Personal Learning Journal

Contents

 What is leadership to me? (before and after)

 Thoughts after the first class

 Class reflections & reflections on readings/handouts

 Assignment #1: Filling the gaps

 Assignment #2: Lines of Developments

 Assignment #3: Personal integral analysis questions

 Overview of Takeaways

 Thoughts on the last day of the course

 What is leadership to me?

My answer BEFORE: (Sept. 15, 2006)

 Leadership is an ability to make a roadmap leading to a right

direction

 Leadership is an ability to lead a group of people to get the work

done effectively.

 Good leaders are supportive

 May use power, force or fear sometimes

 Leadership is particially born with, partially learned from training

and practice.

My answer NOW: (Nov. 30, 2006)

 Leadership resides in everybody, and it can be developed

 Leadership is influencing, a capacity to inspire others to act,

speaking and listening in a way that enables individuals to act to

create future life conditions

 Leadership development is about developing ourselves and

developing the cultures and systems in which our leadership can be

played out with others’.

 Leadership moves along several lines. Cognitive, emotional, moral,

spiritual, physical, leadership development is about development in

all of these lines.

September 14, 2006

Thoughts after the first class:

Coming back from my first class last night, I could not fell in sleep as

normal, I heard a voice inside of me: “it so won’t be an easy course for

you”. Then another voice said: “try to find the right track fast, keep up

with the pace and do not fall behind, read more, think more, and learn

more, you will gain something”. Of course I know behind this, there was a

concern bugs me. I worry about that my language problem will affect my

how much I can understand and take away from the course. It won’t like

those first year courses most of which have hard numbers that I could

understand well even if I could not understand all in class.

As I read the 17-page course outline before I enrolled in this class, the

contents drew my attention. It’s so different with those I took in the

first year full time courses, it teaches something that hard to find in one

book.

Anyway, this will be a challenge for me. But beside the contents, I like

the size of the class. I think this will be a high quality course I’ve ever

taken so far. I decided to take it, although it won’t be easy. But I do feel

that challenge made my life meaningful.

September 17, 2006

Reading: An AQAL Perspective on Leadership

I agree that leaders should be effective no matter when and where. But

my first reaction is what does it mean for a leader to be effective? If as

Drucker pointed, doing the right thing, my question follows would be what

are the right things? For certain situation, people may have different

opinions on what is right. For a simple example, in most cases, sales

managers have different opinion with head of R&D.

What really raise my interest in this article is “AQAL Integral Theory

has been called ‘a framework that makes sense of everything…’”. Although

I have just learned integral leadership includes five fundamental

components: quadrants, lines of development, levels of complexity, types

and states, I don’t quite understand what is the mechanism, how it works,

or how AQAL integral theory can be applied in the real world situation,

what is the mechanism.

Nowadays, many companies have their own mission statement, vision

statement and shared values. As I understand, by seeing through four

quadrants, effective leaders should be able to integrate different

perspectives into organizations’ mission, vision and shared values. My

another questions is how leaders see through things from four quadrants.

The difficulty for me now is to understand how to integrate multi

perspectives. This is only the first class, hope I can figure it out with the

course going.

I found AQAL might be a useful tool to think from different

perspectives, that it can help me generate a multi-perspective thinking

frame. I hope the rest of course can solve all the problems I have in this

article.

September 19, 2006

The AQAL Matrix Arising in Others

The conducting example at the beginning of the article did make it easier

for me to understand the role of leading when leaders delegate, support

and develop their people.

The word “I-Thou” is new to me. But from the context, I sense it means

from first person to second interaction, while I-it is from first person to

third. I guess I’m right; in I-thou relationship, people recognize each

other as having same things to share, while in I-it relationship, people are

aware of each other as isolated qualities. For a close example that comes

to my mind, love should be an “I-thou” relationship since it is shared by

two persons who see each other as part of themselves, and they shared

the care and cherish of each other.

Here, a problem arises, how should leaders take perspectives? The

answer is quite simple: leaders should realize both I-thou and I-it

relationships’ existing in the real world, and take both I-thou and I-it

perspectives, otherwise they will miss either subject to subject

interaction or subject to object interaction.

But I think in reality, I-thou relationship is not as easy as I-it

relationship to be recognized. Leaders tend to treat others as objects, I

would say. The transforming from “I” to “We” is usually harder for

leaders; it needs mutually trust in group to form the resonance. In real

world, the company culture, or shared values are the results of the

resonance. Those are the leaders responsibility to recognize, to cultivate

and to develop.

Even though I have no question on leaders should take multiple

perspectives in the real world practice, a confusion that still puzzles me

is that how leaders decide what approach is right on the specified

situation. Because situations are not always the same in real life, how

could leaders handle this in different circumstances?

I think the further study of integral theory can provide me more insights

so that I can solve the puzzles.

September 19, 2006

The AQAL Matrix Arising in the organization

The most useful gain from this article for me is that I get deeper

understanding of four quadrants, the integral framework that not only

offer organization leaders insights on the perspectives they may take,

but also make me better understand the four perspectives, “I”, “We”,

“It”, and “Its”.

It sounds like a complex work to inform leaders about their lines and

levels, their team’s lines and levels, and their employees’. How these lines

and levels affect the organization, and how these lines and levels will

affect the strategy making of an organization is a question, that it still

not quite clear for me. I make need some time to figure out the answer.

Of course, I understand that individual capacity is an important factor

for teams and organizations; that also is an aspect that can affect

whether they will succeed. But when it comes to a team or an

organization, it combines different individuals, who have various lines and

levels. How to decide what are the lines and levels of the team or the

organization only by checking out each individuals’? By averaging them? I

don’t think so? OK, here my confusion is: how to decide a team’s or an

organization’s lines and levels based on each individuals’?

Thanks to the detailed explanation on three dimensions or perspectives,

“I”, “We”, and “It”，I could better grasp the insights on how teamwork

works.

The article mentions types of teams in the last part. Interestingly, it

reminds me both team-type examples that I’ve worked before. Because

of the culture influence, most of the project teams are single leader

teams structures. Under the culture, this type of team work more

efficiently and more effectively than other types. In most cases, team

members respect leaders decision, they more likely to be happy if they

are given instructions and finish the task accordingly. On the contrary,

under self-managed team approach, team members more likely loss

direction, and also may not trust other members’ decision because they

think they are in the same level in the team. It’s hard to convince each

other. From this point of view, I agree that using which type of teams

should consider the types of team members, are their skills

complementary, for instance?

September 28, 2006

An Overview of Developmental Stages of Consciousness

The article is quite informative for me. It puts several researches in one

picture, allowing me to leverage certain developmental stages to others.

I have no question on the developmental stages, i.e. egocentric,

ethnocentric, worldcentric, and kosmocentric stages. The only thing I

may need more time or more reading to understand is Self-Identity. I

guess the reason I was stuck here is because I was trying to find the

comparative levels in the Integral Psychograph, and I got the relevant

information on values, cognitive lines, but not Self-Identity. That made

me lost a little.
Oct. 4, 2006 Class Reflection

Today, we had the first team meeting. It was short, but we came out with

a great name, Team Chemistry. Besides its explicit meaning, it also

implicate our vision to become Alchemist eventually.

We learned subject and subject in the class. It’s always good to have

time to think, to reflect these concepts from our own experience. The

culture shock, which I experienced twice in my life, could be a good

example of subject and object. The first one is when I worked in Dubai

and Shahjah, UAE for two years about ten years ago. The second is 4

years ago, when I moved to Canada.

Culture shock occurs when people move to a new environment, especially

to a new culture. Culture shock is a feeling of conflict, when new and

existing feelings conflict each other.

It’s a process like this: at the beginning, I recognize the differences, and

experience the conflicts; I felt excited to new things, and frustrated

with conflicts; gradually, I accept the differences, and make adjustment

to new environment; Eventually, they overcome the culture shock, accept

new opinions and developed new point of views. This is a process switching

from subject to object.

Oct. 11, 2006 Class Reflection

In today’s class, everybody reflected what we learned till now and what

affirmed. It’s a good opportunity for each of us to slow down and think; it

allowed each one of us to look back and recall what major concepts

actually were absorbed, and affirmed. Scheduled as brief check-in,

everybody seemed have more to say. From this reflection, I can tell that

everyone gained from the class. But I found what was talked most was

the AQAL model. Very few talked lines and levels, or states, etc. For

myself, I realize that I still need to do more readings regarding to

understand deeper on these concepts in integral psychograph.

We had another team meeting today. In about one hour meeting, we

discussed a case and learning projects. Team members shared a concern

about the load of assignments, kind of worried about if we can manage

well to finish all the assignments. Eventually, we decided not to think too

much and start to take action right away.

Oct. 12, 2006

Reading: Introduction to Leadership Capacity

I feel that things getting more complicated now. In precious lectures,

leadership to me is to take multiple perspectives, and to recognize

individual’s strengths, to delegate, to support and to develop them, to get

things done effectively.

In this article, more concepts are introduced, “theory of multiple

intelligences” by Howard Gardner, for instance. It helps me understand

different human intelligence through seven types, which I learned from

somewhere else, but only remember some.

I’m glad that the article provides me an answer to a question that I had

before in the previous learning journals, “how apply lines and levels in an

organization setting?” That is to group individual capacities into six

developmental lines: cognitive, interpersonal, moral, spiritual and physical.

“… the longer the time perspective the individual is responsible for, the

higher the leadership level, and the more the individual should be

rewarded.” My reaction on this is when a person is placed in the leader

position, he/she might have no enough capacity to handle the complexity.

Does this mean after he or she had this exposure to the complex

situations, he/she made certain improvements and enhanced the

leadership capacity? Does it make sense? Or some leaders are born as

leaders?
October 15, 2006

Reading: Lines and levels references

The article is very informative to me. Following its well-organized

structure, I can easily grab the ideas about the references of levels in

each line. Examples are always good tool that I use to understand deeper

for theories. From the first example of cognitive line, I caught the

picture of a lower level case, that with a low level of cognitive capacity,

Peter failed to sort the information from those concrete data which he

might have no trouble to collect. As a mid-level manager, he may be

capable to create a simple tactical plan of action in that level, but no in

the department level yet. Therefore, although he's committed and loyal,

peter found hard time to handle the level of capacity higher than he felt

comfortable to deal with.

An old Chinese saying says the same token of levels in lines, I couldn't

remember the exact words, it roughly says that one should not do things

that over his capability. People use this saying all the time. So it seems a

common sense. However, people sometimes may not follow this common

sense, partially because they have no right judgment on themselves, and

partially because they are in the situation that they cannot control.
My question on the levels is that if it is a good or bad thing to handle the

responsibilities in a higher level. From my view, I think exposure to more

complicated situation and deal with complexity is necessary and helpful

for one to improve to a higher level. My experience is that I've learned

from my experience, I've grew from each try on more complicated

responsibilities, from both successes and failures. I still remember my

first promotion from the first job, marketing research assistant, dealing

with data most of time. The next position was team leader of a group of

export department at the time. I found it more challenging it allowed me

to actually do something based on the information I got from those data.

And after that position, I was assigned as an area manager in charge of

Southeast Asian region. Export business became one part of my

responsibility. From these and other promotions after those, I certainly

can see my improvement in my capability. Now I say those gradually

adding responsibilities helped me developed my levels in each lines.

Another question is if there is an end of increasing those levels? What is

the utmost of the complexity; did we see or estimate it? Is a president

of a country or alike the most complicated position?

Oct. 14, 2006

Reading: Integral Psychograph Benchmark

Cognitive: From this perspective I see myself as being medium to high

level(4). As I think back, I can see my movement across the Cognitive

line.

 If measured by 1 to 5, I would grade 4 to my ability to view

scenarios in abstract term, and reflect on my own thought patterns

and belief systems.

 I am skillful at developing strategic, long terms perspectives. I am

able to set strategic purpose and plan of my team, then compare

and prioritize specific or emergent strategies in alignment with

intent.

 If I rate my ability to synthesize reason, context and intuition by

scale of 1 to 5, it would be 3.5 or 4. Comfortableness with

ambiguity and complexity would be the same mark.

 I am quite open-mind, and view constructive opposing opinions as a

useful tool to mirror and compare what I see and think. I also see

paradoxical experiences as an opportunity for deeper

understanding.
  I am sensitive to the big picture and climate. I am able to aware of

trends and emerging patterns in pharmacy business, and in business

climate in general.

Emotional:

I can clearly aware my specific feelings when they come. I can accurately

gauge my strengths and weaknesses. I can use 5 to grade these two

abilities. When it comes to comfortableness with uncertainty and chaos, I

would rate 3.5. I will give 4 to my ability to cultivate internal resources to

increase my resilience and remain emotionally flexible under pressure.

The overall rate of my emotional of development would be 4 plus.

Interpersonal:

I can quietly aware other’s feeling, sometimes may be too sensitive. I

have strong sense on how people think by detecting people’s motion or

tone of voice. It is one of my strengths that I am good at read people’s

body language, energy, and general tone of communication. My colleagues

will describe me trustworthy, and accountable in the area of

collaboration. I will rate 5 on these abilities.

Moral:
I see myself at the medium to high level (4-5).

I can strongly aware of the effect of my actions on others. I have strong

ethic values. At any circumstances, I do not want to do unethical things. I

will feel guilty if I know someone did it. After years of improvement, I

have the ability to avoid unethical temptations, and say no to individual

gain when it is inconsistent with collective.

Spiritual:

I see myself as Medium (3).

In most of my life I have strong direction and purpose. And I was trying

to align these purpose with my life. Spirituality is joy of life when you get

in contact with your higher consciousness or sour. I made some major

changes in my life, which I somewhat felt lost sometimes.

Physical:

I have strong intention to keep good condition of my physical condition. I

used to do Taichi to maintain it. Recently, I encountered overwhelming

pressure. I recognize that the high stress became a factor that affected

my performance. It actually seriously reduced of my mental sharpness

and energy level.

Oct. 17, 2006 class reflection

Question:

From the reading I understood that it's important to know level of line of

team or group. My question is how to measure those levels? Is it like for

example, we have 4 members in the team, to measure the cognitive level,

measure each member's level, say get a score, and get everyone's then

find the average? If in that way, does it reflect the real capability of the

team?

The answer to this question: if possible, we can measure the leader of

the group. His levels can be considered as the group’s.

Class reflection Oct. 11, 2006

Case study: Peter's single-, double-, and triple-loop inquiry across Four

territories of experience
Situation is that Peter, a chief Accountant wants to improve his

relationship with his boss, the financial director.

As the described in the case, Peter set up a vision, and makes strategies,

and then took some actions. However, he could not achieve his vision

through his strategy and action.

Regarding the vision, I think it appropriate. But the problem is that he

should figure out clearly what the problem is, communication problem, or

the boss is not satisfied on his performance, or some other reasons?

The strategy should be based on the actual problem. For instance, the

problem could be there is some misunderstanding between them and it's

getting worse due to lack of communication. In this case, Peter's

strategy might work somehow. As well, his action plan might help.

However, if the problem is that his boss is unsatisfied about his work, or

questions his skills; his action should be to talk to his boss about this and

to know what exactly his boss expects from him on his responsibilities. If

the problem is that the boss does not like him because she doesn't like

his personality. Then Peter's action should be to talk to her frequently,

and find out what she doesn't like him, what will make her change her

opinion, and if the change possible or worthy doing.

Reflection
Exercise in improving the quality of action

I find this exercise is interesting and practical that allows me to think a

case in real world work setting.

Incident:

Briefly describe the circumstances surrounding what you are thinking of.

The company I work for is doing business from providing immigration

services to big companies to recruiting workers internationally for these

corporation clients. To help with solving labor shortage problem, the

company has been bringing in skilled workers from Europe, Middle East

and low skilled workers from Mexico. Facing to the increasing demand,

the company intents to explore China market for more experienced

skilled workers. I was hired basically for this purpose.

What are your goals or intentions?

To recruit qualified skilled workers from that market to meet our

clients' need

What strategies have you been pursuing?

To build up a recruiting network and database in six big provinces in China

so that once we have requirements from our clients, we can start

recruiting in that market right away.

What action have you taken?

Contact some of my old friends and coworkers. Because I worked in this

labor services field before, I have colleagues and friends still work on

international staffing area, that is finding overseas work placements for

people intent to work overseas. To use their capacity to establish

relationship with some Chinese agent company in certain region which my

contacts can reach.

Besides connecting old relationship, I'm also planning to reach some

bigger companies who are qualified and interested in working with us in

recruiting in other provinces what my contacts cannot reach.

Pay a visit to the companies who are willing to recruiting us, and decide

which ones we are going to eventually work with, and discuss and clarify

what we really want, what the requirements would be to make sure things

will go in right direction.

Class reflection Oct. 19, 2006:

In the class, Nicole raise a question that I had the same when I

interpreting the integral graph, that is whether it is necessary that if

one’s one line is in a certain level, the others would be in the same level?

As I mentioned in my learning journal, I think those levels are not

necessarily related.

To this question, Dr. Sloane gave his idea that helps to grab some clues;

there are positive correlations between any two levels of lines among the

whole set. However, they are not necessarily positively related. One

example between cognitive and physical lines may explain in some degree;

generally speaking, if one had higher education, he/she would have more

income, and he/she would pay more attention to other intelligence,

fitness, other personal training, for instance. These would help in building

level in physical line.

On the way to home, I found that another question is still on; say,

following the above question, if cognitive level is high, and physical level is

low, where is the complexity level? What color it would be?

Oct. 18 Class reflection

In class, Sloane introduced Heuristic Self-Search Inquiry (HSSI)

process. Rich provided a situation that is perfect for class to start with

using HHIS system. He recently had trouble with his new boss, that he

got confused with the boss's attitude toward his work performance,

which he believed there was nothing wrong with his side. He's going to

meet with her soon.

What is going on inside you when you here the story?

I would quickly assess the story and think whether I had the same

situation in my experience, and how did I handle this, and if it is a win-win

situation or win–lose one.

I found I still need to know more information about the circumstance.

For example, is she new to the company or old person just got promoted.

If she's promoted from the company, Rich should know her personalities

to some extent. Is she qualified to be a supervisor? What did other

peers feel about this boss?

In this win-lose situation, how can they collaborate? The question people

should consider in this situation is what in common and what is the

linkage?

The next step of the HHSI system is to think about what if you are in

the same situation. This role-play step is very helpful for the action

learner in the way of getting information outside of organization. It also

provides the opportunity to the ??? group member to think in the shoes

of the action learner. And the process of generating the suggestion is the

process of thinking solution for team members.

The describe of the situation and asking and clarifying process should be

repeat at least twice according to the HSSI.

In the role-play step, I was thinking if I was in the same situation, I

would be very upset. And first I would doubt my own ability and my

performance in the project. Once I found that it's not about my

performance, I would be frustrated because, clearly, this indicates that

the boss looks down on you. Under this circumstance, I would give myself

some time to figure out why she would do this to me. Certainly, better

communication would help. I would find some chance to talk to her and

find out it's the problem in her side or in between of us. Anyway, I would
not take any action before I figure out what the problem is. I'll leave

myself some time to observe.

Oct. 27, 2006

Reading Integral Organizational Steering – An Introduction

In the organizational steering framework, awareness is the leader’s

ability to assess organizational current performance, which in most of

cases is related to some desired future conditions. Leaders will compare

current conditions to target performance, and make decisions.

From my personal experience, most leaders do well to aware Lower Right

quadrant on organizational infrastructure, processes, procedures and

systems and Lower Right quadrant on organization culture, shared values,

beliefs and shared expectations. However, leaders are sometimes do not

seriously consider individual capacities and intelligences seen in Upper

Left quadrant and behavior and applied skills and competencies

represented in Lower Right quadrant.

As part of framework, lines and levels help leaders to determine the level

of the organization itself, and the level of industry and marketplace, and

even the macro economic environment. It helps enhance leaders

awareness of current situation and “feel” the future conditions.

State of mind of leader and Measurable state of health,

individual workers in the fatigue or capability of a person’s

organization body

State of collective morale of an State of the physical

organization’s culture infrastructure or electronic

information technology systems

Oct. 31, 2006

Handout: States audit worksheet

Do I know what makes me cry and what makes angry? Yes. It’s not

difficult for me to describe my feelings when I experience intense

emotions. But sometimes I may deny experiencing the emotions of love,

fear, anger or pleasure because of conscious awareness of such emotions.

I sometimes feign pleasure to cover up unhappiness. I mess up sad, low-

mood, and hungry sometimes, so I mix those feelings together as hunger.

Then I feel better by eating.

According to the performance states summary on X/Y Axis, people

experience the following feelings, which fall in four quadrants, high/low

energy unresourceful and high/low energy resourceful

I usually sit in front of my husband, and talk to him when I experience

some intensive emotions, such as when I am excited, pleased,

enthusiastic, embarrassed, bored, sad, frightened, or confused. I find

talking to him about my feelings helps me probe myself, and identify my

emotions. Now I know that this is the process of consciously identifying

my emotional states.
What I should frame my action on emotion states is that after each time

I identified my states, I should practice using those emotions that make

me feel good about myself over those that are self-destructive. I think

experiencing better emotions can improve learning potential, intelligence,

job performance, interpersonal relationships as well as physical health.

And more important, I believe that by clarifying and identifying the

emotional experiences that really make me feel good inside, I can better

determine what I really want or desire as important in my life.

Nov. 4, 2006

Reading: The Harder They Fall

In the article, the author asks an important question: why so many

leaders, not only in business but also in politics, religion and media, with a

history of ability and adeptness could fall into folly so quickly and deeply

once at the top? I agree with the author that the culture encourages the

notion that good leaders must break the rules. Increasingly, leaders

believe that the limits of ordinary mortals don’t apply to them. He sees

the pattern of the dynamic derives from the ways in which leaders be

chosen.

Leaders are “forced” to abandon prudence, caution and restraint. The

higher a leader raises, the greater pressure and fewer winners. These

leaders, the winners, are required to be very aggressive in taking risks,

that brings leaders a “Winner wants all” mind set. Suggestions to leaders

to remain their feet on the ground while they are at the top are:

 Keep your life simple, remain humble and "awfully ordinary."

 Acknowledge your mistakes
 Test feedback from others for its reality
 Pay attention to details
 Reflect more, not less

Nov. 5, 2006

Reading: Skillful Means Reference Guide on worldviews/Mindsets

A worldview is a way of describing the universe and life. A given

worldview is “a set of beliefs that includes limiting statements and

assumptions regarding what exists and what does not, what objects or

experiences are good or bad”.

People see world with many different views because they developed

different mindset. It is interesting that when people are presented with

a larger perspective that identifies different ways to understand the

self and their world, there will be various opinions. Nowadays, there is

increasingly possibility of opening that people see the world differently.

From my observation, people are more interested in the system that they

had their very own real experience on. They are more likely to assume

that there may be some legitimacy to what seems to be next. Then they

explore how to get there. And then they make change, adapt and final get

to the next level. Certainly, before get there, we need recognize,

affirming where are we. There are different ways to affirm people in

different level. For example, at Amber, we affirm their sense of

tradition, security, loyalty, truth, moral, and things of that nature. To

next level, Orange, Ambor thinkers should strike a shift and change, and

align with their development model. Orange thinkers, for example, has
developed an achiever’s mindset, can usually reflect on their own life and

the way they’ve moved up. From this, they can develop more capacities

and grow into more complex individuals.

I see myself an orange thinker. I value success, excellence, opportunity,

competence, and these are falling in orange set. Also, I am achievement-

oriented, scientific and rational.

Nov. 12, 2006 Class reflection

Handout: Types: Archetypal patterns of the Masculine and Feminine

Two of the most dominant archetypes within us are Feminine and

masculine, they are not gender specific. Although certain qualities and

attributes have been associated over millennia with men and others with

women, they are characteristics and qualities that can be developed in

both. These have to do with our social behavior and social issues of order,

authority, leadership and morality. I find that no matter China, where I

born and grow up, and Canada, where I have just moved to people live in a

culture that has given overwhelming prevalence to the masculine value and

to mind and has neglected many aspects of feminine value, which is the

deepest in human heart. As with every archetype, the qualities of the

masculine and feminine can be used for positive or negative affect.

Negativity in the archetypes occurs when an archetype is either too

active or too passive. I think the most difficult task awaiting us, both

man and women, is the transformation of archetypal patterns.

Nov. 11, 2006 Class reflection

This is the first time that I seriously think about shadow in my

personality. We are all born into the world with some personalities, of our

own." As babies, we can be however we are, and behave whatever we want.

Gradually, we learn that some ways of being are okay, and that other

ways of being are not. We learn that, in order to be good people, or in

order to get respect or love, we must repress parts of ourselves. I see

these parts of us our shadows.

We do things that we think good, and not do thing we think not. But

actually, when we choose to do a behaviour on purpose, we can also choose

to not do it on purpose. When we are able to do so, that means we are

able to use the power of our shadow, we control shadow rather than

shadow controls us. When we learn to control shadow, I would say, we

integral our shadow. Anything we think we aren't is in shadow for us. If I

think I’m not jealous, then jealousness is my shadow. I think to integrate

our shadow, we need to admit it and play it pretendingly. It will be safe

because we do it inside of us.

Major takeaways:

AQAL Model: It can be used to enhance the leader’s lenses by providing a

framework to eliminate over-emphases and blind spots, and allowing him

or her to see more of the landscape than previous partial approaches.

  Four quadrants: All four quadrants are real, are important,

essential for understanding your world. Integral Theory holds that

all four quadrants are indispensable. The more we can consciously

include the four quadrants in our perspective, the more whole,

balanced, healthy, comprehensive, and effective our actions will be.

 Lines of development and levels of complexity: all quadrants have

multiple lines of development, and all lines have levels of

development.

 States = Energy: A state is basically an energy level that is

attained temporarily. Once you have unlimited access to a state of

consciousness, then it is a developmental level.

 Types = Masculine and feminine principles

 Shadow: Know your shadow and control it

 Action Inquiry: Action inquiry works primarily from the inside-out.

Action inquiry begins because we experience some sort of gap

between what we wish to do and what we are able to do. The

awareness of this gap can lead to the development of a clear intent

to accomplish something beyond our current capacity.

 Skillful Means

Further considerations:
If all four quadrants are relevant to all situations and life experiences,

we need to attend not just to the personal side of development (UL &

UR), but also culture and systems (LL & LR). I think what we also should

pay attention to is the relationship among the quadrants. If each of

quadrants has the stage of development, the relationship also should have

level of development. Is it necessary to look at the stage of

development? Can we use the same way to measure the relationship? I

have no clear clue on this. But I may have chance to figure it out through

my life experience later on.

Thoughts after the course:

At the beginning I thought it’s too early for me to take this course, I was

not ready for this level, but then I found I may think the other way: the

earlier I take this course, the earlier I could pay attention to the way I
think, take act, and transform. It definitely will help on my learning

process in the rest of my MBA courses.

The perspectives, insights I learned from the course are very helpful to

me on analyzing my situation and question many of my beginning

assumptions. It helped me see people’s different perspectives and utilize

this knowledge to develop creative approaches that incorporated those

differences.

Even though my skills are still very limited, the ability to look at my own

actions and see how I was part of the problem and my occasional ability

to practice emotional has being developed. I’m feeling increasingly good

about myself.