Self Evident Approaches To Managing Human Factors

Photo: Illya Storm

Human factors have long needed a road map for the intrinsic processes that occur within individuals and the distinct members of a team. Given the complexity of the human experience, such a model would be obliged to offer a self evident path and reflect values that humans have aspired to embody for thousands of years. The following processes represent these criteria.

Aspirational human values, when organized intentionally, offer profound utility in managing the human factor. At the core of our being we have the opportunity to exercise a choice about how we respond to the situations we are exposed to, or are engaged with. These response choices naturally present as pairs of opposites; Shadow or Luminant Power. Shadow Power response choices may have limited effectiveness for managing challenging situations. These responses stem from the unconscious and reflect a lack of care, a negative emotion, or a short-sighted selfish desire within the individual or organization. Conversely, Luminant Power response choices may be expansive and arise from the intention to care, and to transcend negative emotion or selfish desires within the individual or organization. Luminant responses serve the whole community connected to, or collectively engaged with the endeavour.

High potential for negative consecquence requires that we be people of consequence.

Human Factor Management Model

The following table outlines a model for Human Factor Management. Shadow Power response choices are blocked in grey and Luminant Power responses choices are on a transparent background. The work of the individual or group is to recognize when Shadow Power is being considered or excercised, and to elevate that response to Luminant Power.

Human Factor Management Model

Shadow Power Chain of Response Choices

Shadow Power presents as a chain of limiting response choices that lead to an overall suboptimal result. The links, like those in a chain, exist both one after another and all at once. All of the individual elements of Shadow Power are discrete and all together.

The explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986, for example, is steeped in a chain of Shadow Power response choices that lead to a staggering negative outcome. It is quite simple to pick out and match very specific human Shadow Power response choices that took place before the catastrophe of the launch. Below are some of the most obvious.

·     Denial of the operational limits of the solid rocket boosters.

·     The absence of courage (being fainthearted) of NASA officials to stand up to the pressures of launch schedules.

·     The social isolation of engineers like Bob Ebling, who clearly warned NASA of catastrophe.

·     Rendering NASA institutional knowledge of blowby of the “O” rings at 50˚ F launches in the past, insignificant.

·     Profound hubris of launching outside of the temperature parameters of the equipment.

·     The deception of the astronauts related to the dangers of the decision to launch.

·     Intellectualizing the need to launch without delay because of a teacher’s school lesson schedule.

·     All of the above lead to the total chaos of the explosion that shattered lives.    

Elevating from Shadow Power to Luminant Power

The opportunity is to “run the checklist” of our Shadow Power as an analytical tool before chaos results. When we make these observations we have a opportunity to elevate our response to Luminant Power. This is the practice of all individuals who work in high potential consequence situations.

 For more information or to unpack these concepts for yourself you can find courses at archetypal.ca

References

Conte, Larissa (2020) Wayfnding Power Landscapes. Unpublished model.

Jung, C. (1959) Collected Works of C J Jung. Bolligens Foundation. New York.

McDonald, A, J. (2012) Truth Lies and O Rings:Inside the Space Shuttle 'Challenger' Disaster

 University Press of Florida.

Radha, S. (2004) Kundalini for The West. Timeless Books.