Question on The Fifth Discipline LO20804

John Gunkler (jgunkler@sprintmail.com)
Thu, 4 Mar 1999 10:54:30 -0600

Replying to LO20779 --

William Auvin-Bray wonders:

>My question is, how does the gap serve as a "tool" to process through
>the interconnected phases of your five disciplines? I will use an analogy
>to explain further. There is a old Taoists thought about the usefulness
>of the void or lack of space. For example a cup or bowl has no use or
>function without the absence of space for food or fluids. The cart and
>the wheel have no relationship without an axle,(or function),and without
>a hole through the cart wheel, (the absences of space),the axle has no
>place to seat in. It is the very lack of function that is the most
>functional part!

It seems quite clear, from both a psychological and a system dynamics
perspective, that the "gap" [between desire and actuality] is the primary
motivation for most human action. In human (and other animal) psychology,
it is a perceived lack, or need, that motivates behavior. And, in
organizational systems, it is a perceived gap or mismatch between stated
goal performance and perceived actual performance that causes change to
occur.

As William says, quoting the Taoists, it is often the "missing" part that
is most important for generating action.

-- 

"John Gunkler" <jgunkler@sprintmail.com>

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