Presence and learning from the future

Four interesting people have had lots of intersting conversations on people and change. They were so kind to write their conversation down and to make a book out of it. These interesting people are Peter Senge, Otto Scharmer, Joseph Jaworski and Betty Sue Flower. The book is named – Presence, exploring profound change in people, organizations and society.

They work out the “U-movement” that Scharmer had worked on before. The basic phases in the U-movement are Sensing, Presencing and Realizing. Reading the book means going on a journey. They explore the idea of learning from the future: “A different type of learning process where we learn from a future that has not yet happened and from continually discovering our part in bringing that future to pass. Learning based on the past suffices when the past is a good guide to the future. But it leaves us blind to profound shifts when whole new forces shaping change arise” (pp86).

Being able to learn from an unknown future is a necessary ability in the knowledge economy we're in. The perspective the authors offer on this ability is truly inspiring.

The book reminds me of a quote of John Scharr that someone showed me a couple of weeks ago:

“The future is not the result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created – created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination.”

Senge, P., Scharmer, C. O., Jaworski, J., & Flowers, B. S. (2005). Presence, exploring profound change in people, organizations and society. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.