Single or Double?

The journey toward transformation begins with a single question: “Why?”

As a leader, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative impact of adopting a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation. In the domain of organizational development, one concept stands out as particularly potent — double-loop learning. In this blog post, I’ll explore what double-loop learning is, why it’s crucial for effective leadership, and how you can harness its power to drive growth and innovation within your team or organization.

Understanding Double-Loop Learning

Coined by organizational theorist Chris Argyris, double-loop learning goes beyond the traditional single-loop approach by not only addressing problems but also questioning the underlying assumptions and values that shape our actions.

Single-loop learning involves making adjustments within existing frameworks and strategies to achieve desired outcomes. It’s like tweaking the variables in a formula to get a different result. While valuable for incremental improvements, single-loop learning often fails to challenge the fundamental beliefs and mental models guiding our decision-making processes. On the other hand, double-loop learning delves deeper by asking critical questions such as “Why are we doing what we’re doing?” and “Are there…