Theory U is a model within change management that describes the process a person or organization must go through to learn to embrace new changes and act on them.

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The U Theory was developed by C. Otto Scharmer, who is a senior lecturer at MIT and founding chair of the Presencing Institute. Through his best-selling books Theory U and Presence (the latter written in collaboration with Peter Senge and others), Otto introduced the groundbreaking concept of "presencing"—learning from the emerging future. He is also co-author of Leading from the Emerging Future, which outlines eight acupuncture points for transforming our economy from egocentric to ecocentric. His latest book, The Essentials of Theory U (2018), summarizes the key principles and applications of consciousness-based system change.

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The U Theory is based on three fundamental phases: Co-initiating, Co-sensing, and Presencing (co-initiative, co-feeling, and presence). These phases help individuals and organizations open up to new opportunities and future potential by letting go of habits.

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Co-initiating is about being unconsciously biased about how things are. The first step is therefore to break with our tendency to auto-download, i.e. break with our habitual thinking. This requires listening to yourself and others in order to understand common challenges and opportunities.

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Co-sensing is about formulating the problem without being prejudiced. It requires approaching the issue with curiosity and analyzing it to gain a deeper understanding of the context and the problem.

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Presencing (a contraction of the words sensing and presence) is about stepping back and reflecting on the new knowledge and insights that have emerged. This allows new ideas to take shape.

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Furthermore, the U model requires an open mind, an open heart, and an open will. And the mindset behind it is that this is not a process you complete over a few months – it is a mindset – it is a lifelong process because 1) our minds are constantly challenged by our failing judgment, 2) our hearts are constantly challenged by cynicism, and 3) our open will is constantly challenged by fear. And that takes courage!

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Theory U can be illustrated as follows:

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