PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

The principle of socially constructed reality

As beings who are socialised into a language based culture, we inherit a world which is constructed in the language that we learn. That language is our reality yet it is socially constructed in that it exists in language and is not the thing itself. The lesser socially constructed realities - family, community, country - are also socially constructed. Successful corporations have constructed a unique social reality that is distinct from the ordinary reality of the people and places of its operating environment.

The principle of questioning the unquestionable

How is it possible for us to inquire into the common principles that shape our industry, our company and our systems? This question leads to the possibility of transformation of organization. There are unquestionable elements in every communities patterns of action and language. These are identifiable by verbal and non-verbal cues. These cues are the signal to question if a corporation is to become extraordinary.

The principle of structures of interpretation

The job of the leadership of an organization is to provide a structure of interpretation which is useful to the whole organization in understanding and making meaning of what occurs. We inherit our structures of interpretation - the methods and models that we use to understand - and these are designed to produce ordinary interpretations acceptable to the larger community but insufficient for breakthroughs or remarkable performance.

The principle of distinguishing

Distinctions are new patterns identified or created in language. It is the creative act of distinguishing in more detail or more generality - or in new combinations - that makes some more successful than others. Masters of a craft or profession have more distinctions in their area than lesser performers. To succeed in a field where others are operating means to generate more complex distinctions than the existing members of that field.

The principle of dialogue

The source of the new is recombination of ideas. This recombination occurs mainly in dialogue where there is an intention to create something new. Dialogue is the active process of emergence where information and knowledge that is tacit becomes available for recombination. It is the process of dialogue itself that elicits the tacit knowledge that exists in the individuals and in the larger community.

The principle of challenging winning formulae

We have all developed practices, habits and automatic behavior that allows us to succeed. These get translated into winning formulae as they continue to work. As winning formulae, they also become part of our identity. They are "what we know works" and therefor cease to question or even allow to be challenged. It is these historical patterns of successful response and behavior that blind us to the possibilities of change. A practice of challenging what is successful is required.

The principle of walking in the other's moccasins

We experience the world from our own perspective. This principle is designed to continually awaken us to that fact. It cannot be otherwise that we experience the world as we do. But we can continue to remind ourselves and to establish practices that demand that we consider what the world is like from the point of view of others. This is the principle to bring into operation whenever there is disagreement. That is, the source of the disagreement is the experience from the others' point of view.

The principle of listening

As we live in a reality that is constructed in language, we can know all that is needed by listening. In the speaking of others - and in their silence - we can hear the whole being expressed. Language is an emergent and complex phenomenon and therefor the whole meaning, the whole communication, is indicated in every part of it. We miss most of what is being communicated if we attempt to listen only to the explicit information or message.