Generative Planning

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Generative Planning Navigating Emerging
Futures CES Strategic Planning March 16,
2007 Annie Jones
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• Unofficial Term Building On
• Systems Thinking
• Generative Dialogue (Presencing)
• U-Process
• Continuous Change

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Systems Thinking When is it most
valuable?         In complex problems that
involve helping many actors see the big picture
and not just their part of it.         When
problems are recurring or when problems have been
made worse by past solutions.         In an
issue where an action affects (or is affected by)
the environment surrounding the issue, either the
natural environment or the competitive
environment.         Where solutions to a
problem are not obvious.
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This is the time of loaves and fishes. People
are hungry and one good word is bread for
1000. David Whyte
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Systems Thinking
The fox knows many things. The hedgehog knows
one big thing.Archilochus
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The Third Path
Systems Thinking
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A Systems Approach

• System A combination of related elements
  organized into a complex whole.
• What is it? Seeing the forest and the trees.
• More than the sum of parts - systems thinking
  examines the interaction of the parts.

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We do not describe the world we see, we see the
world we can describe. Rene Descartes

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Events
Patterns
Structures
Mental Models
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Events Concern Who does what to whom? Question
What happened? Solution Reactive
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Patterns Concern Recurring behavior Question
What has been happening over time? Solution
Adaptive
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Structure Concern How are the parts of the
system organized? Question Why is this
happening? Solution Creative
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Mental Models Concern Assumptions and
worldviews Question In what way have our mental
models created or sustained our existing
structures? Solution Generative
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Connectedness If you wish to understand a
system, and so be in a position to predict its
behavior, it is necessary to study the system as
a whole. Cutting it up into bits for study is
likely to destroy the systems connectedness, and
hence the system itself. Sherwood
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Past and Present Events

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Patterns

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Systems and Structures

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Generative Planning
Events
Patterns
Structures
Mental Models
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• Generative
• Having the power or function of generating,
  originating, producing, or reproducing
  (Merriam-Webster Online)
• Planning for the 7th generation

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• Generative Dialogue
• Term coined by Otto Scharmer and Adam Kahane
• Purpose of dialogue is to build, restore, and
  create relationships
• Generative dialogue goes well beyond empathy and
  into listening from the whole
• Leads to transformation

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• Four ways of Listening
• Downloading Evaluative listening from within
  our own story
• Debating Evaluative listening from the
  outside
• Reflective Dialogue Reflecting on our own
  thoughts and listening to others with empathy
• Generative Communion or merging of spirit

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U Process
http//ottoscharmer.com/
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• Continuous Change Model
• Eisenhardt and Brown
• In contrast to the Punctuated Equilibrium
  Model
• Premise In these complex and competitive times,
  only the organizations who are able to
  continuously change will be able to survive

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• Competencies of Continually Changing
  Organizations
• Create semi-structures, striking a balance
  between the order of defined priorities and
  responsibilities and the freedom and autonomy
  needed for innovation to occur
• Engage in a variety of low cost probes into the
  future
• Lead, manage, and develop a rhythm for
  transitions