5 Minutes of Thought

This novel video series introduces viewers to a radically different way to think and work together, 5 minutes at a time, and does it with humor, fun, smarts, and accessible ideas. A few episodes are highlighted below; for the whole series and supporting resources, visit 5mot.org.

Turning the Gears

This video presentation, number 17 in the 5 Minutes of Thought series, graphs the landscape of learning, shows how different kinds of learning are interconnected, like meshed gears, and suggests you can use these ideas to "heal" a variety of problems in organizational design.

The Loop and the Cocoon

Our nineteenth episode, The Loop and the Cocoon, describes two helpful tools that you can use to design and reinforce any kind of learning in any context, from your own learning to a classroom, from one brief learning moment, to a years-long learning trajectory. 

Lines and Squiggles

Episode 11 of 5 Minutes of Thought serves as one of the speediest introductions to Systems Thinking and also effectively answers a variety of common related questions: What is Systems Thinking? Why does it matter to me? What happens if I don't use it?

Gettin' Better

Gettin' Better, episode 14 of 5 Minutes of Thought describes a two-step process anyone can use at any moment to start getting better at anything--large or small--by applying the principles of "acting" and "iterating."

You Are What You Store

This presentation, episode 24, focuses on a key aspect of Systems Thinking, of systems, and of healthy workplaces: the idea of storage, showing how understanding how storage works can surface structural problems, help resolve those problems, and get people working together better.  Remember, "you are what you store!"

Doing What You Can't

This episode of 5 Minutes of Thought, number 29 part 1, comes in response to a particular request: to describe how, using a few simple and thoughtful techniques, you can learn to do just about any (reasonable) thing, even things you are certain you can't, or of which you are afraid. It explains the basic approach to changing behaviors by rewriting "protective beliefs."

Learning from Feelings

Episode 32 of 5 Minutes of Thought tells you how to use your feelings as a way into the kind of rule-changing meta-conversations you need to improve the world around you. It includes the famous slogans "feelings matter" and "if you feel it, you have to say it."

Attending to the Invisible

Episode 31 of 5 Minutes of Thought points out the little-appreciated components of the famous Universal Systems Model, and shows you how to pay attention to the crucial, but normally "invisible," aspects. It includes a new idea, the Hierarchy of System Attention. As the model is applicable to a wide range of processes from team learning to budgeting, understanding its hidden leverage points leads to team and organizational improvement in myriad ways.