All of these Theory U concepts help me to "suspend" my point of view and remove my blind spot to have a greater influence on positive change by creating well-coordinated ecosystems that work to lead us into the merging future. Removing my baggage will allow me to pass through the eye of the needle to go deeper in my U journey to the threshold to discover my Self and my Work. In addition, these concepts aid in my understanding the importance of having team be an action verb and not an inactive noun.  Team is an action verb in that the team is a part of the vision, the response and the evolution.  The team is the co-creator, shaper and connector.  The team is on the field and benched only for retooling and reassessing the vision.   

What I learned about the process of interviewing someone is that listening and adapting create a more engaged and rewarding interview experience.  I started with ten questions that splintered into segues on sources of motivation as well as poignant accounts of overcoming challenges.  An interview is a story being told that can have  a plot, sub-plots and alternate endings.   

Theory U coupled with the insight now gained equals Theory Me.  Theory Me is my own personal adaptation of what Theory U means applied to my own journey through leadership.  I hope to apply my "knowing" to many situations and build on this foundation for the emerging future. Leadership not just revisited but re-imagined. I look forward to losing myself and gaining my interdependence, one ecosystem at a time. 

Dr. Johnson noted this as on thing he needed to "let go" to move further up the U.  Likewise, looking at it from Scharmer's meso level of conversing may be a helpful approach as well  to have more productive teams.  Group members should be encouraged to tap into their "mindfulness" to engage in true dialogue.  This is a key concept that I have learned and used in my own leadership.  Staying stuck in downloading and constantly repeating the past  kept me looking backward and not forward.  Being mindful of my purpose and the vision helps me move to seeing and sensing and eventually presencing.  

He noted as well that he should take more initiate to approach individuals with questions and  concerns to seize more opportunities and expedite progress.  I compare this to Scharmer's paying attention to your intention.  Also, I find that this behavior is a social field that needs to shift.  Communicating information only when deemed necessary is a common practice in the federal government or at least in HRSA.  As an employee and now as a manager, I was a "victim" of the practice and now I am encouraged to be an "executor" of the practice.  So, like the image of the light bulb below, I choose to learn from the past and not stay in "downloading" and strive to reach "presencing". 

This idea starts the turn to moving up the U  to letting come and enacting as this is a step beyond where Dr. Johnson is currently to the journey of embodying.  I relate strongly to this idea, and it will encourage me to leap beyond my judgments, cynicism and fear to reach to a new stage of growth in my leadership.

I found it most interesting that he listed the stakeholders in this order.  This order depicts his value system and what drives him.  Dr. Johnson sees his field structure of attention, but I wonder if it is serving as his blind spot as well...maybe another shift needs to occur to start moving up the right-side of the U to realize his emerging future.

Dr. Johnson expressed great concern for 
these areas and expressed ideas on ways 
to improve. We both commiserated over
similar struggles. I concluded that these
challenges keep one focused and always 
reassessing where you are in the U.