARN to be more Adept Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Advocacy
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✦ Reveals your thinking✦ Describes the data you’re operating from✦ States your assumptions ✦ Inquires into other people’s reactions to your point of view✦ Encourages others to provide different perspectives or
question yours✦ Helps you listen with an open mind
Purpose of Advocacy
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Inquiry
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✦ Expands current understanding✦ Explores how another person views the world✦ Advances genuine curiosity✦ Encourages openness to another’s perspective✦ Promotes Inquiry not Inquisition
Purpose of Inquiry
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Climb UP Advoca:ng
Reveal your thinking and how you arrived at your conclusion
Move up one rung at a 'me allowing others to follow your thought process
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Ques:ons to ask when Advoca:ng
“What quesAons do you sAll have?”
“Does it make sense to you?”
“What am I missing?”
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Ques:ons to ask when Inquiring
“What do you mean when you say…?”
“Is there a different word or phrase that would help clarify your meaning?”
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Inquiry Challenge & RISK
Difficult to listen and not defendCulture usually rewards having answers
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Balancing Advocacy & Inquiry
✦ Listening diminishes
✦ Knowledge not shared
only or over Advocate
only or over Inquire
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Dysfunc:onal Use of the Ladder
Intent to understand is the cri4cal condi4on
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Trust -‐ Respect -‐ Civility
✦ Trust – depend on & believe in you & me
✦ Respect – value I have for myself & you
✦ Civility – beyond courtesy & politeness
“Trust is the acAon side of respect – show your respect by trusAng.” Caela Farren
Create and sustain a genuinely safe space to allow for risk, vulnerability, shared meaning, and breakthrough thinking
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Pause, Reflect, Check
Either aware of each rung of the ladder-‐ OR -‐ likely to do It AGAIN and again
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Recap Ladder of Inference
✦ All rungs take place in your head
✦ Is unconscious process
✦ Trip up the ladder is rapid
✦ Seems reasonable
✦ OOen leads to misguided beliefs
✦ Reflexive loop affects the data you select next .me
Awareness & Reflec:on✓ Surface your own thinking✓ Capture it and consider it✓ Think about your Thinking
Advocacy✓ Make your thinking and
reasoning visible to others✓ Communicate your perspec've
Inquiry✓ Listen with intent to learn✓ Use unaggressive language to
ques'on and learn✓ Ask self and others WHY
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
For More Informa:on
In collabora2on with
Presented by
Sylvia Gaffney, Ph.D.
info@ico-‐consul.ng.com
www.ico-‐consul.ng.com
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OPTIMIZE [email protected]
www.gaffney.com
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
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For More Informa:on
OPTIMIZE [email protected]
www.gaffney.com
Presented by
Sylvia Gaffney, Ph.D.
Sylvia provides custom-‐designed consul.ng services in organiza.onal effec.veness and change managements assistance to companies on a na.onal and interna.onal basis. Her work helps companies integrate their business planning through a systems perspec.ve. She facilitates processes to improve team building and blending, leadership development, intergenera.onal challenges, cultural change issues, resilience, strategic reten.on, and strategic staffing. Sylvia owns and operates Gaffney Corporate Strategies and Op=mize Central.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011