Learning, Working, Thinking Styles

1. Learning, Working, Thinking Styles Glenn Newdigger K-State Research and Extension Stafford County

2. Learning, Working, ThinkingStyles “I desire that there be as many different persons in the world as possible; I would have each one be very careful to find out and preserve his or her own way.” Henry David Thoreau

3. Learning, Thinking, Working Styles~David Kolb~ • Helpful to: • Understand Self Natural instinctive strengths In your groove • Understand Others Why others do what they do Reduces blaming • Create the best group result Serves everyone’s needs Involves all in effort Works for family, work, friends, church, community…

4. Learning, Thinking, Working Styles~David Kolb~ • Not intended to: • Put people in boxes • Suggest people don’t stretch • Suggest one “style” is better than another You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note!

5. Today We Will: • Learn about the different ways individuals learn, • work and make decisions; • Better understand how our learning/working • styles influences the ways we interact with • others and function in groups; • Improve our capacity to work effectively with • each other and our community.

6. Learning / Thinking / Working Styles Handout for Grid and Scoring Guide

8. Scoring Grid

9. How We Take In Information People ConcreteExperience Feel Hear See Touch Taste 85% __________________________________ Experts Theory Abstract Conceptualization Books 15%

10. How We Use Information ________________________________ 15-20% Reflective Observers Active Experimenters 80-85%

11. The Whole Picture Why? What If? ____________________________ 70% 10-15% Top-Left Top-Right _______________________________ Bottom-Left Bottom-Right How? What? 10% 3-5%

12. Let’s Plan a Party! • Smaller groups of people with SAME Learning Style • One piece flipchart paper and marker • 7 min – PLAN and • Record details on paper to share with whole group

13. What Will the Party Be Like? • Group Reports – each quadrant • Would you go to the Party? • What Did We Learn?

14. Learning/Thinking/Working • Understanding Our Strengths • Balancing Our Act

17. When you can’t change the direction of the wind, adjust your sails.~~~ Max DePree

18. Learning StylesWorking With Others What’s Painful What’s Satisfying

19. Working with Others • Top-Right (10–15%)Find Satisfying: • Find Satisfying: • Making connections • Honesty • Interests are elicited • Time is allowed for discussion about feelings • Leader/group provides for consensus building • Find Painful: • Leader is insensitive to feelings • Lack of trust among the group • Unresolved conflicts • Not giving consideration to those affected by the group’s decision • Meetings that have no personal relevance

20. Top-Left (70%) • Find Satisfying: • A flexible agenda • Participants looking beyond stated objectives • Strong, spirited interactions and energy • Actions based on intuition • Open discussion and interaction • Find Painful: • Rigid adherence to an agenda and/or timetable • Tentative, cautious people • Long monologues • Pretense at discussions when decisions have already been made

21. Bottom-Left (10%) • Find Satisfying: • A productive, problem-solving environment • Exercising common sense • Using ideas • Decisions congruent with values • Achieving closure • Find Painful: • Lack of focus, leading to side issues • Venting of emotions • Dealing with personalities, not issues • Inattention to practical realities • Leader does not move to closure

22. Bottom-Right (3–5%) • Find Satisfying: • Clearly defined issues, tasks, or problems • Information is based on facts • Adequate notice and time for prep • Pros and cons are weighed • The group stays on task • An objective perspective, a solid structure • Find Painful: • No agenda • Leader does not understand the total picture • No time for preparation • Insufficient time spent defining the problem • Lack of clarity as a meeting progresses • Insufficient information for problem solving or decision making

23. Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.

24. Test may not be accurate if you take too much time to answer Some words are not commonly understood Controversy – Does your learning style change? Shouldn’t be used like a box or a crutch Limitations of Learning, Thinking, Working Styles

25. Applying Learning Styles to Your Work Together • Discuss (15 min): • Ah-Has/Insights about your prior work together? • Next Steps for using these insights in the future? • What Else You Need beyond LS to work effectively together? • ** Need a volunteer to record the details**

26. So…where do we go from here?

27. Glenn Newdigger Stafford County Extension Agent K-State Research and Extension Gnewdigg@ksu.edu Information compiled for the Kansas Health Foundation, Kansas Community Leadership Initiative Slide Set Developed by the Kansas Self-Help Network.

28. Steps to a Performing Community • The development of a performing community is important if members are to: • try new things • wrestle with tough issues • take risks. • There are four distinct steps to a learning community • Gathering • Chaos • Unity • Performing

29. Gathering • People feel excited and anxious also uncertain • Cautious, fearful, and confused. • Members depend on the leader for structure and a safe environment. • At this time, participants are not very open. • There is concern for personal identity. • Conversation is guarded and polite on subjects such as the weather, sports • Why am I Here!!! • Group accomplishes little • Make the group feel comfortable and provide a structure for them to get to know one another • Then the group will move naturally to the next step.

30. Chaos • At this step people are jockeying for position. • They may feel stressed, left out, and competitive. • They want to know where they are in this group. • They may try to take charge of the group. • They do not listen well, calling on previous experience to impress the other participants. • They question tasks; they question the leader, they just question. • Behaviors are a smoke screen as people try to find out who has the power • People need time to work out their relationships with others. • This is an important time for any group. • This is a tough step.

31. Unity • People feel part of a team. • There is cohesion, cooperation, optimism, respect, and trust. • Group begins to relax. People know each other well, know what they can contribute to the group, • Humor is plentiful and friendly. • People are honest and can give constructive criticism. • They understand each other’s perspective. • In this stage, members are asking • Are we working together to reach our goal? • Can we switch roles? • Can I lead?

32. Performing • People are comfortable with their own roles. • They understand what is expected of them and what they can do even without the group. • They show confidence, commitment, and enthusiasm. • They feel comfortable enough in the group that there can be constructive self-change and members can take risks. • Different members assume leadership roles • These steps and stages are not static. • Every group moves in and out of these steps • addition of new members • the challenges of new tasks, • amount of time between sessions.

34. Glenn Newdigger Stafford County Extension Agent K-State Research and Extension Gnewdigg@ksu.edu Information compiled for the Kansas Health Foundation, Kansas Community Leadership Initiative Slide Set Developed by the Kansas Self-Help Network.