Author: thomas.jordan

(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)

9. Sense-making

Skills in seeing patterns, structuring the unknown and being able to consciously create stories

All human beings are continually engaged in making sense of their experiences, in order to be able to function. So in order to regard sense- making as a key skill, we need to focus on the more developed forms of sense-making. These involve actively looking for patterns relevant for the tasks individuals or groups are facing, trying to make sense of those patterns by looking for additional pieces of information, test different possible interpretations, engage in dialogue with other people and thereby arrive at more well-founded understandings. Sense-making has considerable overlap with other parts of the IDG framework, such as Critical thinking, Complexity awareness and Perspective skills.

Inner Development Goals 10: Long-term orientation and visioning

(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)

7. Complexity awareness

Understanding of and skills in working with complex and systemic conditions and casualties.

Complexity awareness is first and foremost a keen awareness that certain issues might be complex, and perhaps complex in ways that one is not yet aware of. Complexity might be related to underlying and diverse causes, conditions and circumstances that influence a particular issue. Complexity might also be related to mutual interdependencies between different factors, that cannot be properly understood by uni-directional, uni-factorial causal relationships. A very significant and often mentioned aspect of complexity awareness is systems thinking: the propensity to look for patterns of wholes, how elements of systems interact in complex ways, leading to system dynamics and emergent properties of systems. There are many types of systems: ecological, social, cultural, economic, legal, organizational, cognitive, etc. Systems thinking goes beyond thinking in terms of unidirectional and even multivariate cause-and-effect relationships to consider dynamics that cannot be understood without considering systemic patterns and relationships.

Related concepts that were listed in the survey were holistic view, strategic thinking, dialectical thinking, polarity thinking and ability to synthesize. Awareness of complexity is a first step, actual skills in analyzing, synthesizing and developing and enacting strategies for managing complex issues are of course of central importance.

Complexity awareness is an important condition for having a genuine openness and earning mindset, because there is always an expectation that there are circumstances one is not yet aware of. Complexity awareness is strongly related to Critical thinking, Sense-making and Perspective skills.

Inner Development Goals 8: Perspective skills

(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)

6. Critical thinking

Skills in critically reviewing the validity of views, evidence and plans.

«Critical thinking» is a concept that has been given different meanings. It is strongly related to «reflective judgment» or «skills of argument», constructs that have been extensively researched (see in particular King & Kitchener, 1994; and Kuhn, 1991. See also Dawson, 2020-2021, who describes the micro-skills involved i great detail). One way of describing critical thinking skills is to focus on the habits of asking probing questions in relation to statements, validity claims, views and opinions, questions such as:

• Are there robust reasons to believe that the claims made are valid?
• What other facts could be relevant to a balanced interpretation?
• What consequences have to be true if the claims are true?
• What other views or interpretations are possibly valid in relation tothis issue?
• What arguments do people with different views refer to, and what credibility do those arguments have?
• Could there be circumstances that have not so far been considered that could mean that the argument proposed is not fully valid?

A related concept mentioned by survey respondents were variations of the theme «evidence-based practice», i.e. a concern for using practices that have been shown to be effective, rather than just doing what comes to mind. Critical thinking is strongly related to and partially overlapping with Perspective skills.

Inner Development Goals 7: Complexity Awareness

(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)

5. Presence

Ability to be in the here and now, without judgement and in a state of open-ended presence.

This capacity is strongly linked to Openness and Learning mindset, but emphasizes the quality of making oneself fully available in encounters with other people, in an accepting, mindful, sensitive and non- judgmental way. This quality can partly be regarded as a skill that can be trained by practicing mindfulness exercises. But arguably a well- developed capacity for presence is also dependent on being relatively free from preoccupation with projecting and defending a particular self- image or a psychological need for upholding the stability of a certain worldview that provides a sense of safety. See also the discussion of Humility below. Presence is also related to Self-awareness.

Inner Development Goals 6: Critical Thinking

(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)

4. Self-awareness

Ability to be in reflective contact with own thoughts, feelings and desires; having a realistic self-image and ability to regulate oneself.

What goes on inside a person has a considerable impact on that person’s potential for being effective when engaging with complex issues, especially in interaction with people with diverse perspectives and interests. Challenging situations evoke emotional and cognitive reactions. If a person is not capable of monitoring these reactions, the capacity for handling them in constructive ways is limited, and the person may act out emotions, defensive reactions and hasty judgments without really noticing that this is happening. Self-awareness involves being aware of emotional, cognitive, motivational and other internal psychological processes as they happen (or shortly afterwards). Being in touch with and understanding one’s own inner processes often leads to greater self-acceptance, less need to cling to an idealized self-image and therefore less need for psychological defense mechanisms. A well- developed capacity for self-awareness makes it possible to actively manage the relationship between internal (spontaneous) processes and the expectations and needs coupled to a particular role or function the person has.

Several formulations relating to the self were mentioned by survey respondents: self-reflection, self-care, self-acceptance, self-leadership, and personal integration of mind, body, soul. Self-awareness is closely linked to Presence, Humility, Integrity and Authenticity, Openness and Learning mindset.

Inner Development Goals: 5. Presence

(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)

3. Openness and Learning mindset

Having a basic mindset of curiosity and a willingness to be vulnerable and embrace change and grow.

A capacity to be open to learning, reevaluation and be curious about alternative ways of perceiving and interpreting various issues requires a self that has a considerable measure of robustness. If one’s sense of self-regard is dependent on identification with a certain self-image or if one’s sense of safety is linked to a need to defend a certain set of beliefs and values, there is probably a need for having psychological defense mechanisms that might inhibit the capacity for remaining open and curious when encountering unfamiliar or diverging views or events.

Openness and a learning mindset is therefore not to be regarded solely as a skill that can be trained, but is intimately linked to adult development processes involving the whole self. Openness is also one of the personality traits included in the Big Five framework.

In the survey some respondents listed qualities that can be linked with the capacity for openness, such as tolerance for ambiguity/uncertainty/ discomfort, having a growth mindset and willingness to let go (of existing patterns).

Openness and Learning mindset is strongly related to Critical thinking, Complexity awareness, Perspective skills, Humility, Creativity and Communication skills.

Inner Development Goals: 4. Self-awareness

(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)

2. Integrity and Authenticity

A commitment and ability to act with sincerity, honesty and integrity.

This item is partly about values one has identified with and is committed to practicing, but it is also strongly related to personal maturity. In order to be capable of acting with sincerity, honesty and integrity, a person has to be keenly aware of his or her inner processes (reactions, emotions, identifications, see the item Self-awareness below) as well as having a robust self-sense that is not easily threatened and thereby giving the person an ability to be appropriately vulnerable.

Inner Development Goals: 3. Openness and Learning mindset

(För introduktion till denna serie bloggtexter, se http://blog.perspectus.se/?p=693)

1. Inner Compass

Having a deeply felt sense of responsibility and commitment to values and purposes relating to the good of the whole.

Having an “inner compass” is not a skill, but is rather a consequence of having a broad scope of awareness that also has led to a motivation to care for and contribute to the welfare of something much larger than oneself. This larger whole can be constructed in different ways: humanity, the global ecosystem, or particular large-scale issues, such as climate change, environmental problems, public health, human rights, etc. The concept of an inner compass is related to how people make priorities when making decisions and acting. A stable inner compass anchored in values relating to a larger whole means that concerns for the well-being of the larger whole are factored in in various situations.

Quite a few concepts that were listed by survey respondents can be related to Inner compass, e.g. being grounded in ethical values, passion for the whole, caring about others, solidarity and sense of purpose.

Having an inner compass firmly anchored in a commitment to contribute to the good of the whole is intimately related to other IDGs, such as Connectedness, Long-term orientation and visioning,
and Perseverance.

Inner Development Goals: 2. Integrity and Authenticity

Under hösten 2020 och våren/sommaren 2021 arbetade jag med första fasen i projektet Inner Development Goals (IDG, se vidare http://innerdevelopmentgoals.org). Projektets namn anspelar på FNs Agenda 2030 med sina 17 områden för Sustainable Development Goals. Jag ska inte ta plats här för att mer ingående beskriva projektets bakgrund och metodik, detta finns beskrivet ingående i den rapport jag skrivit (http://www.innerdevelopmentgoals.org/s/211201_IDG_Report_Full.pdf). Men grundtanken bakom projektet är att världen står inför angelägna utmaningar, som vi också har mycket kunskap om. FNs Sustainable Development Goals formulerar vad vi borde uppnå både för att “rädda världen” och att uppnå en bättre värld vad gäller miljö, folkhälsa, mänskliga rättigheter, etc. Men vi är inte så framgångsrika med att uppfylla målen så långt. En anledning till detta är att vi inte ägnat tillräckligt med uppmärksamhet och investeringar i att utveckla våra kapaciteter, både som individer och som organisationer och samhällen. Projektets första fas handlade om att identifiera och formulera vad det nu är för färdigheter och kvaliteter vi behöver utveckla mer av. I en andra fas, som just påbörjats, är målet att inventera och beskriva metodik för att främja utvecklingen av dessa färdigheter och kvaliteter.

Jag hade rollen som “metodledare” i IDG-projektet, vilket innebar att jag var drivande och koordinerande i att utforma insamlingen av data, koda data och formulera en första version av “Inner Development Goals”. Det arbete vi gjorde, där över 800 personer bidrog med förslag på viktiga färdigheter och kvaliteter, ledde så småningom fram till ett ramverk bestående av 23 nyckelfärdigheter och kvaliteter, ordnade i fem grupper, som kom att kallas Being – Relationship to Self; Thinking – Cognitive Skills; Relating – Caring for Others and for the World; Collaborating – Social Skills; och Acting – Driving Change.

Jag är stolt över rapporten (länk ovan) som jag skrev ihop i somras (som många bidragit till), men jag vet också att det inte är så många som faktiskt läser rapporter. Jag tänkte därför att presentera utdrag ur rapporten här, genom att en i taget presentera de 23 färdigheterna och kvaliteterna i korta blogginlägg. I rapporten är de inte numrerade, vilket kanske var dumt, det hade kanske underlättat orienteringen. Men här lägger jag ut de korta beskrivande texterna för varje färdighet/kvalitet i den ordning de behandlas i rapporten, och förser dem med nummer. Eftersom rapporten är på engelska blir också dessa blogginlägg på engelska.

En översikt över de 23 färdigheterna och kvaliteterna finns här.

Inner Development Goals: 1 Inner Compass