TOPICS

1. Defining Learning

2. Reality Checks

3. Tools and Resources

4. Now What?

1. DEFINING LEARNING

• People learn

differently

A standard definition: The act, process, or

experience of gaining knowledge or skills

• Adults learn differently than children

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

WHAT MOTIVATES LEARNING?

OFTEN THE PATH TO LEARNING IS LIKE THIS

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

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

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

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)

AGAIN, LEARNING MAY LOOK SOMETHING LIKE…

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

LEARNING BY MARSHMALLOW

Ted Talk: The Marshmallow Challenge

LEARNING TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

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.

• Many from various fields

• Common approaches

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

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)

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

RESOURCES

See handout

If we learn from our mistakes, shouldn’t I

make as many mistakes as possible?

What?

So what?

Now what?

DISCUSSION

• What can your organization do to support

learning in your work?

• Are there upcoming events or milestones which

offer focused learning opportunities?