Unlearning 101

Own the White Space

As humans we like to believe we're good at seeing the whole picture. But, as I suggested in this piece, most of us are not.

This is particularly true in business. Most managers focus relentlessly on serving the customer, making incremental improvements to core product or services, or finding yet another margin-saving efficiency.

There is nothing wrong with any of these things (in fact they are important) but who in your company is responsible for seeing "new market spaces"? Who owns the "white space" -- the space where your company isn't yet operating but, with a little foresight or imagination, could be?

As Gary Hamel recounts in his excellent book, The Future of Management, in the late 1990s, IBM did exactly this and by unlearning many of its core management principles, it has been able "to identify disruptive technologies, industry trends, and embryonic markets, and transform them into billion-dollar opportunities." (Over $25 billion and counting to be precise.)

More is Not Always Best

If you are a manager and want to position your company or organization to succeed in the future, I'd suggest changing the normal managerial question of "How do I get more out of my employees?" to "How do I get the best out of my employees?"

Why? because passion, energy, creativity and innovation aren't easily reflected in quarterly earnings statements but they do show up in the long-run.

A Turn-a-Round Question

"Do you have any other questions?" It is a common question. Usually, many of us answer "no." Sometimes this is because we really don't have any other questions but, other times, it is because we don't want to display our ignorance.

In my quest to unlearn, however, I have recently been turning around the question and by asking the questioner this question: "Are there other questions I should be asking?"

Not only it is disarming, it also displays an open mind as well as an awareness of things we don't know.

If you're lucky sometimes the questioner will respond with a new question you should be asking--and you'll either learn something new or unlearn something old.

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Unlearn ... Just in Case

The global supply chain is an impressive feat of modern management. The problem is that in its quest to squeeze out ever greater efficiencies with its "just-in-time" system of inventory it has left itself extremely vulnerable to large, rare and unpredictable events such as the recent Japanese earthquake-tsunami.

Such events are, of course, unpredictable but one way to prepare for them is to create a small 'just-in-case' inventory. It might not be efficient but, when it really matters, it could save a company's bacon.

If you are a slave to efficiency and "six-sigma" thinking, it might behoove you to unlearn your strict reliance on "just-in-time" inventory ... just in case the unexpected happens sometime in the future.

P.S. I realize the cartoon doesn't really match the theme of this post ... I just thought it was funny.

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A Positive Spin on Negative Emotions

Have you ever considered that true happiness isn't found in the accumulation of more positive emotional experiences -- such as buying a new pair of shoes, taking a cool vacation, buying a new car, securing a better job or finding a more attractive partner -- but rather in the simple act letting go of the negative emotions of anger, anxiety, fear, greed, grief, envy and jealousy?

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Two Words

Ying     Yang

Black     White

Up         Down

Right    Left

East    West

North    South

Open     Close

Right     Wrong

Learn    Unlearn

 

Juggle Learning and Unlearning

Learning to juggle isn't about catching the balls, it's about throwing them. One reason many people have difficulty learning to juggle is because they can't unlearn the "catching" part.

Letting go of old habits is difficult but if you can master the trick of unlearning you just might be able to better handle the new "balls" life throws your way.

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Unlearning the Grid

I'm in Eugene, Oregon today to give the keynote presentation at the conference celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Eugene Water and Electricity Board. The gist of my message is that as impressive as progress has been in the past century it will pale in comparison to what is coming in the next two decades.

One of the big challenges facing the utility industry is the idea that they will need to unlearn their ideas of what the utility grid of the future looks like as well as the role their customers will play in the creation of energy in the near future.

To this end, take a look at the image above. It is the "microgrid dream house." This vision hasn't yet been achieved but if you study emerging technologies as I do, it is clear solar cells, micro wind turbines, fuel cells, insulation, batteries and smart meters are all going to continue to improve. 

Personally, I believe they are going to continue to improve to the point where many people will opt to disconnect from the grid because they can safely, cheaply and sustainably produce and store their own electricity.

Orville Wright Did Not Have a Pilot's License

I'm currently reading Gordon MacKenzie's delightful book, Orbiting the Giant Hairball. Chapter 19 is the shortest, most insightful chapter I have read in some time. I will repeat it in its entirety for your reading pleasure:

Orville Wright did not have a pilot's license.

Become Your Own Authority Figure

The best way to unlearn the innate silliness of authority figures is to become your own authority figure.

Who'd a figured?