This article reviews & reflects on 'Presencing' by Sharmer (2000 & 2001)
New business challenges/opportunities require new methods
Scharmer (2000) argues in presencing that organizations are now facing a new set of business challenges/opportunities that can rarely be successfully addressed with traditional methods and concepts such as those of organizational learning. This could also be argued in relation to systems development methodologies; developing systems for this new set of business challenges/opportunities need new development methodologies. Scharmer argues that this is primarily due to an often irrelevant experience base of the team for the issue or situation at hand. Therefore, prejorative use of the term 'not invented here syndrome' is not always valid in arguments to demonstrate the importance of lessons learned within and among organizations. For this organizations need to develop a new cognitive capability for sensing and seizing opportunities through engaging their stakehoilders in a different kind of learning cycle: "one that allows them to learn from the future as it emerges, rather than from reflecting on past experiences" (Scharmer 2000).
Presencing -- an emerging sixth discipline?
Scharmer (2000) confirms what was argued by Senge et al. (1994 & 1999) that a number of learning methods (referred to as 'disciplines') emerged in the last few decades including Systems Thinking (soft rather than hard), Personal Mastery, Dialogue, Parallel Structuring, Process Consultation, and others; each of which is grounded in a distinct body of principles and practices (see Argyris and Schön 1996; Schein 1987, 1992, 1999; Senge 1990; Bohm 1990; Isaacs 1999; Senge et al. 1994, 1999; Nonaka and Konno, 1998; Kim 1992, 1994). Scharmer sees these methods as representing different parts of the human body:
the head: Systems Thinking (conceptualization)
the feet: Process Consultation & Parallel Structures (grounded in business realities)
the heart: Dialogue, Personal Mastery, and Presencing (what people really care about)
Scharmer concludes that the implication of this is profound yet simple: the tool for leading change is
the leader’s Self.
References:
Sharmer (2000) “Presencing: Learning From the Future As It Emerges. On the Tacit Dimension of Leading Revolutionary Change.”Presented at the Conference On Knowledge and Innovation, May 25-26, Helsinki, Finnland.
Scharmer C.O. (2001) "Self-transcending knowledge: Sensing and organizing around emerging opportunities", Journal of knowledge Management, Vol 5 No 2, pp. 137-151
