The Human Observer
THINKING TOOLS – Models and Frameworks
Our observations and explanations
We do not see the world the same way as someone else. As ” human observers,” we see things through the filter of who we are, how we feel, how we think, and how our bodies sense the world around us. You do not see the same world because you have different histories and were raised in different cultures. We become what we look for. Astrologers do not “see” the same stars as astronomers.
Our ancestors did not “see” the world we “see” today, or the world our children will “see” tomorrow. When we see through the “eyes” of a fully conscious observer, we become more aware of how we become who we are. Making different observations and interpretations becomes our “truth” and the “reality” that determines how we behave. .
Julio Olalla explains how the distinctions we make determines our truth ans worldview. This influences the actions we choose and the results we then get.
If you don’t like the results you get, then don’t just react to old habits. Notice the way you are looking at things. Reflect on how you think, not just what you think as you choose the actions you care about.
Reflect on our choice of language, mood state, and body posture could beproduce our Way of Being, albeit shaped by your cultural background and personal history.
Question the assumptions that our observer makes and the results we get from your actions will change.
Think of it this way. The result is what we get as a consequence of the actions we take. But, the actions we choose depend on the observer that we are.
What we actually observe and how we assess it, depends on your Way of Being (the language, moods and postures we adopt). What we experience is our Life Movie, produced in the setting and storyb by our history, culture, and physiology.
If we want better results, we must learn how to “see” more of what is around us and what is happening within us. This is about becoming a more skilled and powerful observer of how you lead your life.
“The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice; and, because if we fail to notice what we fail to notice there’s little we can do to change until we notice how failing to notice changes our thoughts and deeds.”
R D Laing
When we observe we “see” the world from four perspectives, produced for us by your nervous system. The mind or thinking spaces were identified by Ken Wilber to help you notice and focus on where the energy comes from to make sense of what you experience. They focus on seeing yourself as “I” (subjective inside-out driven), your relationships as “WE” (subjective bottom-up driven), your context as “IT” (objective top-down driven) and external constraints as “IT’S” (objective outside-in driven). This gives you more options as you begin to notice how you can look at and interpret your world from different perspectives.
The diagram below shows how the categories relate to the Life Leadership approach. It seeks to give direction to your thinking, seeing and being in the world.
So What does it mean?
“We see the world not as it is, but as we are” – Anais Nin
No two people see the world the same way and yet we regularly forget this essential part of being human. The most fundamental learning we can experience observing how we see and act. Change comes from seeing in new ways. If unaware, we will never understand ourselves and so be unable to understand or fully connect with other human beings. Learning how to see how we see lies at the core of our learning and awareness. This is how we make new distinctions that serve us better.
Based on the work of Prof Alan Sieler at the Newfield Institute.
We are all unique observers because we can interpret what we see and feel quite differently. It all depends on where we “stand”, and how we perceive the same world and make sense of it differently, simply because we all bring different experiences to our assessments. What we see as observers is a reflection of our whole Way of Being.
Being a more Powerful Observer
To get what this means we have to “see” more clearly who we authentically are, and how we are interpreting what we see and don’t see. It’s how we give meaning to what we see, and question what we cannot see, that makes us powerful observers. It’s more than just describing what “IT” is. We are unique interpreters of what we sense in each moment. Our emotions and mood are crucial in determining the language we use and how we choose to to relate to people and things.
What’s more. even when others try to tell us their story and give us their interpretations, we still have to reframe them so they make sense from our own experience. For example, if someone tells us they are feeling anxious, we feel it from our own experience and pictures or felt senses come into our head of experiences when we were anxious. It’s the conversation that helps us “ground” the feeling so we can at least understand even if we do not agree with their conclusion.
Finding Alternatives
The value of other people’s interpretations is that if we can open our minds and suspend our long-held beliefs we can question our habits and beliefs to find alternative ways of seeing and doing to get a better result. This is often referred to as “Double-Loop Learning. The diagram below shows how challenging the assumptions or beliefs behind existing observations can stimulate thinking about taking different actions to get a better result.
You don’t have to believe in a different point of view in order to test it for yourself. Adopt and practice a new action to see if the result works better for you. Just act as if it were true – here and now. You may surprise yourself.
Now What can you do?
Find a quiet place and reflect.
Choose a concern, need, or problem you have that has not yet been resolved. Imagine yourself standing in different perceptual positions. How would your boss, friend, subordinate, child, parent, judge, etc., see it?
Don’t just observe yourself experiencing when you have the concern, try to figure out what needs and beliefs are operating when you make your assessment.
Are you seeing a better result? Can you see new actions to achieve it?
If not, consider some alternative beliefs by reading a book, watching a TED Talk, looking at old family photographs, etc., to stimulate some ideas and experiences. You may remember an occasion in the past when you resolved this concern.
Now see what happens. Did you improve on or resolve your concern? Repeat the 5 steps if necessary.
PRACTICES & MODELS
THE HUMAN OBSERVER
– Noticing what’s happening and sensing what could be hidden from us by our default Way of Being.
THE CDE MODEL
– Identifying the conditions and rules that produce different patterns of interaction
THE OAR MODEL
– Improving your observation skills to choose actions to will deliver what you care about.
THE SCARF MODEL
– Identifying the core concerns that shape your emotional responses
ONTOLOGICAL LEARNING
– Understanding how to change your Way of Being
THE PSYCHIC SYSTEM
– Knowing how to change your Way of Being to fit the prevailing context
ONTOLOGICAL BREAKDOWNS
– Dealing with disruptions in the flow of your life
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
– How you give meaning to to your experience of internal senses and external events.
QUADRANTS OF CHANGE
– Achieving a more holistic and balanced response to complex situations.
ACTION LOGICS
– Assessing leadership behaviour and effectiveness in different contexts
THE U PROCESS
– Using your senses to improve your effectiveness now to shape your future.
SPIRAL DYNAMICS
– Explaining the growth of human capacity and values
THE HEROES JOURNEY
– Finding a bigger purpose and passion to lead your life from.
ACTIVE LISTENING
– Knowing how to actively listen for understanding and empathy
REFRAMING
– Looking for possibilities to question and reshape perspectives.
THE OODA LOOP
– Achieving a bigger impact when working with other people
ADAPTIVE ACTION
– Examining the dynamic patterns of thought involved in decision making
THE LENS OF INQUIRY
Using the power of questions to get breakthrough results.
THE NINE PANES MODEL
– Discovering new perspecives when dealing with breakdowns in the flow of life.
THE JOHARI WINDOW
– Identifying alternatives to unseen or disruptive behaviour
THE FOUR TRUTHS
– Recognising and considering alternative perspectives in any situation
THE CIRCLE OF CONTROL, INFLUENCE & CONCERN
– Clarifying how you interpret what you see, hear and feel.
THE MIRACLE QUESTION
– In your ideal world, what do you want to be feeligs, thinking and doing?
A “BOTH/AND” PERSPECTIVE
– Dealing with paradox and ambiguity.
THE ADAPTIVE CYCLES
– Resisting breakdown and maintaining your viability for a breakthrough.
CREATING A WELL-FORMED OUTCOME
– Reducing the chance of facing unintended consequences.
WAY OF BEING
– Connecting words, emotions and body presence to be more effective.
CYNEFIN
– A sensemaking framework to help you crack different types of problems.
YOUR INNATE WISDOM
– Knowing what makes you who you are and using it to lead a more fulfilling life.
– Noticing what’s happening and sensing what could be hidden from us by our default Way of Being.
THE CDE MODEL
– Identifying the conditions and rules that produce different patterns of interaction
THE OAR MODEL
– Improving your observation skills to choose actions to will deliver what you care about.
THE SCARF MODEL
– Identifying the core concerns that shape your emotional responses
ONTOLOGICAL LEARNING
– Understanding how to change your Way of Being
THE PSYCHIC SYSTEM
– Knowing how to change your Way of Being to fit the prevailing context
ONTOLOGICAL BREAKDOWNS
– Dealing with disruptions in the flow of your life
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
– How you give meaning to to your experience of internal senses and external events.
QUADRANTS OF CHANGE
– Achieving a more holistic and balanced response to complex situations.
ACTION LOGICS
– Assessing leadership behaviour and effectiveness in different contexts
THE U PROCESS
– Using your senses to improve your effectiveness now to shape your future.
SPIRAL DYNAMICS
– Explaining the growth of human capacity and values
THE HEROES JOURNEY
– Finding a bigger purpose and passion to lead your life from.
ACTIVE LISTENING
– Knowing how to actively listen for understanding and empathy
REFRAMING
– Looking for possibilities to question and reshape perspectives.
THE OODA LOOP
– Achieving a bigger impact when working with other people
ADAPTIVE ACTION
– Examining the dynamic patterns of thought involved in decision making
THE LENS OF INQUIRY
Using the power of questions to get breakthrough results.
THE NINE PANES MODEL
– Discovering new perspecives when dealing with breakdowns in the flow of life.
THE JOHARI WINDOW
– Identifying alternatives to unseen or disruptive behaviour
THE FOUR TRUTHS
– Recognising and considering alternative perspectives in any situation
THE CIRCLE OF CONTROL, INFLUENCE & CONCERN
– Clarifying how you interpret what you see, hear and feel.
THE MIRACLE QUESTION
– In your ideal world, what do you want to be feeligs, thinking and doing?
A “BOTH/AND” PERSPECTIVE
– Dealing with paradox and ambiguity.
THE ADAPTIVE CYCLES
– Resisting breakdown and maintaining your viability for a breakthrough.
CREATING A WELL-FORMED OUTCOME
– Reducing the chance of facing unintended consequences.
WAY OF BEING
– Connecting words, emotions and body presence to be more effective.
CYNEFIN
– A sensemaking framework to help you crack different types of problems.
YOUR INNATE WISDOM
– Knowing what makes you who you are and using it to lead a more fulfilling life.