Hidden organizational patterns stay invisible unless deliberately surfaced for reflection.

Evidence

Understanding self-reinforcing dynamics requires theoretical knowledge as well as practical skills and abilities. This is all the more true since the organizational dynamics of path formation are more often than not hidden dynamics. Subconscious blinders, perceptual defense, and blind spots tend to inhibit reflection processes (Saffold, 1988; Sorensen, 2002). As a consequence, in many cases a special effort is needed to get in touch with the hidden agenda. Tools have been developed to facilitate such processes. Assumption surfacing, for instance, is a well-known technique designed to make hidden patterns in organizational settings accessible, to open them up for critical reflection, and to put them on the organizational discourse agenda (Kettinger, Teng, & Guha, 1997; Mason & Mitroff, 1981). — Jörg Sydow, Georg Schreyögg, and Jochen Koch, Organizational Path Dependence, 104

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces ‘assumption surfacing’ as a named technique with a clear purpose: making hidden patterns accessible and discussable.
• XREF: Connects to Argyris and Schon on defensive routines and double-loop learning, and to Kahneman on blind spots.