Leadership

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Learning How to Lead
Learning How to Lead 768 1024 Julia Warner

The non-trivial machine: part 2

I was recently having a conversation with a colleague about a leadership program he was designing. He asked me what I thought would be a useful concept to include in a program for managers who were learning how to lead people. And what has come to mind is the concept of the non-trivial machine.

In a previous blog article, I talked about how the concept of the non-trivial machine impacted my approach to teaching. Here I would like to elaborate on how this concept can impact a manager’s approach to managing their people.

As I wrote in the article “Coaching Taught Me Leadership”, human beings are an example of so called non-trivial machines. That means we cannot expect or predict with total accuracy how a person is going to respond to certain “input”. People are complex psychological and emotional systems, and what might work for one, may not work at all for another. One and the same input can trigger a range of different outputs in different people. This is especially the case when working with a diverse workforce.

Simply giving instructions (or orders) is not enough.

Choosing to follow

Indeed, that is what leaders are facing when they manage people. Getting your team to perform productively is a lot more complex than simply giving instructions (or orders).

So, based on the premise that non-trivial machines can choose their output, then we can assume that when human beings follow a leader, it is because they have chosen to do so. They have made the decision that it is in their best interests. 

So how do you get people to choose to follow you? 

Understanding

Learning to lead is about understanding what drives and inspires people to do the things they do. That could be a desire for security, connection, respect, and/or growth, for example. Hence, leaders should not only to be experts in their field, but also have a good understanding of human nature. And understanding your own motives and needs lays a good foundation for that.

That explains the necessity of leadership development programs that require leaders to do a bit of soul searching and self-reflection. And the concept of the non-trivial machine can make that more logical and palatable to the more “rationally” driven.  

Keep growing <3 <3 <3 

Non-trivial-machine
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Coaching Taught Me Leadership
Coaching Taught Me Leadership 768 1024 Julia Warner

A tricky task

I encountered the concept of the non-trivial machine (Heinz von Foerster) when I was training to become a coach at Train Consulting (www.trainconsulting.eu). Since the program focused on coaching and leadership, the participants were mostly managers developing their leadership skills by adopting coaching methods. And we all soon learned what a tricky task coaching is. Because you are not supposed to tell people what to do, it is a challenging way to lead.

Instead, a big part of a coach’s function is to strengthen an individual’s sense of agency and self-responsibility. When being coached, a person refines the ability to learn from experience. And this empowers them to take control of their development and produce their desired outcomes.

The coach accompanies the coachee on their learning journey. They support the process, provide an outer perspective, and set impulses. That way, the individual gets nudges that trigger new ways of looking at things. But a coach does not provide answers – and certainly not “the correct answer”.

As a teacher and trainer, this idea was hard for me to grasp in the beginning. Enter the idea of the non-trivial machine.

The non-trivial machine

First, it helps to look at what a trivial machine is to understand what a non-trivial machine is. A coffee vending machine is a trivial machine. I put in a coin, I press a button, and based on my selection, I get my chosen product. So, the input dictates the output in a predictable manner. A trivial machine should always produce the expected output. And if it doesn’t, the machine is broken.

A non-trivial machine is a machine where the output cannot be predicted from the input. The machine is autonomous. It chooses the output based on its current state or mood. Simultaneously, it factors in elements from the surrounding environment. This requires the ability to make judgements and think creatively. Human beings are non-trivial machines. That means you can never be 100% sure what output you’re going to get.

This concept really helped me shift my mindset. Working with people is not a linear process. Human beings are not predictable machines. Cause and effect are rarely transparent. Sometimes it takes different kinds of input to get the desired output, and these can vary from day to day. Hence, it is a continuous process of trial and error. And being able to navigate that uncertainty is what I call leadership.

As a coach or leader, I can set an impulse, such as asking thought provoking questions. Then in collaboration with the individual, we work with the output that emerges.

Traditional teaching is different

This is a different approach to teaching. Especially classical teaching methods, which go more into the direction of a trivial machine approach. For example, the teacher provides input, the learners reproduce it either correctly or incorrectly, i.e., a linear process. In this model, learning is imitation – which has its place depending on the context.

Yet, the assumption behind coaching is that the individual has the resources they need to find a good solution. They just aren’t aware of it yet. The coach supports the coachee in uncovering that. In this model, learning builds on existing knowledge, skills, and talents and is more individualized. This produces more original results.

Learning to become a coach has impacted the way I teach. Instead of feeling obligated to be the source of all knowledge, I want my students to learn that they can design solutions that suit them and their needs best. And the same goes for managers who want to lead their people.

Now I focus more on enabling the learning process – rather than controlling it. My aim is to foster motivation and self-responsibility.

Taking a coaching approach to teaching produces learning spaces that encourage experimentation, reflection, leadership, and innovation. And in this fashion we expand our most precious qualities of being human.

Keep Growing <3<3<3

Ladder of success
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Constructive Criticism
Constructive Criticism 1920 2560 Julia Warner

Reluctance to criticize

When I started teaching in 1997, I began as a business English trainer. My job was to go into companies and work with all kinds of staff at all levels on their English language skills. And one of the things I struggled with, especially in the beginning, was giving constructive criticism. It’s not that I didn’t notice the mistakes my clients were making. Certainly not. In fact, I had become highly sensitized to even the most minor of errors. I struggled because I did not want to undermine the motivation or confidence of my learners.

On a side note, what I am calling constructive criticism can also be referred to as feedback. What I mean here is the process of correcting someone who is learning and developing a new skill. This can happen in an educational environment, but also in a work environment where a person has taken on a new task.

One of the most rewarding parts of working in education for me is witnessing someone blossom as they learn a new skill. That is why I was wary of dampening anyone’s spirits by pointing out their mistakes too quickly.

Another significant reason why I grappled with criticism was that sometimes the recipients would begin justifying themselves or even argued with me. And that would make me feel just plain uncomfortable, embarrassed, or annoyed.

There must be a better way

There must be a better way, I thought. But I hadn’t really received any specific training on how to give constructive criticism. So, I spent quite a few years just kind of winging it. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t. And usually I blamed the recipient if it didn’t.

But I knew deep down that blaming the recipient was avoiding my responsibility. It also really bothered me that even though it was an integral part of my job, this was something I didn’t like doing. It is integral to any kind of learning situation, whether in the classroom or at work. How else can you know what to improve if you don’t receive constructive criticism?

Then one lucky day, I learned about The Praise Sandwich from two wonderful teacher trainers from Oxford University that I had the good fortune to work with on a project for The British Council (Julie Dearden and Tom Spain from www.oxfordemi.co.uk).

That sandwich changed my life. My days of fearing criticism were over.

So without further ado, I would like to present to you the standard steps for making the sandwich, and then I will elaborate on how I like to use it:

Step 1: Pick out something specific that is working well and praise it.

Step 2: Pick out something specific that needs to change or be improved and give criticism.

Step 3: Give an overall encouraging remark.

How I like to use it

After using the sandwich for many years, I have fine-tuned it to work for me, and I would like to expand on that now.

Before step 1

I like to make sure the person is ready for the feedback before I begin. I do this by making eye-contact and sometimes even asking “Are you ready?”. If it is a less formal situation, for example during a break or in the office, I initiate the conversation by saying “Can I talk to you for a minute?” and then saying “I wanted to give you some feedback. Is that OK?”

Addition to step 1

As a way to lead into the first piece of praise, I like to describe what I have observed in a neutral manner. It is useful to focus on visible behavior, like something you could record with a video camera. I try to be as specific as possible.

The reason I do this is because when I share my observations, it seems to me that the recipient appreciates the recognition. And when I do this, I am acknowledging the person’s effort – not the result. And I am letting them know that I paid attention.

Then I pick out something specific that is working well. And I try to refer to an example. I believe that this can strengthen the receiver and put them in a resource-oriented mindset. That way they will be able to accept the critical part more constructively rather than defensively.

Addition to step 2

When I get to the critical part, it makes sense to point out the parts that obviously need to be improved. I have heard people recite a litany of errors when giving feedback. If you ask me, the recipient can’t remember criticism when it is presented as a long list. The idea is to help them understand and accept what the next steps towards improvement can be – not create an unsurmountable wall of frustration.

Additionally, the criticism should focus on something the person has control over and can actually change. I sometimes make suggestions for improvements if I can. And if the criticism is referring to something really important, I do not soften it. I state plainly and clearly: “It is really important that you work on this”. And I say it calmly, which I find is much more effective than getting too dramatic.

Addition to step 3

I like to finish with an overall encouraging remark that has a future focus. So, something like, “If you include more interactive elements, then your presentation will be livelier and more engaging next time.”

Opposition

Despite my enthusiasm, I am aware that this method also has its opposers. I have heard colleagues say it is too soft and indirect, or that it doesn’t actually improve performance. I think it depends on the context. In my opinion, in a learning context where people are stepping outside of their comfort zones and making themselves vulnerable, you need to respect and support that by making sure they save face. And I believe this method does that while at the same time pointing out where improvements can and need to be made.

Of course there are circumstances where other methods are more suitable, but they will not be discussed here today.

And in my experience, when used properly in the appropriate circumstances, the effect can be really positive. So, this method is useful where-ever you are responsible for the performance of someone else and/or where-ever you are expected to provide guidance, instruction, and motivational support.

In the end, the recipient decides what to do with the constructive criticism. You have offered your perspective, but they are the ones who have to put it into action, or not. The ball is in their court. Nevertheless, since I have started using this technique, I have been able to notice a far better response from clients, students, and even colleagues, leading to improved results and relationships.

Keep Growing! <3 <3 <3

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