The greatest discoveries depend on errors observed.

One of the reasons I believe in the Power of Observation is that when I am working with others, we always make errors. Something doesn’t go right. We are never perfect. 

These errors are gifts of gold given to me for free. They highlight opportunities to do better, if only I can see them and honestly examine what they have to teach me.

This is the scientific method, this is the power of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. You have a plan/expectation, you do it, you check how it went as dispassionately as you can, and you adjust the plan just enough so that you can actually improve and do it again.

This is how I avoid feeling defeated or beating myself up when we make an error. I have come to believe this is how we can grow in what we do. Even more importantly,  it is how our team learns to trust and talk and be more committed to each other and the people we serve.

In this, I am inspired by a footnote in The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic generation discovered the beauty and terror of science by Richard Holmes. Chapter 2 describes William Herschel, an 18th century self-taught astronomer who discovered the planet Uranus because of his disciplined observation of the skies. Early in his career, Herschel thought the moon was inhabited and that the craters were actually architectural forms (an error). Talking about this, Holmes says this,

[this] bears on the whole nature of science history and biography. Michael Hoskin has suggested in his essay ‘On Writing the History of Modern Astronomy’ that most histories of science continue to be ‘uninterrupted chronicles,’which run along ‘handing out medals to those who “got it right” ‘. They ignore the history of error, so central to the scientific process, and fail to illuminate science as a ‘creative human activity’ which involves the whole personality and has a broad social context.

I think that’s tremendously important. The history of error is such an intimate part of science, and it’s so often suppressed in ordinary, conventional science history. You just get to the result. You also ignore things that don’t look right to us now. The history of error is very rich.

We do a disservice to our teams when we only tell the stories of what worked. When we fail to help them embrace errors. Failing to embrace error holds at bay the human – and spiritual – dimension that is vital if we are to discover what is truly valuable.

In your work as a facilitator and stewarding knowledge, nothing is more useful than being able to observe. Lessons and opportunities are constantly flying at us as we work, interact, share, argue, live.  And most of these pass us by unobserved. They are quickly forgotten, replaced by the next thing clamouring for attention. The only help for it is someone who has learned to stop and perceive what is going on in order to see and learn something and bring it to the consideration of others. Such people are gifts to the groups they serve. The better you are as an observer, the more you can help the people you are with.

Ask any good photographer, reporter, cop, doctor, writer, soldier or salesman what makes them good. Right up there with the obvious stuff – knowing about their subject matter, technology, and tools – they might mention the ability to observe what is going on. I say “might” because it has probably become so ingrained and second nature that they are no longer aware they are doing it. Or maybe it is more accurate to say that they have become so finely attuned through years of practiced observation that they can now perceive signs and variations that others don’t even see and they also know what they can successfully filter out.

Learning to observe is becoming a key skill for managers and people who want to share knowledge and improve process. Jon Miller at www.GembaPantaRei.com describes the practice that many companies are using, called the “Gemba Walk.” They do something called “Standing in the circle.” You take a pen and a piece of paper with 30 lines on it, pick a spot, and stand there for 30 minutes looking for 30 things to that happen or than could be improved. Then pick one of the improvements and work to implement that. Then repeat.  It is easy, fun, and interesting and really helps organizations improve. Because someone is taking the time to stop and observe.

People only see what they are prepared to see (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

I can’t think of anything that has been more important in my work in faciltiation and knowledge stewardship. I still practice in order to improve. Here are some things I do:

• When I have to do an interview or facilitate a meeting, I prepare a storyboard or script of questions I want to use and when. The value is not so much in the questions themselves as it is in rehearsing and thinking about what I will be doing. It frees me to be able to observe what is going on while having an external guide to keep me on track.
• When I am working with a group of any kind, I think about doing an AAR with them. I might never suggest it, but it helps me see.
• In my groups, we make visible the work we are doing (our “work in process”). That helps us see trends, observe what is going on in our work. 
• When I read magazines or watch TV, I consciously look at how they use cues, messaging, images, and graphic elements in the commercials. Even though it annoys my wife, I talk with her about is going on. Certainly, it diffuses the influence of commercials!
• Taking Matt Brandon’s advice, I will go out with my simple digital camera to shoot specific types of subjects, what I can see.
• I write in my journal. Well, to be honest, I do this on occasion, giving myself a time and place to write what I observe. Sort of like the Stand in the Circle exercise. Writing is a great way to learn to listen.
• I ask questions of everyone. To learn not to be afraid of looking dumb. And to learn what other see.
• I am enjoying reading about design, such as Presentation Zen Design or Fast Company, because they help me see aesthetics, developing my vision.  

I also find it fun to do observational practices with a buddy and then compare notes. 

what we see depends mainly on what we look for (John Lubbock)

What do you do?

If you want to be a good facilitator or an effective servant helping teams to steward knowledge, then grow in your powers of observation. Become more of a professional. You will be richer for it.

I am interested in keeping up with teams / organizations regarding After Action Review and Facilitation. As you start out, I hope you are experiencing some success and may also be finding some challenges. Building momentum and overcoming organizational inertia certainly takes time.

I would welcome the chance to be in regular conversation with you if you are acting as a “champion” in your organisation for these disciplines. How we can learn from each other, how I can be an effective coach to you.

If you are interested, please let me know who I should work with. I will put together a distribution list that we can use to talk with each other. And I will blog about what we are finding on www.knowledgestewardship.com.