This memo is an Executive Summary of the article, “Teaching Smart People How to Learn”

by Chris Argyris. A business’ success in the marketplace depends on highly trained staff.
However many people don’t know how to learn. In fact the most difficult training strategies are
those that are developed for personnel in senior leadership positions. Senior leaders are effective
problem solvers when focusing on, identifying and correcting issues in the organizational
environment. But when confronted with how their actions might have contributed to the
organization’s problems they avoid learning; and in order for learning to continue personal
reflection is required to influence change.

A learning organization must understand the distinction between ‘‘single loop learning” and
‘‘double loop learning”. “Single loop learning” involves the identification and solving of a
problem. Whereas “double loop learning” asks why is there a problem? Professionals utilize
“single-loop learning” for projects such as organizational restructuring, training and development
and process improvement. But seldom do they master the skills of “double loop learning”. All
too often success has denied these professionals the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. As
a result they avoid learning because they lack the reflective skills necessary to ask themselves
why there is a problem and what role did I play in that problem.

Avoidance Learning

Studies of professional consultants exemplify the process of avoidance learning. For example
when a project is not going as planned or when confronted with their own performance; it’s not
uncommon to hear a defensive response such as “it is not our fault” or “we had unclear
objectives”. Their defensiveness is a fear response and as a result negativism can take hold
which will diminish new ideas and interest. This is “defensive reasoning”; its presence prevents
success and can lead to a non-learning organization.
Defensive Reasoning

Many professionals when asked to find flaws or shortcomings in their work; tend to not listen
to any reason that indicates something can be improved in the way the project is managed or
carried out. The team may blame customers, managers or other teams. The managers will blame
their CEOs and the CEOs will blame the board of directors. This type of defensive posturing can
be disastrous to an organization.

Productive Reasoning

The opposite of defensive reasoning is productive reasoning. With productive reasoning, a

group validates information and choices, checks assumptions and tests claims. Members have to
alter their personal ways of looking at others in the group and outside of the group. Productive
reasoning requires a group to reduce competitiveness and become more comfortable with
collaborative control. Groups that begin projects this way create an atmosphere of productive
reasoning.

Conclusion

“Single loop” and “double loop learning” are different ways that professionals solve
problems. Defensive reasoning occurs when people who rarely experience failure are confronted
by failure and don’t know how to deal with it. Ultimately, the goal is to learn how to reason
productively and to question another's reasoning as a valuable opportunity for learning by
avoiding obvious cover-ups, and subjective reasoning. Instead professionals should collect and
provide supporting data and statistics and have good organizational strategies that cope with
risks and failures. Some failures are unavoidable but it’s important to analyze and resolve them
quickly, minimizing the damage to the business. This is important since such policies will
encourage creative thinking and reduce the fear of failure.