Emotional Intelligence and "The Ladder of Inference"

I read about(and saw on PBS) how human beings are actually "Feeling machines that think" rather than "thinking machines that feel." This means that we cannot forget our emotions - it's impossible. We can be aware of them, and minimize their effects, but it's tough to ignore them - particularly when we encounter key moments.


I think that ALL companies - at least to some extent, should try to institutionalize Emotional Intelligence. I say "to some extent" because some people, just won't embrace it, no matter how much we coach it. One of the things that organizations struggle with is faulty assumptions. This normal behavior comes from invidual belief systems that cause distorted though processes. Peter Senge in the Fifth Discipline teaches a concept called "The Ladder of Inference" to try to diffuse this. The "Ladder of Inference" comes from a gentleman named Chris Argyris. It goes like this:

1.Data is observed
2.I chose the data points from what I observe
3.I add meanings based on my own belief systems
4.I make assumptions based on the meanings that I created
5.I draw conclusions based on the assumptions
6.I adopt or change my beliefs about the organization(and the world)
7.I act based on my beliefs
8.I apply these new beliefs in rung #3 above, when the situation/cycle starts over.

It's important that we look at all of the data.

It's important that we base decisions on facts, not our personal SPIN(in most situations)

Break the cycle and teach others to break the cycle!

Jarrod