This presentation provides a high-level overview of organizational learning: what it is, when it could be useful, and types of approaches used.

2. TOPICS
1. Defining Learning
2. Reality Checks
3. Tools and Resources
4. Now What?

3. 1. DEFINING LEARNING
A standard definition: The act, process, or
experience of gaining knowledge or skills
• People learn
differently
• Adults learn
differently than
children

4. SIX PRINCIPLES OF ADULT LEARNING FROM
MALCOLM KNOWLES
1. Adults are internally
motivated and self-directed
2. Adults bring life experiences
and knowledge to learning
experiences
3. Adults are goal oriented
4. Adults are relevancy oriented
5. Adults are practical
6. Adult learners like to be
respected

5. WHAT MOTIVATES LEARNING?

6. OFTEN THE PATH TO LEARNING IS LIKE THIS

7. TAKING IT TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL:
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE A “LEARNING
ORGANIZATION”?
• An organization that is able to sense changes in
signals from its environment (both internal and
external) and adapt accordingly. – Peter Senge
• An organization that changes behavior as a result of
experience and then achieves results consistent with
the lessons from previous experience. – Marilyn
Darling
• An organization that exhibits new behavior when
presented with stimulus similar to one that its reacted
to in the past – Louis Sweeny

8. CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS
• Authentic leadership commitment to learning and
improvement
• Safe space for humble and constructive reflection
• A reason to improve, to go beyond the “tried and
true”
• A learning culture
• Organizational infrastructure that supports learning
• Realistic expectations around improvement

9. CHARACTERISTICS OF A LEARNING CULTURE
• Interest in new information and alternative view points
• Safety around open communication and difficult
feedback
• Ability to successfully navigate conflict
• Acceptance of uncertainty
• Acknowledgement that plans, no matter how well
designed, will likely need to change (particularly in
complex contexts)
• Tolerance for risk and disappointment, “permission to
fail”
• Reward for smart innovation and improvement over time
• Accountability to learning and smart adaptation

10. ON HAVING REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
“Although we may prefer to believe differently, not all
learning leads to improved performance. Learning and
performance can be at odds in several ways. Notably,
when organizations engage in a new learning challenge,
performance often suffers, or appears to suffer, in the
short term. Moreover, by revealing and analyzing their
failures and mistakes—a critical aspect of learning—
work groups may appear to be performing less well than
they would otherwise.”
– Singer & Edmondson in Confronting the Tension
between Learning and Performance. (2008)

11. AGAIN, LEARNING MAY LOOK SOMETHING LIKE…

12. HOW ORGANIZATIONS CAN SUPPORT
LEARNING: SOME BASICS
1. Create intentional safe space on routine basis
2. Gather intelligence
3. Engage in critical thinking, dialogue, debate,
inquiry




Identify assumptions, insights, hypotheses, and
opportunities to test hypotheses
Make the tacit explicit
Facilitation is often helpful to create a safe forum, to create
neutral sounding board, address inherent power dynamics
Leadership often makes or breaks the dynamic, whether
directly engaged or not
4. Test, reflect, iterate, track – and do this again and
again

13. LEARNING BY MARSHMALLOW
Ted Talk: The Marshmallow Challenge

14. LEARNING TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
• Many from various fields
• Common approaches
 Coaching
 Team/group facilitation
 Adaptive management
 Strategic planning
 Scenario planning
 Theories of change
 Outcome mapping
 Developmental or
real-time evaluation
 Appreciative inquiry
 Emergent learning
 Systems thinking
 Etc. Etc.

15. MANY OPTIONS: DON’T FORGET TO FALL BACK
ON THE BASICS
1. Create intentional
safe space on routine
basis
2. Gather intelligence
3. Engage in critical
thinking, dialogue, de
bate, inquiry
4. Test, reflect, iterate, t
rack – and do this
again and again

16. COMMON BARRIERS TO LEARNING
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of time
Inadequate support systems
Lack of relevant intelligence
Hubris
Fear, lack of safety
Culture not conducive or ready (usually can start
small)
Counterproductive power dynamics
Leadership that just doesn’t get it
Rigid requirements (e.g., always stick to original
plan)
Management by dashboard (this one is worth more
conversation)

17. AT SOME LEVEL LEARNING CAN’T BE IMPOSED
OR TAUGHT
“A lot about learning can’t be taught. It can’t be
reduced to tools and frameworks, even if these
can help. The important thing is to build a
culture that drives people to learn from their
work every day -- that’s what will get you where
you need to go.”
– Roberto Cremonini

18. RESOURCES
See handout
If we learn from our mistakes, shouldn’t I
make as many mistakes as possible?

19. What?
So what?
Now what?

20. DISCUSSION
• What can your organization do to support
learning in your work?
• Are there upcoming events or milestones which
offer focused learning opportunities?