Unpredictability is and will very much still be with us. However, the ideal of the learning organization has not yet been realized. Some factors have impeded progress:
• First, many of the early and current discussions about learning organizations were praises to a possible better world rather than implementable procedures and actions. They lacked a sense of pragmatism and the ability to translate them into concrete steps necessary for moving forward.
• Second, the concept was aimed at CEOs and senior executives rather than at an organization-wide culture and practice to which every and each individual could partake and contribute.
• Third, there has been a lack of process and outcome indicators and other tools by which change could be assessed overtime. Thus managers of smaller departments and units, where critical organizational work is done, had no way of assessing how their teams’ learning was contributing to the organization as a whole. Further, the lack of standards and tools for assessing lead to claim progress without delving into the particulars or comparing themselves accurately with others or with the set goals.
In the strategy of the organization where I work, we state that we intend to be “known for the quality of [its] work with children, which is rooted in a deep understanding of children’s experiences of deprivation, exclusion and vulnerability.” Such recognition [brand], we want to found on demonstrable and accurately assessed results of the impact of our work.
Our institution embraces as its core intent and primary objective a rich and complex task: the holistic growth and promotion of children to become agents of their own development, and – as they enter adulthood – to the development of their communities and future generations. Such an ambitious and demanding task requires a twofold approach:
• a continued, accurate and comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness and efficiencies of our deliverables in the field;
• which ought to be linked to an ongoing comprehensive organization-wide reflected learning and system analysis to increase our knowledge, understanding, efficiencies translated in very practical and usable ways.
The practical challenge we are facing seems to be as how best we can bring together facts and personal learning as primary information sources, in order to collectively make sense of what they mean and then translate the results into a greater capacity to be agile. In other words, how we can we transform information into organizational change in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our deliverables in the field. In both the private and the non-profit sector, the term organizational learning has arguably become a metaphor for managing change – which may retain even greater relevance in our context given its nature and complexity.
Organizational research over the past two decades has revealed three broad factors that are essential for organizational learning and adaptability: a supportive learning environment, concrete learning processes and practices, and leadership behavior that provides reinforcement.
A supportive learning environment: some preliminary observations
To learn, individuals [as well as children or youth] cannot fear being judged or marginalized when they disagree with peers or authority figures, ask naive questions, own up to mistakes, or present a minority viewpoint. Instead, they must be comfortable expressing their thoughts about the work at hand.
Learning occurs when people become aware of opposing ideas. Recognizing the value of competing functional outlooks and alternative worldviews increases energy and motivation, sparks fresh thinking, and prevents lethargy and drift.
Learning is not simply about correcting mistakes and solving problems. It is also about crafting novel approaches. Employees should be encouraged to take risks and explore the untested and unknown.
Time for reflection. When people are too busy or overstressed by deadlines and scheduling pressures, however, their ability to think analytically and creatively is compromised. They become less able to diagnose problems and learn from their experiences. Supportive learning environments allow time for a pause in the action and encourage thoughtful review of the organization’s processes.
Concrete learning processes and practices: some preliminary observations
A learning organization is not cultivated effortlessly. It arises from a series of concrete steps and widely distributed activities, not unlike the workings of business processes such as logistics, billing, order fulfillment, and product development. Learning processes involve the generation, collection, interpretation, and dissemination of information and understanding. They include experimentation to develop and test new products and services; intelligence gathering to keep track of competitive, customer, and technological trends; disciplined analysis and interpretation to identify and solve problems; and education and training to develop both new and established employees.
Leadership that reinforces learning: some preliminary observations
Organizational learning is strongly influenced by the behavior of leaders at all levels. When leaders actively question and listen to colleagues—and thereby prompt dialogue and debate—people in the institution feel encouraged to learn. If leaders signal the importance of spending time on problem identification, knowledge transfer, and reflective post-audits, these activities are likely to flourish.
Organizations are not monolithic: some preliminary observations
Managers must be sensitive to differences among departmental processes and behaviors as they strive to build learning organizations. Groups may vary in their focus or learning maturity. Managers need to be especially sensitive to local cultures of learning, which can vary widely across units.
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Sources
Garvin, D.
1993 Building a Learning Organization. Harvard Business Review.
Garvin, D., Edmondson, A., Gino, F.
2008 Is Yours a Learning Organization? Harvard Business Review.
Herda, E.
1999 Research Conversations and Narrative: A Critical Hermeneutic Orientation in Participatory Inquiry. Wesport and London: Praeger.
Senge, P.
1990 The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization. New York: Double Day.
2006 The Necessary Revolution: How individuals and organizations are working together to create a sustainable world. New York: Double Day.
Spear, S.
2004 Learning to Lead at Toyota. Harvard Business Review.
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