Characteristics of a "learning organization"

Training as a Communication Strategy

The Knowledge-Based Organization: Managing Its Human Resources

How do we Evaluate Programmes?

 

Learning is a fundamental component of organization development  and of the empowerment of organization employees.  An organization learns and develops itself when it:

  1. articulates its mission through well planned programmes,
  2. is aware of the results it obtains though a constant activity of  monitoring and evaluation,
  3. collects, organize and shares within the organization the knowledge produced by M&E activities for:

Learning organizations are those that have in place systems, mechanisms and processes, that are used to continually enhance their capabilities and those who work with it or for it, to achieve sustainable objectives - for themselves and the communities in which they participate.

As organizations are increasingly asked to operate effectively they tend to focused on “outcome centred” management approaches. This implies the capacity to move from centralized bureaucratic structures to interrelated but self-governing  programme/projects teams.  (see projectized organization). As organizations are increasingly asked to operate in a effective environment they tend to focused on “outcome centred” management approaches. This implies the capacity to move from centralized bureaucratic structures to interrelated but self-governing  programme/projects teams. A consequence of this shift of managerial focus is that managers need to foster an organizational  process so that the employees learn from the programme/project results and can contribute to share the information required to better plan future actions. A further consequence is the growing need within the organization of workers who are able to access and use the knowledge present in the organization and to contribute to further capitalization and sharing of new knowledge.
In knowledge-based organizations, learning is no longer restricted to the initial start up phase of new workers, but becomes a continuous process that moves along the implementation of the tasks assigned in programme/project implementation. 

IT revolution and Internet are increasingly making possible new ways of capitalizing and sharing knowledge within the organization: this is the process known as knowledge management. 

Learning organizations:

Information technologies and learning processes within the organizations make the role of “communication” much more important within programme/project management activities.  On the one side this implies that more training should be given to communication skills and mastery of communication tools. On the other side it is training itself that in learning organizations becomes communication process meant to generate employee alignment to the new requirements of knowledge workers.

See aslo:

Peter Senge and the learning organization

In his book The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, Peter Senge defined a learning organization as human beings cooperating in dynamical systems that are in a state of continuous adaptation and improvement. According to Senge:

"Real learning gets to the heart of what it means to be human. Through learning we re-create ourselves. Through learning we become able to do something we never were able to do. Through learning we re-perceive the world and our relationship to it. Through learning we extend our capacity to create, to be part of the generative process of life. There is within each of us a deep hunger for this type of learning."

Organizations that are adapted for maximum organizational learning build Listening and Feedback loops deliberately to maximize their own learning.

A learning organization may create a specific organization taxonomy - a common and agreed upon understanding of terms, concepts, categories and keywords that apply within that organization.

Once it has established what they are, learning organization must constantly challenge its processes, instructions, assumptions and even its basic structure. The true learning organization is redesigning itself constantly.

Table 1 presents the characteristics that define the learning organization, and the positive results accruing to individuals and the organization or culture as a whole when they are present.
Two characteristics are individual; three are group-based.
The characteristics listed in Table 1 are general qualities that exist within a learning culture. However, there are concrete cognitive and behavioural tools, as well as specific types of social interaction and structural conditions, that improve the chances that these qualities are achieved and sustained over time. These are the "best practices" listed in Table 1.

While not an exhaustive list, the ones listed in Table 1 fall under four main categories:

  • communication and openness;
  • inquiry and feedback;
  • adequate time; and
  • mutual respect and support.

Communication and openness involve both self-reflection (i.e., being honest with oneself about a situation) and participatory reflection (i.e., pushing the group to clarify and evaluate the assumptions underlying how work gets done within the organization). It also involves communication that flows as much from the bottom of a hierarchy to the top as vice-versa. Inquiry allows individuals to become adept at questioning things as a normal course of their work. It encourages people to take risks in improving aspects of their work. Positive feedback involves activities that are designed to let people learn from their inquiries, to build a personal knowledge base that is defined by proactive rather than reactive or defensive thinking. It involves those with more experience helping those with less experience understand not just the "right" way to do things, but what can be learned from doing things the "wrong" way. Communication, reflection, feedback, flexibility, and inquiry all depend upon individuals having adequate time to engage themselves and others in meaningful dialogue and brainstorming. Finally, mutual respect and support involves treating co-workers, supervisors, and employees equally and consistently with respect to one's ability to contribute positively to the organization, regardless of where that person is located in the organizational hierarchy.

See also Communication Skills

Table 1 presents the characteristics that define the learning organization, and the positive results accruing to individuals and the organization or culture as a whole when they are present

Characteristic Definition Associated Best Practices Positive By-products
Self mastery- individual The ability to honestly and openly see reality as it exists; to clarify one's personal vision 1.Positive reinforcement from role models/managers
2.Sharing experiences
3.More interaction time between supervisory levels
4.Emphasis on feedback
5.Balance work/non-work life
Greater commitment to the organization and to work; less rationalization of negative events; ability to face limitations and areas for improvement; ability to deal with change
Mental models - individual The ability to compare reality or personal vision with perceptions; reconciling both into a coherent understanding 1.Time for learning
2.Reflective openness
3.Habit of inquiry
4.Forgiveness of oneself
5.Flexibility/adaptability
 Less use of defensive routines in work; less reflexivity that leads to dysfunctional patterns of behaviour; less avoidance of difficult situations
Shared vision - group The ability of a group of individuals to hold a shared picture of a mutually desirable future 1.Participative openness
2.Trust
3.Empathy towards others
4.Habit of dissemination 5.Emphasis on cooperation
6.A common language
 Commitment over compliance, faster change, greater within group trust; less time spent on aligning interests; more effective communication flows
Team learning - group The ability of a group of individuals to suspend personal assumptions about each other and engage in "dialogue" rather than "discussion" 1.Participative openness 2.Consensus building
3.Top-down and bottom-up communication flows;
4.Support over blame;
5.Creative thinking
 Group self-awareness; heightened collective learning; learning "up and down" the hierarchy; greater cohesiveness; enhanced creativity
Systems thinking - group The ability to see interrelationships rather than linear cause-effect; the ability to think in context and appreciate the consequences of actions on other parts of the system 1.Practicing self mastery
2.Possessing consistent mental models
3.Possessing a shared vision
4.Emphasis on team learning
 Long-term improvement or change; decreased organizational conflict; continuous learning among group members; Revolutionary over evolutionary change

* Adapted from the work of Peter Senge The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization,

 

Even if learning is meant to be a positive change, it is still a change which may have to overcome resistance and so it has to be managed carefully considering the typical dynamics of organizational and individual change.

 

Guideline: How to manage programmes for a learning organization that is projectized and employee empowering

 

See also

Other resources: