Learning, Working,
Thinking Styles
Glenn Newdigger
K-State Research and Extension
Stafford County
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Learning, Working, Thinking
Styles
“I desire that there be as many different persons in
the world as possible; I would have each one be very
careful to find out and preserve his or her own way.”
Henry David Thoreau
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Learning, Thinking, Working Styles
~David Kolb~
•
Helpful to:
• Understand Self
Natural instinctive strengths
In your groove
• Understand Others
Why others do what they do
Reduces blaming
• Create the best group result
Serves everyone’s needs
Involves all in effort
Works for family, work, friends, church, community…
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Learning, Thinking, Working Styles
~David Kolb~
• Not intended to:
• Put people in boxes
• Suggest people don’t stretch
• Suggest one “style” is better
than another
You don’t get harmony when everyone
sings the same note!
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•Learn about the different ways individuals learn,
work and make decisions;
•Better understand how our learning/working
styles influences the ways we interact with
others and function in groups;
•Improve our capacity to work effectively with
each other and our community.
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Learning / Thinking /
Working Styles
Handout for Grid and Scoring Guide
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Scoring
Grid
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How We Take In Information
People
Concrete Experience
Feel
See
Hear
Touch
85%
Taste
__________________________________
Experts
15%
Theory
Abstract
Conceptualization
Books
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How We Use Information
15-20%
Active
Experimenters
Reflective
Observers
80-85%
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The Whole Picture
_______________________________
70% 10-15%
Top-Left Top-Right
____________________________
How?
BottomLeft
BottomRight
What?
10% 3-5%
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Let’s Plan a Party!
• Smaller groups of
people with SAME
Learning Style
• One piece flipchart
paper and marker
• 7 min – PLAN and
• Record details on
paper to share with
whole group
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What Will the Party Be Like?
• Group Reports –
each quadrant
• Would you go to
the Party?
• What Did We
Learn?
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Learning/Thinking/Working
• Understanding
Our Strengths
• Balancing Our
Act
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When you can’t change the direction of
the wind, adjust your sails.
~~~ Max DePree
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Learning Styles
Working With Others
What’s Painful
What’s Satisfying
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Working with Others
• Top-Right (10–15%)Find Satisfying:
• Find Satisfying:
–
–
–
–
–
Making connections
Honesty
Interests are elicited
Time is allowed for discussion about feelings
Leader/group provides for consensus building
• Find Painful:
–
–
–
–
Leader is insensitive to feelings
Lack of trust among the group
Unresolved conflicts
Not giving consideration to those affected by the group’s
decision
– Meetings that have no personal relevance
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• Top-Left (70%)
• Find Satisfying:
–
–
–
–
–
A flexible agenda
Participants looking beyond stated objectives
Strong, spirited interactions and energy
Actions based on intuition
Open discussion and interaction
• Find Painful:
–
–
–
–
Rigid adherence to an agenda and/or timetable
Tentative, cautious people
Long monologues
Pretense at discussions when decisions have
already been made
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• Bottom-Left (10%)
• Find Satisfying:
–
–
–
–
–
A productive, problem-solving environment
Exercising common sense
Using ideas
Decisions congruent with values
Achieving closure
• Find Painful:
–
–
–
–
–
Lack of focus, leading to side issues
Venting of emotions
Dealing with personalities, not issues
Inattention to practical realities
Leader does not move to closure
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• Bottom-Right (3–5%)
• Find Satisfying:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Clearly defined issues, tasks, or problems
Information is based on facts
Adequate notice and time for prep
Pros and cons are weighed
The group stays on task
An objective perspective, a solid structure
• Find Painful:
–
–
–
–
–
–
No agenda
Leader does not understand the total picture
No time for preparation
Insufficient time spent defining the problem
Lack of clarity as a meeting progresses
Insufficient information for problem solving or decision making
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Teamwork is the fuel that allows common
people to attain uncommon results.
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Limitations of Learning, Thinking,
Working Styles
• Test may not be
accurate if you take
too much time to
answer
• Some words are not
commonly understood
• Controversy – Does
your learning style
change?
• Shouldn’t be used like
a box or a crutch
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Applying Learning Styles to
Your Work Together
Discuss (15 min):
•Ah-Has/Insights about your prior work together?
•Next Steps for using these insights in the future?
•What Else You Need beyond LS to work effectively
together?
** Need a volunteer to record the details**
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So…where do we go from
here?
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Glenn Newdigger
Stafford County Extension Agent
K-State Research and Extension
Gnewdigg@ksu.edu
Information compiled for the Kansas
Health Foundation, Kansas
Community Leadership Initiative
Slide Set Developed by the Kansas
Self-Help Network.
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Steps to a Performing
Community
• The development of a performing community is
important if members are to:
– try new things
– wrestle with tough issues
– take risks.
There are four distinct steps to a learning community
•Gathering
•Chaos
•Unity
•Performing
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Gathering
• People feel excited and anxious also uncertain
• Cautious, fearful, and confused.
• Members depend on the leader for structure and a safe
environment.
• At this time, participants are not very open.
• There is concern for personal identity.
• Conversation is guarded and polite on subjects such as the
weather, sports
• Why am I Here!!!
• Group accomplishes
little
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• Make the group feel comfortable and provide a structure for them
to get to know one another
• Then the group will move naturally to the next step.
Chaos
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
At this step people are jockeying for position.
They may feel stressed, left out, and competitive.
They want to know where they are in this group.
They may try to take charge of the group.
They do not listen well, calling on previous experience to impress
the other participants.
They question tasks; they question the leader, they just question.
Behaviors are a smoke screen as people try to find out who has
the power
People need time to work out their relationships with others.
This is an important time for any group.
This is a tough step.
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Unity
• People feel part of a team.
• There is cohesion, cooperation, optimism, respect, and trust.
• Group begins to relax. People know each other well, know
what they can contribute to the group,
• Humor is plentiful and friendly.
• People are honest and can give constructive criticism.
• They understand each other’s perspective.
• In this stage, members are asking
– Are we working together to reach our goal?
– Can we switch roles?
– Can I lead?
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Performing
• People are comfortable with their own roles.
• They understand what is expected of them and what they
can do even without the group.
• They show confidence, commitment, and enthusiasm.
• They feel comfortable enough in the group that there can be
constructive self-change and members can take risks.
• Different members assume leadership roles
• These steps and stages are not static.
– Every group moves in and out of these steps
• addition of new members
• the challenges of new tasks,
• amount of time between sessions.
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Glenn Newdigger
Stafford County Extension Agent
K-State Research and Extension
Gnewdigg@ksu.edu
Information compiled for the Kansas
Health Foundation, Kansas
Community Leadership Initiative
Slide Set Developed by the Kansas
Self-Help Network.
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