The article referred to these three dimensions simply as A, B, and C (see also Diagram 1): The production and delivery of products and/or services. This is “the work” we engage in to serve our customers and clients. The design and implementation of the systems, processes, and structures that enable the work to be done. The primary responsibility for this dimension is held by management. The way we think about how we think, interact, and take action. To quote Senge’s article, “Ultimately, the quality of [this] work determines the quality of the systems and processes [that organizations] design and the products and services [they] provide” (p. 35). This is the work of leadership—which can include anyone, anywhere in the organization. (Location 112) #✂️

Douglas McGregor, at MIT’s Sloan School of Management in the 1940s, developed a theory of employee motivation that addresses thinking about how we think, interact, and act. He called it, simply, Theory X and Theory Y. (Location 122) #✂️

Theory X sees employees (and co-workers) as problems. It assumes that people are basically lazy and will avoid work if they can, so they need to be controlled and threatened with punishment if they do not perform. (Location 124) #✂️

Theory Y, on the other hand, assumes that employees and co-workers are inherently self-motivated and seek out work and responsibility that satisfies their desire to create products and services that meet the needs of others. (Location 128) #✂️

And here it is, the fundamental reason: most change initiatives are rooted in dimension B—management’s systems, processes and structures—without any consideration for, let alone work within, dimension C, which is how we’re thinking about how we work. (Location 134) #✂️

Question 1. Where are you putting your focus? Are you focusing on problems or on outcomes? Question 2. How are you relating? How are you relating to others, to your experience, and even to yourself? Are you relating in ways that produce or perpetuate drama, or in ways that empower others and yourself to be more resourceful, resilient, and innovative? Question 3. What actions are you taking? Are you merely reacting to the problems of the moment, or are you taking creative and generative action—including the solving of problems—in service to outcomes? (Location 150) #✂️

The key to this first vital question is to upgrade to the Outcome Orientation as your primary way of thinking, here at work and, really, throughout your life.” (Location 428) #✂️

Question 1. Where are you putting your focus? Are you focusing on problems or on outcomes? Question 2. How are you relating? How are you relating to others, to your experience, and even to yourself? Are you relating in ways that produce or perpetuate drama, or in ways that empower others and yourself to be more resourceful, resilient, and innovative? Question 3. What actions are you taking? Are you merely reacting to the problems of the moment, or are you taking creative and generative action—including the solving of problems—in service to outcomes? (Location 150) #✂️

One is, How are you relating to other people? Another is, How are you relating to what is going on in your life? And the third is, How you are relating to yourself? “The key here is, are you relating in ways that are going to produce or perpetuate drama, or are you relating in ways that empower yourself and others to be more resourceful, resilient, and innovative?” (Location 822) #✂️

Question 1. Where are you putting your focus? Are you focusing on problems or on outcomes? Question 2. How are you relating? How are you relating to others, to your experience, and even to yourself? Are you relating in ways that produce or perpetuate drama, or in ways that empower others and yourself to be more resourceful, resilient, and innovative? Question 3. What actions are you taking? Are you merely reacting to the problems of the moment, or are you taking creative and generative action—including the solving of problems—in service to outcomes? (Location 150) #✂️

“The F in FISBE stands for focus,” he said, writing the word in the top circle, “and this focus sets up the rest of the operating system. That’s because whatever you focus on, that’s what gets your inner state going. (Location 308) #✂️

Problem Orientation, which is one of two primary orientations. The CEO I mentioned said that the Problem Orientation is the default mindset of most people and organizations. (Location 300) #✂️

“As you might suspect, the focus here is on problems,” he said, and he wrote Problem in the focus circle. “A problem can show up in all kinds of ways: maybe someone emails you, or calls or texts you. Or maybe someone walks into your office and starts talking about a problem. “As you take in this new information as a problem,” said Ted, “your inner state arises—and that’s going to be some kind of anxiety.” Ted wrote Anxiety in the inner state circle. “Then, depending on how bad you think the problem is, your anxiety could be anything from a little irritation to intense fear. Either way, the inner state of anxiety will trigger you into action. “This action you take—that’s your behavior, of course—is some form of reaction. (Location 349) #✂️

the Problem Orientation is actually a Victim Orientation, because usually we feel victimized by the problems we’re reacting to. On the other hand, the Outcome Orientation is really a Creator Orientation, from which you create outcomes and the baby steps you’ll take to accomplish those outcomes. (Location 813) #✂️

“The false hope is that if you can just solve the problem, then everything will be okay … or that you’ll then be able to focus on something more important. Right?” (Location 382) #✂️

“Another problem. Seems like there’s always a new issue lurking under the last one. I’m just waiting for the next incoming problem!” “And that’s why it’s a false hope that problems will go away,” (Location 386) #✂️

“You’re telling yourself you’re reacting to the problem, when really you’re reacting to the anxiety you feel about the problem. If you didn’t feel some level of anxiety, you’d let the situation pass on by. The false assumption is that the problem is driving this operating system. But it isn’t—the Problem Orientation, the operating system, only sets it in motion. It’s actually your anxiety that’s driving the whole shebang.” (Location 375) #✂️

There are four ways you might react: fight, flight, freeze, or appease.” (Location 354) #✂️

“You’re telling yourself you’re reacting to the problem, when really you’re reacting to the anxiety you feel about the problem. If you didn’t feel some level of anxiety, you’d let the situation pass on by. The false assumption is that the problem is driving this operating system. But it isn’t—the Problem Orientation, the operating system, only sets it in motion. It’s actually your anxiety that’s driving the whole shebang.” (Location 375) #✂️

“In this orientation, you have a much different focus. Here your thinking is oriented toward envisioning an outcome. Sometimes the outcome you have in mind is clear—you know almost exactly what it is and how you want it to happen. Other times this outcome may be somewhat vague in your mind, but you have a general idea of the direction you’re heading. (Location 401) #✂️

“What’s important is that you care about the outcome you envision. Because when you really care about it, that ignites an inner state of passion,” said Ted, and he wrote the word Passion in the inner state circle. In the behavior circle he wrote Baby Step, then turned to face Lucas. (Location 404) #✂️

“What’s important is that you care about the outcome you envision. Because when you really care about it, that ignites an inner state of passion,” said Ted, and he wrote the word Passion in the inner state circle. In the behavior circle he wrote Baby Step, then turned to face Lucas. (Location 404) #✂️

“That passion,” he continued, “provides the motivational fuel to take the next step in your process toward creating the outcome—whatever that step may be. (Location 406) #✂️

“As you focus on your envisioned outcome, your passion goes up.” He drew a plus sign. “As your passion increases, your desire to take the next baby step increases, too.” Another plus sign. “Then, as you take that next step, you get closer to, or clearer about, the outcome”—a third plus sign on the board—“and that increases your passion and your will to take action.” (Location 516) #✂️

AIR stands for three major distinctions between the two FISBEs: your attention, intention, and results. (Location 436) #✂️

“your attention begins to move naturally toward whatever it is that you do want, and what you really care about. That doesn’t mean you won’t have any more problems, but it does mean there will be a big shift in your relationship to those problems. Instead of seeing problems everywhere you look, you start taking on only the problems that need to be solved to create the outcome you want. (Location 444) #✂️

“your intention is to move toward the outcome and, through the baby steps, or the actions you take, to bring that intention into being over time.” Lucas joined in. “So, the difference is between moving away from what you don’t want—the problem—and moving toward the outcome you do want.” (Location 457) #✂️

Ted added, “So anytime you find yourself faced with a situation that seems to come up over and over again—be it with a team member at work, someone in your personal life, or even within yourself—it is virtually guaranteed you’re coming at that situation from the Problem Orientation. You do something about the situation, it gets better for a while, and then sometime down the road, there it is again! (Location 496) #✂️

“As you focus on your envisioned outcome, your passion goes up.” He drew a plus sign. “As your passion increases, your desire to take the next baby step increases, too.” Another plus sign. “Then, as you take that next step, you get closer to, or clearer about, the outcome”—a third plus sign on the board—“and that increases your passion and your will to take action.” (Location 516) #✂️

“The first exercise has to do with the thoughts and feelings you experience … and the actions you take … in each of the orientations. And just a note about ‘thoughts’—they can be things you say silently to yourself as well as things you say out loud to other people,” Kasey explained. Lucas wrote “thoughts, feelings, and actions” (Location 674) #✂️

“A reactive trigger is anything or anyone that causes or activates you to react—to see that person or thing as a problem that engages some form of anxiety. Once you’re triggered, you react with a fight, flight, freeze, or appease response. Those are the reactive strategies. (Location 703) #✂️

“A reactive trigger is anything or anyone that causes or activates you to react—to see that person or thing as a problem that engages some form of anxiety. Once you’re triggered, you react with a fight, flight, freeze, or appease response. Those are the reactive strategies. (Location 703) #✂️

Being able to step back and reflect on things is really key, Lucas. Ted calls it ‘going up to the balcony.’ The more you can observe, the more you will be able to make different and more empowering choices about how to respond. It will be great to get into the habit of writing down your observations of thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and actions, as well as your reactive triggers and reactive strategies.” (Location 722) #✂️