Chapter 2 question #3

One topic I found interesting in chapter two was a concept that I have never heard of. Of all the communication classes I have taken, the idea of “double-loop learning” has never been mentioned. I was intrigued by the idea and I found it useful when applying not only to individual learning but learning in groups. First, single-loop learning is the learning the particular procedures for doing something. The idea behind double-loop learning states that its a process of understanding the principles that underlie those procedures in ways that allow us to extrapolate, combine, and creatively invent new processes and procedures. I love the analogy the authors used in the text because it was very straight forward and easy to understand. The authors described single-loop learning as a cook who knows how to combine ingredients to make a great meal as long as they have a list of what they need. On the other hand, a chef (double-loop) is someone who knows what it takes to make a great meal but can either substitute or take the best ingredients and combine them to get the same great tasting meal. The difference would be knowing how to do something even if there is not a single plan on how to do it. I find this to be really vital when working with groups because many times people think that there is only one way to do something and that they must follow these exact steps to get the desired outcome. In reality, the secret to achieving goals is to understand the goal and be able to work with each other to find everyone's individual strengths. Many believe that since they worked in a group where one process worked, it will always work in every group setting. Double-loop learning emphasizes that processes never happen exactly the same way twice so it is important to learn the concept of double-loop learning to have effective and successful groups.