Do you seek to help your team find the “why” behind their actions? (132-2)

Wisdom and values serve as a leaders safeguard against disaster. Often, wisdom and values develop through a process called double-loop learning. Read Proverbs 2:9-15.

It is an interesting thought that “Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you…” (vv. 11-12a). Normally discretion, understanding and wisdom are not first on our list when we think of offensive weapons or items used for defense and protection. They are not found on the short list of skills or disciplines that we use to protect, guard or save ourselves; yet Proverbs identifies them as the primary elements.

As important as it is to learn skills and develop disciplines, Proverbs urges a clear understanding of values and wisdom as a safeguard against life’s disasters. A wise leader helps their team understand they must go deeper than the “what” and “how” of a less than desirable outcome and helps them embrace the “why” so they grow and avoid the same situation in the future. Effective leaders don’t overreact to the behavioral symptom but seek to diagnose the cure to the disease creating the symptom. Taking this second step to understand why your team member is where they are or think like they think is called double-loop learning.

One of the best examples of double-loop learning is when Jesus met with Peter after Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Peter did not help Jesus in His hour of need and even denied that he knew Him only hours before Jesus was put to death by the Roman army. A short time after Jesus came back to life to verify to the world He was the Son of God, He met with the disciples, including Peter.

Most leaders would have confronted Peter for his actions or tossed him off the team or reprimanded or disciplined him in some way. Jesus, the only model of a perfect leader, never mentioned Peter’s actions but rather asked Peter a series of questions to find out why Peter did what he did. Once Peter discovered his actions were because he did not truly love Jesus, he spent the rest of his life living for Jesus, hailing Jesus as God’s son, and teaching Jesus’ truths. Once Peter discovered and corrected his self-centered value system that drove his actions he was willing to die rather than deny his relationship with Jesus.

Do you seek to help your team find future protection and safety by understanding the “why” behind their actions? Leaders committed to God’s best for their team know that the first time around the loop is behavior and the second time around the learning loop looks at values that drive behavior. Your goal should be to help your team go around the learning loop the second time so they can find discretion, understanding and wisdom that become their safeguards against life’s disasters.