The Importance of Inquiry

In the 1970’s, organizational psychologist Chris Argyris developed and introduced a tool called the Ladder of Inference, providing a framework showing how we can go from observing data (out there) to making meaning about the data and then taking action. Here’s a visual that helps describe the process.

Starting at the bottom, there’s all sorts of data (out there), but our brain can’t take it all in. Consciously or unconsciously, we select certain data and make meaning, influenced by our cultural background or our personal experience. We then make assumptions, draw conclusions, adopt beliefs about the world and finally take actions based on those beliefs. This process creates a reflexive and recursive loop, where we unconsciously then continue to select data that confirms our already created beliefs.

Have you ever gotten into an argument around a conference room about what the best course of action is? Or what Radiohead’s best album is? (It’s Kid A, of course) Well, the Ladder of Inference does a great job of explaining how that happens, even when we’re all seeing or hearing the same information.

It’s important to note that this is part of the human experience, it allows us to function day to day filtering the overwhelming amount of information taken in by our brains. However, when our meaning-making process goes unexamined and stays beneath the level of our conscious awareness, we can become trapped in mental models and ways of thinking that are not in service to us. We might not realize that there’s actually choice available to us when we feel stuck.

At Reboot, we use Inquiry (asking open & honest questions) to understand how we came to have our beliefs about the world and ourselves (moving down the ladder helps us and others understand how our mental models came to be and reveal blind spots); and Advocacy to communicate transparently our beliefs, conclusions, assumptions, interpretations and the data we selected to arrive there.

Hear what Andy Crissinger, Reboot’s Director of Coaching, has to say about the value of the Ladder of Inference tool in this Reboot Podcast Extra.