Reflection-in-Action
Inermediate
Skill Level:
Pay attention to the symbols, motivations, and instincts that drive real-time action and reaction in a simulated or real task.
This technique is all about helping your participants let go of a striving or controlling mindset. Following the Shifting and Expanding phases, the Receiving phase continues to maintain a non-egoic and non-intellectual mode of attention. The difference is that as insights "pop into'" participant's minds, they are guided in receiving these objects of attention, storing them for later reflection, and then coming back to the same receptive state of awareness.
As you think of unique ways to apply this technique to a new OD solution, you must remember that the main goal of the Receiving phase is to help participants accept and store insights as they arise (for later reflection), and continuing to sustain a non-conceptual mode of attention that monitors and stores objects that arise in awareness. Participants may be so excited by their insights that they get "sucked into" reflecting upon them. This is common. So the facilitator must periodically remind participants to remain non-attached to even the best ideas. They will indeed remember these insights when they move into the next phase!
Schön, D. A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. Jossey-Bass.
