Preface:
Our life is a journey of many twists and turns. There are times when we experience phases of joy and happiness, and times when we are confronted with harsh realities that are rather painful.
In the context of org change, people have painful experiences when they experience a career setback such as a sudden job loss or a demotion. A lot of professionals these days also experience a mid-career crisis, where one is demotivated from work and is looking to find a new meaning and purpose in life.
And yet as Jack Mezirow points out, a disorienting dilemma it is the first step to a transformative learning. In this blog, we will explore the ten steps to transformative learning and understand how re-framing our mind can be a catalyst for growth and learning.
Introduction to Transformative leaning
Jack Mezirow defined transformative learning as a process through which individuals critically examine their current frame of reference which includes their beliefs and assumptions. As a result of this reflection, people experience a profound change in how they understand themselves, and the world around them. Mezirow introduced this theory in the late 1970s, and it has since become one of the most influential frameworks in adult education.
1st Step: A Disorienting dilemma
Transformative learning begins with a disruption — a crisis or disorienting experience that challenges our established beliefs and perspectives. During this period, people go through critical reflection and reassessment of their perspectives. Although disorienting dilemmas can initially feel unsettling, they are not inherently negative. Instead, they represent moments of opportunity—a chance to grow, transform, and connect with others through shared experiences
2nd Step: Self-reflection
In this phase, individuals face uncomfortable emotions such as fear, shame, or anger as they recognize the discrepancy between their experiences and their beliefs. This self-examination often brings about a sense of vulnerability, making it one of the most challenging stages of transformative learning. However, this discomfort is essential for growth, as it pushes the individual to confront beliefs that they may have been avoiding. At this stage, individuals will benefit from having a good support system in the form of friends and family.
3rd Step: Assessment of our beliefs and assumptions
This is the phase of critical reflection, where individuals assess their core beliefs and assumptions. They ask questions like, “Where did this belief come from?” By challenging previously held beliefs and assumptions, we are able to bring the unconscious to the conscious realm. We can then take small steps to untangle them.
4th Step: Recognizing I am not alone
During this phase, individuals realize that they are not alone in this journey. By connecting with others who have faced similar challenges, they gain insight and comfort, recognizing that a lot of people have undergone a similar challenge and experience. This is a phase of belonging.
5th Step: Exploring Options
At this stage, individuals begin to explore new ways of being that align more closely with their revised understanding of self. This phase opens up possibilities for alternative roles and ways of life. It is also an experimental stage.
6th Step: Planning a course of action
After identifying potential changes, individuals create a plan for how they will implement these changes. This phase requires practical thinking and goal-setting. It’s a time to strategize and prepare for the new path forward.
7th Step: Acquisition of knowledge and skills
Before making substantial changes, individuals may often need to acquire new skills or knowledge to support their transformation. This might involve seeking education, training, or mentorship to help facilitate their intended actions.
8th Step: Trying of new roles (also experiments)
In this phase, individuals experiment with their new roles in a tentative way. They might step into this new role with some apprehensions, but they begin to adapt and embody their transformed identity.
9th Step: Building Confidence in new role
As individuals practice their new roles, they start to gain competence and confidence. This phase involves an ongoing commitment to their new identity, as they refine their actions and adjust to the changes. With time, they grow more comfortable in their new identity.
10th Step: Integrating the transformation
The final phase is about integrating the transformation into one’s life. The individual’s new perspective becomes a natural part of who they are. This stage represents the completion of the transformative process.
“Transformation theory focuses on how we learn to negotiate and act on our own purposes, values, feelings, and meanings rather than those we have uncritically assimilated from others.”
– Jack Mezirow
Summary
Mezirow’s transformative learning process shows that growth requires vulnerability, introspection, and courage. By navigating each phase, individuals can overcome one’s limiting beliefs, and lead lives that is more fulfilling and authentic that is aligned to one’s vision and purpose.
Transformative learning encourages a lifelong process of evolution, where each new challenge can be an opportunity for deep personal change.