🗣️Malone25_15.339 Developing Leadership Capabilities

2025-02-28 summarize as below using [gpt](https://chatgpt.com/c/67c21bc3-b114-8002-a6d4-a6b7e23dfcdf) to apply to [[👁️🤜🕸️👥(📝)visr(paper)]] | Capability | ➡️IN | ⚙️PROCESS | ⬅️OUT | eg.🚨todo | | -------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------- | | **1. Visioning (Purpose)** | - Current reality, environment, and aspirations - Team members’ values & motivations | 1. **Imagine**: Leaders craft an aspirational but believable future image. 2. **Align**: They blend organizational goals, stakeholder needs, and personal values. 3. **Articulate**: They express a narrative that resonates and unifies. | - A compelling & shared sense of direction - Collective commitment to a future goal - Motivation & alignment | | | **2. Inventing (Process)** | - The vision (from Visioning) - Resources (time, budget, skills) - Existing constraints (technical, market, organizational) | 1. **Brainstorm**: Leaders and teams generate new ideas, prototypes, or processes. 2. **Experiment & Iterate**: They test small pilots, gather feedback, refine. 3. **Implement**: They embed selected innovations into daily practice. | - New products, services, processes, or organizational changes - Tangible actions enabling the vision | | | **3. Sensemaking (Perspective)** | - Data, observations (internal & external) - People’s mental models & assumptions | 1. **Gather & Interpret**: Leaders look at signals, trends, stakeholder input, external context. 2. **Challenge Models**: They question assumptions, reframe mental models. 3. **Synthesize**: They form a coherent perspective on “what’s going on.” | - Updated understanding of reality (internal & external) - Better judgments & strategic decisions - Greater awareness of blind spots | | | **4. Relating (People)** | - Stakeholders & social networks - Communication channels - Trust or tension in relationships | 1. **Build Trust**: Leaders invest time in genuine dialogue, empathy, listening. 2. **Engage**: They create mutual understanding via inquiry + advocacy. 3. **Connect**: They align individual motivations with team/organizational goals. | - Strong, respectful relationships - Social capital & collaboration - Shared commitment and support | | ### Key Points - The four capabilities are **interdependent** and **reinforcing**; no single “sequence” always applies. - Leaders often “cycle” through Visioning, Sensemaking, Inventing, and Relating repeatedly. - “Incomplete leaders” might excel in one capability but need to partner/coordinate with others to cover the rest. --- Develop leadership skills needed in today’s increasingly decentralized organizations through conceptual discussions, small group exercises, and self-reflection. We emphasize skill-building around key leadership capabilities: sensemaking, relating, visioning, and inventing. Apply leadership concepts to evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses and understand better your values and aspirations as a leader. | Day | Time | Activity | | ----- | ----- | ---------------------------------- | | Day 1 | 9:00 | What is leadership? | | | 11:30 | 4-CAP leadership model | | | 2:00 | Sensemaking | | | 3:30 | 👁️Visioning I | | Day 2 | 9:00 | Learning circles | | | 9:45 | Relating | | | 11:30 | Inventing (includes working Lunch) | | | 3:40 | 👁️Visioning II | | Day 3 | 9:00 | Learning circles | | | 9:30 | Values exercise | | | 11:00 | Leadership stories | | | 1:30 | 👁️Visioning III | | | 2:30 | Checkout | 2024-12-05 with the intention to interact with thomas malone and wanda olinski, i applied via https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7M5sKeXLnnGcrVRieEN3EIHh2gX0SwuTPvlK9E4OUw200uQ/viewform which asked me to Tell **who you are** and **why you would like to take** this class. (2-5 sentences) + Do you hold a **leadership role** in a student group or serve in **student government** (GSC, Sloan Senate, etc.)? If so, which role(s)? [[25_TEPEI_empirical]] --- [[thomas_malone]], [[wanda_orlikowski]] # day1 ## day1.25 tom Tom Malone, a professor from MIT, introduced the course on developing leadership capabilities, emphasizing practical experience and self-reflection. He outlined the course's structure, which includes understanding leadership styles, practicing leadership through team projects, and focusing on what's important. The course will cover four leadership capabilities: visioning, sense making, relating, and inventing. Students shared their perspectives on leadership, highlighting the importance of listening, adapting to environments, and leading by example. The session concluded with an exercise on identifying personal values and setting goals for the course, emphasizing the need for authenticity and effective communication. The meeting emphasized the importance of confidentiality in a class setting, particularly when discussing personal matters. The "Las Vegas rule" was explained, stating that anything shared in the class should remain confidential unless explicitly stated otherwise. Public discussions about general topics like current events are exempt. Participants were encouraged to err on the side of confidentiality, especially with private conversations. The rule was reaffirmed, and all attendees agreed to respect this ground rule to ensure a comfortable environment for sharing personal experiences. ## day1.5 l-cap wonda The discussion focused on a leadership model developed by Sloan, emphasizing four core capabilities: visioning, sense making, relating, and inventing. The model is designed for a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world, prioritizing flexibility and adaptability. Visioning involves creating aspirational, generative, and shared visions. Sense making requires understanding current realities and multiple perspectives. Relating involves building trust and respect with stakeholders. Inventing entails taking active steps to realize the vision, such as creating new processes or products. Participants were encouraged to self-assess their strengths and weaknesses in these areas and consider partnering with others to complement their skills. The conversation revolves around the concept of sense-making and its tangibility. Speaker 1 emphasizes that sense-making is a mental process involving individual and collective understanding. Angie.H Moon relates this to Martin Luther King's speech, highlighting how his words inspired and made sense to his audience. They discuss the integration of vision and sense-making, acknowledging that both are ongoing processes. Angie.H Moon aims to align her vision with Speaker 1's, who is skeptical but intrigued by the potential of her model. The discussion touches on the importance of persuading a committee for practical application and the need for operationalizing and mathematizing the model. [https://otter.ai/u/C6fuA4xBfvJWyq6zDGh0OCjmSXw?view=transcript](https://otter.ai/u/C6fuA4xBfvJWyq6zDGh0OCjmSXw?view=transcript) ### Leadership Model Overview and Purpose - Speaker 1 introduces the session's purpose: to provide a framework for understanding leadership in action. - The model developed by Sloan is highlighted as simple yet powerful, focusing on four core components. - The model is designed to be relevant in today's volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world. - Emphasis on the importance of flexibility and adaptability in leadership, especially in a VUCA world. ### Key Assumptions and Definitions - Leadership is defined as action, not position or personality traits. - The model focuses on developing personal leadership capabilities rather than specific traits or actions. - Leadership is described as a muscle that needs to be developed through action, learning, and practice. - The model is distributed, meaning leadership should be present across all regions and levels, not concentrated in one team or location. ### The Four Capabilities: Visioning, Sense Making, Relating, and Inventing - Visioning involves creating a clear and compelling image of the future to guide current actions. - Sense making involves understanding the current reality and opportunities to leverage or challenges to mitigate. - Relating involves building trusting and respectful relationships with stakeholders. - Inventing involves taking active steps to realize the vision, including creating new processes, products, or systems. ### Detailed Explanation of Visioning - Effective visions are aspirational, generative, and shared among the team. - Aspirational visions inspire and motivate, creating a compelling image of the future. - Generative visions guide choices and decisions, ensuring alignment with the vision. - Shared visions create a sense of commitment among team members. ### Examples of Visioning - Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech as an example of an aspirational vision. - Steve Jobs' vision for the iPhone, emphasizing design and user experience. - The importance of a clear and compelling vision in guiding actions and decisions. ### Introduction to Sense Making - Sense making involves understanding the current reality and developing the best perspective. - Leaders need to be aware of their own mental models and those of their team. - The ability to challenge and update mental models is crucial for effective sense making. - Examples include the map projections and the Nike example of addressing toxicity in products. ### Examples of Sense Making - The Nike example of shifting focus to zero waste, zero toxicity, and 100% recyclability. - The importance of shifting perspectives to open up new possibilities. - The role of sense making in driving innovation and change. ### Introduction to Relating - Relating involves building trusting and respectful relationships with stakeholders. - Effective relating requires mutual understanding through inquiry and advocacy. - The importance of genuine listening and sharing points of view. - Examples include Satya Nadella's transformation of Microsoft culture and the transformation of the USS Abraham Lincoln. ### Examples of Relating - Satya Nadella's approach to understanding and respecting his team. - The USS Abraham Lincoln's transformation through inquiry and addressing team concerns. - The impact of effective relating on team morale and performance. ### Introduction to Inventing - Inventing involves taking active steps to realize the vision, including creating new products, services, or processes. - Examples include Henry Ford's assembly line and the iPhone. - The importance of inventing in driving change and achieving the vision. ### Examples of Inventing - Henry Ford's assembly line as an example of a revolutionary invention. - The Nike example of addressing toxicity in products through new design processes. - The role of inventing in achieving significant change and innovation. ### Self-Assessment and Next Steps - Participants are encouraged to assess their current strengths and weaknesses in the four capabilities. - The importance of developing both strengths and weaknesses through practice and collaboration. - The session will continue with deeper exploration of each capability and practical exercises. ### Discussion and Questions - Participants discuss the model and share their thoughts and questions. - The importance of choosing to develop certain capabilities and creating the right environment for growth. - The role of mental models and the balance between different perspectives in effective leadership. ### Understanding Sense-Making and Communication - Speaker 1 discusses the importance of perspective and communication, emphasizing the interactive nature of sharing ideas. - Angie.H Moon inquires about the tangibility of sense-making and relating, prompting Speaker 1 to explain that sense-making is tangible in the form of mental models and understanding. - Speaker 1 compares sense-making to Martin Luther King's speech, highlighting how people make sense of the speech and its impact. - Angie.H Moon seeks clarification on whether sense-making and visioning are separate or interconnected, leading to a discussion on aligning visions and models. ### Aligning Vision and Sense-Making - Speaker 1 explains that visioning and sense-making are ongoing processes that happen simultaneously. - Angie.H Moon expresses her motivation to align their visions, mentioning her goal to apply a mathematical model. - Speaker 1 acknowledges the interesting perspective but expresses uncertainty about working with the model immediately. - Angie.H Moon acknowledges the challenge and emphasizes the need to persuade her committee, not just Speaker 1. ### Practical Considerations and Future Goals - Angie.H Moon shares her ultimate goal of graduating and ensuring the tool she develops is useful. - Speaker 1 expresses intrigue but reiterates the need for optimization, operationalization, and mathematization. - Angie.H Moon agrees and sees a potential bridge to connect their approaches, mentioning cognitive scientists' views on operations research. - The conversation concludes with mutual appreciation and acknowledgment of the helpful insights exchanged. ## day1.75 # day2 ## check in - concept called object, and he tries to explain how our desire, inner desire, affects how we view the world. So this part was the final purpose of our demand for an object is thus not the satisfaction of a need attached to it, but confirmation of the other's attitude toward us when, for example, a mother gives a milk to her milk a child, milk becomes a token of her love. The poor Tantalus does pays for his greed. So Tantalus was a like he explains it with Greek. The poor Tantalus does pays for his greed, his striving after exchange value, when every object he obtains loses his use value and changes into a pure, useless embodiment of exchange value the moment he buys it to food, it changes to gold. Yeah. So I think like the use value is your subjective satisfaction for something, and finance is one way to change or translate that use value in the exchange value. And I felt that the leadership capability is persuading that what we feel, what our group feel, is useful, has some exchange value as well. I wanted to share that with you. ## day2.25 check in https://www.bees.com/en/products 1. do regular check in (better output) morti has done 30min biweekly (personal and work) - frequency (quick turn around) - project (week) - hierarchical org. would view check in (during lunch) retreat to habitual ; threat rigidity (Barry_Staw) [[david_kantor]]: conversational actions are on top of conversational patterns are on top of conservational structure (work) diagnosis, action ## day2.5 # 15339 day2.5 relating presentation The meeting focused on proposing two solutions for enhancing entrepreneurship at MIT: a digital platform for MIT problems (MIT Kaggle) and a mandatory class. Key stakeholders identified include department heads and corporate sponsors. The class would integrate business and research, similar to the successful "Money for Startups" course. Challenges discussed included aligning departmental visions and ensuring student engagement. The team emphasized the importance of cross-departmental collaboration and leveraging existing resources like the Martin Trust Center and Sandbox. Metrics for success included increased student participation and improved job placement rates. The conversation revolves around the dynamics of belief and conviction in leadership and sales. Speaker 29 discusses how wholehearted belief in a product or idea can be both a strength, as it can inspire confidence and excitement in others, and a weakness, due to potential confirmation bias. Speaker 6 agrees, emphasizing that strong belief is crucial for effective sales and leadership, as it enables better communication of vision and influence over others. The discussion also touches on the complexities of group dynamics and the art of managing diverse opinions and roles in a team context. The conversation ends with a brief mention of seeking advice on maintaining momentum for an idea. [https://otter.ai/u/iOp-zA9yHmhpXxgBVY93Z66SgKQ?view=transcript](https://otter.ai/u/iOp-zA9yHmhpXxgBVY93Z66SgKQ?view=transcript) ## Action Items - [ ] Conduct surveys to understand current student perspectives and desires around entrepreneurship. - [ ] Engage MIT leadership, including the President, Deans, and department heads, to build a coalition and align on a unified entrepreneurship vision. - [ ] Design a series of mandatory entrepreneurship classes that bring together students from diverse backgrounds. - [ ] Organize a demo day event to showcase entrepreneurship projects and opportunities across campus. - [ ] Explore ways to incentivize faculty and staff participation in the new entrepreneurship program. ## Outline ### Stakeholder Identification and Solution Comparison - Angie.H Moon discusses the importance of identifying key stakeholders for the decision between two solutions: a digital platform for MIT problems and a mandatory class. - Unknown Speaker suggests involving department heads and deans as stakeholders. - Angie.H Moon emphasizes the need for funding, a lecturer, and corporate sponsorship to design the class. - Speaker 12 criticizes the current class structure, calling it predatory and lacking in content, and agrees with the predatory nature of the incentives. ### Class Structure and Student Feedback - Speaker 12 shares a negative experience with a class, highlighting the lack of content and the professor's focus on showing off. - Speaker 31 mentions a class called "Money for Startups" that was enjoyable and mixed business and research elements. - Speaker 23 suggests involving industry conventions and student clubs to create opportunities for students. - Angie.H Moon proposes comparing the class with Thomas and Ariel's unsatisfactory experience to find a good starting point. ### Group Dynamics and Vision Communication - Angie.H Moon emphasizes the importance of creating a vision and empowering others to act on it. - Speaker 12 shares a personal anecdote about meeting a friend at a party. - Angie.H Moon mentions creating a group photo and inviting others to join. - Speaker 7 and Speaker 27 discuss the importance of aligning with industry partners and the potential for collaboration. ### Technology and Gamification in Education - Speaker 26 proposes using MIT Kaggle as a platform for submitting homework and gamifying live transmissions. - Speaker 23 suggests viewers voting for content and broadcasters interpreting those votes. - Speaker 27 suggests including representatives from all 16 broad fields of study at MIT in the coalition team. - Angie.H Moon agrees on the need for more brainstorming and delegating team members to different tasks. ### Role-Playing and Stakeholder Identification - Angie.H Moon suggests role-playing during the presentation to demonstrate the vision and communication process. - Speaker 29 proposes having a Dean from engineering and Sloan advocating for the class. - Speaker 27 suggests forming a coalition with representatives from each department and incubators. - Speaker 12 and Speaker 29 discuss the challenges of making the class mandatory and the importance of aligning the vision. ### Entrepreneurship and Academic Integration - Angie.H Moon discusses the five components of MIT's entrepreneurship ecosystem and the conflicts between entrepreneurs, risk capital, and the university. - Speaker 29 emphasizes the importance of non-diluted funding for early-stage entrepreneurship. - Speaker 26 suggests focusing on innovation challenges rather than building startups. - Speaker 12 and Speaker 29 discuss the importance of understanding entrepreneurship as an academic exercise rather than a forced startup creation. ### Cross-Registration and Alumni Engagement - Speaker 13 proposes aligning MIT and Harvard schedules to facilitate cross-registration and reduce burdens. - Speaker 23 identifies key stakeholders for the coalition, including the heads of the registrar's office and the Committee on Graduate Programs. - Speaker 14 emphasizes the importance of early success and publicizing cross-registration stats. - Speaker 16 discusses the need for alumni engagement and the challenges of low response rates. ### Enhancing Alumni Engagement at MIT Sloan - Speaker 16 presents data comparing alumni response rates between MIT and Harvard. - Speaker 17 proposes a great weekend with strategies to enhance alumni engagement, including leveraging technology and fostering pride. - Speaker 16 emphasizes the importance of making alumni feel part of the school and giving back. - Speaker 18 suggests updates to the website and online resources, more virtual events, and increased MIT club meetings. ### Ingrafting Entrepreneurship into MIT's Core - Speaker 19 discusses the inconsistency in entrepreneurship education across different classes. - Speaker 29 proposes a unified approach to entrepreneurship education, involving key stakeholders and fostering entrepreneurship within the veins of MIT. - Speaker 23 suggests making entrepreneurship classes mandatory for all students to form core teams and create lasting networks. - Speaker 27 emphasizes the importance of differentiating MIT education and creating more startups and leveraging venture resources. ### Challenges and Solutions in Organizational Change - Speaker 11 discusses the challenges of making entrepreneurship classes mandatory and the potential for execution issues. - Speaker 19 clarifies the definition of entrepreneurship as the pursuit of opportunity within resource constraints. - Speaker 29 emphasizes the goal of teaching an approach to building a business rather than just creating startups. - Speaker 20 and Speaker 29 discuss the importance of meaningful connections and the role of entrepreneurship in understanding society and law. ### Leadership and Group Dynamics - Speaker 6 explores the concept of distributed leadership and the importance of everyone contributing to the group's vision. - Speaker 21 and Speaker 22 discuss the challenges of having no clear leader and the importance of supporting each other. - Speaker 18 and Speaker 16 reflect on the role of a strong leader in the group and the importance of creating urgency and buy-in. - Speaker 27 emphasizes the importance of passion and motivation in achieving group goals. ### Belief in Vision and Its Impact on Sales and Leadership - Speaker 29 discusses the dual nature of belief in a product, seeing it as both a weakness due to confirmation bias and a strength in selling the idea effectively. - Speaker 6 agrees, emphasizing that strong belief in something makes it easier to sell and lead others, drawing parallels between sales and leadership. - Speaker 6 highlights that leadership involves convincing others to believe and act on certain ideas, similar to sales. - The conversation touches on the complexities of group dynamics, changing opinions, and the role of leadership in managing these interactions. ### Managing Group Dynamics and Leadership Challenges - Speaker 6 mentions that different people take away different lessons from group exercises, reflecting on the varied experiences and perspectives. - The discussion includes the challenges of turning a vision into reality, dealing with group dynamics, and the importance of managing interactions. - Speaker 6 emphasizes the art of leadership in handling the diverse elements that come into play when trying to achieve a common goal. - The segment concludes with a brief scheduling break, indicating a pause in the discussion. ### Seeking Advice on Maintaining Momentum - Angie.H Moon asks for advice on keeping an idea going, indicating a transition to a new topic. - An unknown speaker mentions the involvement of undergraduates and the gradual progression of the idea. - Speaker 1 expresses a preference to speak with someone directly, suggesting a more private discussion. - The conversation shifts to a more personal level, with an unknown speaker seeking a private conversation with Speaker 19. - # tom's advice on [[🧬ent as mit dna]] The discussion centered on the challenges and strategies for making entrepreneurship a required course at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Key points included the need for faculty support, particularly from influential members like Charlie, Scott Stern, and Bill. The conversation highlighted the importance of computational thinking as a parallel to mathematical thinking and its potential integration into the curriculum. Influential donors and alumni, such as John Doerr, were mentioned as potential supporters. The idea of a co-op program similar to Northeastern's was proposed to provide practical entrepreneurial experience. The process was likened to a groundswell of support needed to convince the dean to appoint a committee to investigate and implement the change. [https://otter.ai/u/LsY6nYLHuoc6K8Jfe90974w2zCQ?view=transcript](https://otter.ai/u/LsY6nYLHuoc6K8Jfe90974w2zCQ?view=transcript) ## Action Items - [ ] Follow up with Jim Orland to learn more about the history of the computational thinking initiative at MIT. - [ ] Reach out to Charlie and discuss ways to better communicate the importance of computational thinking and its connection to entrepreneurship. - [ ] Investigate the co-op program at Northeastern University as a potential model for incorporating entrepreneurial experiences into the MIT Sloan curriculum. ### Curriculum Changes at Sloan and MIT - Speaker 1 explains the process of changing the required curriculum at Sloan, mentioning that a faculty group re-examines it every five or ten years, and the dean appoints the committee. - The committee's recommendations must have broad support from other faculty members to be adopted. - Speaker 1 emphasizes the need for faculty allies, particularly Charlie, Scott Stern, and Bill, to support the change. - The discussion highlights the importance of getting buy-in from the entrepreneurship faculty, as their opposition could derail the initiative. ### Faculty Support and Persuasion - Speaker 1 discusses the need for faculty support to convince other faculty members, using the example of the IT group head. - Speaker 2 mentions a conversation with Charlie about innovation management and the need for a clear argument to persuade faculty. - Speaker 2 outlines Scott's framework for entrepreneurship, which includes freedom to choose, resource constraints, uncertainty, and noisy learning. - Speaker 1 suggests using an analogy with computational thinking to argue for the importance of entrepreneurship education. ### Comparing Computational Thinking and Entrepreneurship - Speaker 1 draws a parallel between the movement to include computational thinking in the MIT undergraduate curriculum and the current discussion on entrepreneurship. - Speaker 1 mentions Jim Orland's involvement in the computational thinking movement and suggests reaching out to him for more information. - Speaker 2 expresses interest in integrating computational statistics and decision theory into the curriculum. - Speaker 1 explains the broader scope of computational thinking as algorithmic thinking, which is a superset of mathematical thinking. ### Challenges and Opportunities in Implementing Entrepreneurship - Speaker 2 discusses the gap in communication about computational thinking and the need for quality control in open-source software. - Speaker 1 emphasizes the importance of having influential alumni and donors supporting the initiative, but notes that it is not sufficient without faculty and university support. - Speaker 3 suggests a co-op program similar to Northeastern's, where students work in startups instead of traditional internships. - Speaker 1 agrees that such a program could be part of an entrepreneurship program and shares that MIT used to have a similar program. ### Personal Experiences and Final Thoughts - Speaker 1 shares personal experiences as a co-founder of several companies, highlighting the learning process despite the lack of financial success. - Speaker 3 comments on the difference between learning entrepreneurship through classroom theories and actually engaging in entrepreneurial activities. - Speaker 1 acknowledges the value of both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in entrepreneurship education. - The conversation concludes with a discussion on the timeline for implementing entrepreneurship as a required course, with estimates ranging from years to decades. # 15339 day2.75 (tom) ⭐️ choose something before you know, whether it's possible, and choosing it increases the possibility; coaching tips (is it clear? do you want it? do you choose it? are you sure?) The discussion focused on the difference between wanting and choosing, emphasizing that choosing involves commitment and responsibility. Examples included Gene Kranz's decision during the Apollo 13 crisis and students' choices to attend MIT. Participants shared personal visions, such as losing weight and pursuing entrepreneurship, and discussed the importance of clarity, commitment, and the potential impact of their choices. The conversation also touched on the practical aspects of making choices, like buying a house in Boston, and the benefits of long-term commitments. The session concluded with an assignment to share leadership experiences, highlighting the connection between personal choices and effective leadership. [https://otter.ai/u/WxILixMIwqKRfya97lUj4qqfWmI?view=transcript](https://otter.ai/u/WxILixMIwqKRfya97lUj4qqfWmI?view=transcript) ### Choosing vs. Wanting - Speaker 1 introduces the concept of making choices, differentiating between "I want" and "I choose." - Speaker 3 mentions that wanting something is not always achievable, while choosing implies availability and decision-making. - Speaker 2 elaborates that "I want" is passive, while "I choose" involves responsibility and commitment. - Speaker 1 adds that sometimes we must choose the lesser of two evils and that choosing involves making a commitment. ### Defining Choice for the Exercise - Speaker 1 explains that for the exercise, participants should use a specific definition of choice, where one can choose something even if it's not certain it's available. - Speaker 1 gives the example of Gene Kranz from Apollo 13, who chose to bring the astronauts home alive despite not knowing if it was possible. - The exercise aims to help participants choose visions, not just want them, and to make serious commitments. - Speaker 1 emphasizes that choosing something in this sense gives one power and motivates efforts. ### Examples of Choosing Before Knowing Outcomes - Speaker 1 shares examples of students choosing to attend MIT, often before they knew if they would get in. - Speaker 3 and Speaker 4 discuss their experiences and efforts in preparing for and applying to MIT. - Speaker 2 and Speaker 5 share their stories of deciding to apply to MIT, often after significant preparation and research. - These examples illustrate that one can choose something before knowing if it's possible, and that such choices can be powerful. ### Exercise Instructions and Questions - Speaker 1 instructs participants to stand up, pick a vision from their list, and read it aloud. - The coach should help the reader think about the vision using four questions: Is it clear? Do you want it? Do you choose it? Are you sure this is your last chance? - Speaker 1 explains that the exercise is about making serious commitments and choosing visions that matter. - Participants are encouraged to be honest about their choices and to consider the implications of their decisions. ### Participants Share Their Visions - Speaker 2 shares a vision of losing weight and the challenges involved, including the effort required and the impact on daily life. - Angie.H Moon discusses her vision of living an ergodic life and the philosophical implications of making such a choice. - The conversation touches on the importance of clear and specific visions and the commitment required to achieve them. - Participants reflect on their choices and the reasons behind them, sharing personal experiences and insights. ### Discussion on System Dynamics and Entrepreneurship - Angie.H Moon and Speaker 2 discuss the importance of system dynamics and entrepreneurship in their studies. - They share experiences with system dynamics classes and the practical applications of the knowledge. - The conversation highlights the value of having a clear lens or framework to understand and address complex systems. - Participants discuss the challenges and benefits of integrating entrepreneurship and system dynamics into their studies. ### Choosing Entrepreneurship as a Vision - Angie.H Moon and Speaker 2 discuss the potential of making entrepreneurship a core vision and the long-term impact of such a choice. - They consider the importance of data and metrics in evaluating the effectiveness of entrepreneurship programs. - The conversation touches on the cultural and practical aspects of pursuing entrepreneurship, including the support and resources available at MIT. - Participants reflect on their personal goals and the balance between theoretical research and practical entrepreneurship. ### Commitment and Accountability in Choices - Speaker 1 shares a personal story of choosing to write a book and how making that commitment led to significant progress. - The exercise is designed to help participants feel a sense of commitment and accountability towards their chosen visions. - Speaker 1 emphasizes the importance of making serious commitments and the impact it can have on achieving goals. - Participants discuss the feelings of commitment and the importance of being honest about their choices. ### Leadership and Choices - Speaker 1 and participants discuss the connection between making choices and leadership. - They highlight the importance of making wise and informed choices as a leader and the impact it has on others. - The conversation touches on the need for leaders to listen to others and consider their perspectives when making decisions. - Participants reflect on the power of commitment and how it can influence the success of leadership decisions. ### Homework Assignment and Logistics - Speaker 1 assigns homework for the next day, where participants will share two leadership stories: one positive and one negative. - Participants are instructed to prepare for five-minute stories and to be ready to discuss them in their groups. - The exercise aims to help participants reflect on their leadership experiences and learn from both positive and negative outcomes. - Speaker 1 concludes the session, reminding participants to review their visions and be ready for the next day's exercise. ---- # day 3 three 🗿 stories 1. The first stone cutter was focused on earning money to support his family, seeing his work as just a job. 2. The second stone cutter took pride in being the best stone cutter and building a wall. 3. The third stone cutter understood the grand vision of building a cathedral, seeing his work as part of something bigger. The key point is that as a leader, you don't always need to get everyone to see the grand vision you have. Instead, you can connect their individual personal visions to the larger shared vision. This allows you to create a shared sense of purpose, even if not everyone fully grasps the big picture. 1. what did you want to achieve? Did you? - interact with tom and wanda 2 . what are the three most important learnings? - make friends to reinforce if this memories erode - learning diverse vision THREE STONE stories (respectful for other people's value and choice) - tom is amazing listener and wanda is amazing speaker (no one is perfect in all) framework + commentaries 1. commitments: 3 things you want to do as a result of experiences in this course - analyzing with vsmi (purpose, perspective, people, process) - going to pilates with sara and tiffany - flesh out my vision more (everyday - three paragraphs; sara; fleshing out the "living ergodic life" as markovian and calibrated choice (using tennis loop swing of doubting every information, trusting the causality only from you) ### work 1. "living ergodic life" agents = belief desire - equpping agent with calibrated choice algorithm - equpping two agents having rational meaning construction algorithm - exchanging belief via prior - calibrating belief to evolving environment - to acheive common goal ### relationship ppl most important (quality to be true - outcomes) 1. trust, courage to push back, consistency, ability to express one's feeling (words, visuals) ### health - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual health, weight loss ---- good leadership: fea bad leadership: wrong time allocation my desire is to be able to update my belief based on what i believe and desire; consistent - ppl can guess more - more trust; COMMITMENT CONSISTENT WITH VALUE means to an end (ways to accomplish values); being a leader is getting what's most important | Aspect | Cooking Example | Tennis Example | Theoretical Framework | Can it be Markovian? | |--------|----------------|----------------|----------------------|---------------------| | Learning Method | Recipe following vs. understanding cooking principles | Mimicking champion's posture vs. understanding swing mechanics | Prior information vs. installed beliefs | Yes - current state (skill level) depends only on previous state and action | | Practice Effect | Each cooking attempt improves understanding | Each swing practice builds muscle memory | Each experiment updates beliefs | Yes - learning progress is step-by-step | | Success Measure | Food tastes good consistently | Consistent good shots | Well-calibrated predictions | Yes - performance at each point depends on current skill state | | Understanding Level | Knowing why ingredients work together | Knowing why swing mechanics work | Understanding causal mechanisms | Partially - deep understanding may require memory of multiple past states | | Transfer Skills | Can cook new dishes without recipes | Can adapt technique to different shots | Can apply framework to new situations | Partially - skill transfer might need memory of learning process | ## markovian Imagine you're learning to play tennis. When you're just starting, there are two kinds of "not knowing" - things you could learn with practice (like how to swing your racket in that perfect loop motion) and things that will always be a bit random (like how the wind might affect your serve or how the ball might hit the net tape). The cool part is that your next shot mostly depends on what you know right now - your current serving technique - and not so much on how you learned it last month. That's what we call "Markovian" - when your next step mainly depends on where you are right now. You can either just copy how champions hold their racket (which might work quickly but won't help you understand), or you can learn why that loop swing works (which takes longer but helps you improve more). Just like champions didn't become great overnight, getting better at tennis means understanding what parts of the game you can improve through practice and what parts will always need quick adjustments based on the moment. # Markovian Analysis of Prior Information and Uncertainty ## 1. Prior Information vs. Belief | Component | Non-Markovian (History-Dependent) | Markovian (State-Dependent) | Link to Action Selection | | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | | Prior Distribution | Full $P(S \mid D)$ with historical context and dependencies | $P(S \mid D)$, Agent's Digestion Level) tuple | argmax Σ u(a,s) where $s \sim P(S \mid D)$ | | Digestion Level | Accumulation of past experiences and understanding | Current comprehension state | Action selected based on current digestion state | | Information Content | Historical path of learning and updates | Current state sufficient statistics | Action depends only on current information state | ## 2. Uncertainty Decomposition | Type | Property | Markovian Representation | Action Implication | |------|----------|-------------------------|-------------------| | Irreducible (Blue) | Random elements known only to nature | Current state randomness | Actions must account for inherent variability | | Reducible (Green) | Potentially knowable but unknown | Current knowledge gaps | Actions can reduce uncertainty | | Knowledge (Red) | Currently known elements | Current state knowledge | Actions based on known elements | ## 3. State Transitions and Information Flow ``` Non-Markovian: Past States → Current State → Future States ↑ ↑ ↑ Full History Full Context Path Dependent Markovian: Current State = (P(S|D), Digestion Level, Knowledge Type) ↓ Next State = f(Current State, Action, New Observation) ``` ## 4. Action Selection Process 1. Markovian Case: - State: (P(S|D), Digestion=d) - Action: argmax Σ u(a,s) where s ~ P(S|D) - Next State: Only depends on current state and action 2. Non-Markovian Case: - State: Full history of P(S|D) and learning path - Action: Depends on full learning history - Next State: Depends on full history of states and actions