Examples Of Ignorance Loops

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Leading at Light Speed is a must-have leadership book by Eric Douglas highlighting the 10 Quantum Leaps to build trust, spark innovation, and create a high-performing organization.

The following article is about Ignorance Loops as described on pages 123-126 in Chapter 5 of Leading at Light Speed.

Here’s an example of an Ignorance Loop. The three owners of an office supply company wanted to foster a close-knit, family culture in their organization. To make this happen, they appointed a consultant who suggested they create four different content teams in marketing, human resources, merchandising, and sales.

These teams conducted meetings every month. When marketing wanted to produce a new brochure, the marketing team had to agree before it went to press. When merchandising wanted to add a new product, the merchandising team had to reach consensus. When human resources wanted to set up a mentoring program, the team designed the program. People seemed happy to be involved. The organizations’ owners were enthusiastic that they had constructed such a strong, family-like environment.

That was when competition arrived. The company lost three customers, then four, then five. The owners assembled the teams. What the options were available to them? “Run it through the marketing team,” someone suggested. However, the marketing team was at a loss as to how to proceed. The owners came together. They didn’t know what to do either. They couldn’t decide.

So they hired a new consultant. This time, our organization was involved. I performed an evluation of the situation. It became quickly apparent that an ignorance loop was at work. Everyone thought: “We can only make decisions by consensus among our teams. If we are unable to reach an agreement, we must not be doing things correctly..”

Over a 12-month period we helped this company orchestrate a shift in its culture. We dissolved the four teams, created new management positions in key areas, and disposed of the group mind think that had been created. Instead, we started creating an alternative environment, where employees and teams were accountable for the decisions they made. A strategic plan focused the firm on its core values and on expanding its suite of services. The subsequent step was forming new learning loops and forums. The organization was reaching record highs for both revenue and profit within two years.

As well as the staff? Internal surveys showed they were much happier now that people’s roles were clear and they weren’t wasting so much time in meetings!

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