First and Second Order Change

First and Second Order Change Agnes Mura and William Bergquist [Derived from William Bergquist and Agnes Mura, Ten Themes and Variations for Postmodern Leaders and Their Coaches. and from a forthcoming book, William Bergquist and Agnes Mura, tentatively titled: Building an Appreciative Organization: Themes and Strategies for Effective Postmodern Leaders, Consultants and Coaches. Please contact Professional Coaching Publications, Inc. for more information: www.pcpi.info ]. Abstract: What might we learn from postmodern theorists, observers and critics as well as contemporary physicists and biologists about the nature of change as it is now occurring in 21st Century societies? One of the fundamental concepts that emerged from the late 20th Century concerned the nature of “first order” and “second order” change and learning. First order change concerns shifts in magnitude or direction and first order learning concerns improvement in the way we currently are engaged in our work. By contrast, second order change concerns addressing an issue in an entirely new manner or questioning the need for change itself, while second order learning concerns the acquisition of skills, knowledge and attitudes related to an entirely different way of engaging in our work.