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Every
organization faces constant changes in technologies,
global competitive pressures, customer expectations
and internal dynamics. Past practices alone cannot deliver
the outcomes required. What is key to organizing in
the midst of such complexity? What accelerates making
better choices about the future? At Omega Point, we
believe this depends on learning to make strategic choices
in the context of current reality that are aligned with
a vision of a desired future. Such learning requires
becoming more conscious of decision-making processes.
Future Shapes® is a systematic method for
learning and applying new decision-making skills to
organizational challenges. It is designed for organizations
committed to 'choosing' their own sustainable future.
An
organization's success or failure depends on the dynamic
interplay between two components of its fundamental
organizing structure: capacity and capability. 'Capacity'
is the innate potential for growth and development.
An organization grows its capacity by cultivating the
dynamic interaction of acquired knowledge, new insights,
collective wisdom and deep inquiry.
'Capability'
refers to an organization's ability to accomplish a
specific task. It draws from capacity. The leverage
point for building capability is inquiring into how
'things really work' within an organization. The clarity
and knowledge acquired in the focused inquiry process
allow for greater alignment of beliefs, intentions,
and actions in order to produce targeted performance
outcomes. The learning that arises from the method produces
new insights... the leverage point for enhancing the
organization's capacity.
Future
Shapes® is an integral method for leveraging
organizational capacity and capability in ways that
translate into heightened performance levels. A Learning
Partnership is convened to bring innovative thinking
to an existing organizational challenge. The Four Step
Path provides the organizing framework for learning
new skills within Application Labs. Participants create
new knowledge about the challenge by gaining and applying
proficiency in four key skills:
Exploratory
Listening uncovers underlying root issues and
relationships. It illuminates new ideas as they unfold
and transforms diverse forms of information into enhanced
knowledge.
Discovery
is a six-step process designed to capture new insights,
'transcend and include' existing knowledge, differentiate
the best from the mediocre, bring tradition and new
potential into partnership, test and integrate new
beliefs, and continually renew creative imagination.
Systems
Thinking is a discipline for seeing 'wholes' and
interrelationships. Its tools facilitate the design
of strategic actions capable of producing significant
and enduring results.
Decision-Making
is a six-step process built upon foresight while designing
for focus, flexibility and accountability. Decisions
become timely, richly informed, creatively resourceful,
context appropriate, and fully actionable.
Through
the application of skills gained, the Learning Partnership
creates resilient strategic choices - choices that are
critically important and have the ability to adjust
responsively to changing circumstances. Because change
is a constant, implementation involves learning to 'fluidly'
align these choices to the organization's systems on
a real-time basis.
Learning
Partnerships not only learn about the existing challenge,
they become aware of 'how' they learn. These reflections
accelerate integral learning that can then be applied
to the next challenge. Thus over time, Future Shapes®
builds the organization's capacity and capability to
shape its own future.
Copyright
© 2000 OMEGA POINT
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