how is this different?
a fresh look at the learning organisation
Most training is not systematic. A little here; a little there; a big dash over there. No wonder nothing sticks.
If you want learning to last, then the end goal must be creating a learning organisation.
Lasting learning means:
• building & maintaining a learning system,
• refining an evolving toolkit,
• focusing on capabilities that increase revenue and reduce costs.
key features of our methodology
non-stop
Many people don’t feel that learning is happening if they’re not enrolled in a formal course. Our learning and development system combines classic training and workflow learning. This new way challenges the traditional idea of how learning happens in organisations. Our system understands that learning never stops.
workflow
We ensure that your executant’s context of action maximises learning. We do this by enhancing workflow learning. Integrating training objectives into the normal flow of daily work with action learning. This idea is not new. But our application of it is groundbreaking.
unforgettable
First, understand why your organisation finds it challenging to blend learning with work. Before we get to that, it’s important to remember that all learning is contextual. Many studies show that recall improves when learning and recall environments have matching elements. This is a multi-sensory phenomenon that works with olfactory, auditory, and visual cues.
relevant
Context is critical to recall and functional retention. So, it makes no sense for an action leader to alter the context of learning and the context of action. This includes handing off training responsibility to an outsider. Who better understands the day-to-day work of the executant?
efficient
There’s another, more simple, argument against away-from-work training: who has the time! We operate in a volatile, uncertain, and complex context of action. When the need for a new capability arises, there’s no time to design a productive training session. Let alone find a space to deliver it, and make sure it sticks. The opportunity gets lost, or the problem becomes severe.
adpative
What we need instead is an adaptive, flexible approach to learning. One that keeps our executants ready to meet unexpected challenges. And capitalise on nascent opportunities. Achieving this agility requires training rooted in improving adaptive capacity. Plus whatever organisational capability is being targetted. This can only happen through action learning.
important
Start by helping your leadership team change how they approach executant development. The range of tools in our toolkit will help. These include many tools that your leaders will already be familiar using. But, they will be using the tools in a different way.
transform your ad hoc learning and development programme into an effective system
workflow learning
learning through work
In most organisations, learning is something done away from daily work. That may be off-site or in a different part of the office. Most organisations conflate training and learning. This disconnects learning from regular work.
your leadership team will be able to organise, nurture, and guide organic learning
all in the natural flow of work
improving performance through learning
Our method delivers vital strategies for achieving exceptional performance in spades. Learning is the basis of any team’s long-term success. Raising performance in your organisation will not happen overnight. But it will not happen at all if you don’t start!
there are many challenges ahead
That’s why creating and maintaining a learning culture needs to be a high priority. Learning is at the heart of performance, if you get the learning right, the rest will follow. We offer practical guidance on developing performance through effective learning. Reduce time to competence.
empower your leadership team
This is for leaders interested in blending effective learning in their workplace. High-quality training and development support for leaders who want to boost team performance. This will transform how your leadership team supports learning across your organisation. You’ll wish you had started years ago.
obstacles to overcome
One thing blocks your organisation from making the transition from reactive to learning. It’s knowledge dissonance. How many members of your leadership team define a learning organisation in the same way?
why does learning fail at work?
The best place to learn a job is on the job.
If that’s true, why isn’t it happening as we’d like?
Why do we still have to arrange for workshops, training sessions, and other things?
Why take expensive executants away from important work?
The original description of a learning organisation comes from The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge. If you’re familiar with the book, you’ll also know what a dramatic impact it had on the business world. It was first published in 1990. The question we have been asking is why, after 30 years, are learning organisations so rare?
The reason is that our approach to organisational leadership failed to adapt. No change to accommodate this more flexible structure. Senge revolutionised learning and development, but it wasn’t enough. To create a learning organisation, we need to transform leadership and leader development.
Leadership is no longer a minority role; although managers will remain in the minority. A learning organisation requires many action leaders. This means requiring autonomous action from more of your workforce.
Autonomy does not exist by default. There is considerable risk in allowing people greater independence within your organisation. They could cause all kinds of damage. There is also a great upside. What if they capitalise on timely opportunities?
The aim of our learning and development method is to generate greater autonomy. We achieve this by minimising risk and maximising opportunity.
here’s what gets in the way
unclear purpose
There is no shared understanding of how to value people’s work. And consensus on what adaptations are necessary to achieve the organisation’s objectives.
fractured people experience
A history of broken promises. This hampers innovation and kills learning opportunities.
dying ecosystem
A lack of people focus. The organisation as a whole is unable to flourish. People don’t learn from actions taken towards a common goal.
rigid infrastructure
Knowledge does not flow. Silos hamper the spread of useful ideas and cause maladaptations.
blind decision making
Lacking accurate performance analytics. It is difficult for leaders to select the wisest path. This hinders improvements to organisational performance and customer experience.
inconsistent engagement
A lack of a resilient internal community. Not enough relationship building to unlock the energy required for growth.
executants’ misunderstanding
Incidental learning is different from action learning. In the normal flow of work, an executant may have to look up some information before beginning a project. For example, researching a topic before writing an article. Action learning emerges from action training. Working to improve a set of organisational capabilities. On the other hand, incidental learning is not guided. The learner may be learning irrelevant skills or maladaptations.
why does this still happen?
short-term priorities and firefighting
There can be no successful performance improvement without learning. Yet, in many organisations learning and development is low on leaders’ priorities list. Even more dangerous, many leaders don’t even have it on their list because they see it as someone else’s job. There’s a reason you don’t have a learning organisation. And there’s a reason your staff are not operating at their full potential. Because learning and development is not a high priority for your leadership team. Why? Because they do not see the link between learning and your organisation’s success.
it’s time to establish a new learning philosophy
Right now, your organisation does not have a shared definition of learning. Everyone in your organisation has a different idea of what learning means. Some think of coaching, others think of a classroom, others an online course. And within each of these, you will find infinite variability. There is no natural consensus on how people envision effective learning. Learning is a non-negotiable necessity for your organisation. Same as your value proposition. It’s imperative that everyone shares an understanding of what learning means in your org. For that, you need a learning and development system.
building blocks for a solution
workflow learning
Learning should be accessible within your exeuctant’s context of action.
You may have noticed that organisational learning is moving away from the classroom. Although the room still has its place, technology is becoming more prominent. It’s more cost-effective and provides much better analytic data. The main thing that blocks learning is not a lack of ambition. It’s that there’s no time. Besides, people want to learn at their own pace and without breaking their workflow. As you know first hand from school, no one can learn by force. So, it’s vital that your leadership team takes note of these changing preferences.
strategic learning
Learning should be a core part of the organisational strategy. And support all other objectives. With this in mind, it follows that leaders are the critical drivers of learning in your organisation.
leader commitment
Leaders must commit to supporting and motivating their executants. Not only in the beginning but at every stage of their learning journey. Leaders at all levels must collaborate with the learning and development leads. Together they create a conducive learning environment. This integrates learning into the daily actions of executants. It forms the basis for instruction, supervision, and performance management. There is also time provided for everyone to review learning’s impact on action.
learning system
Leaders must fold learning into the daily activities of executants. This is the ultimate responsibility of the action leader. Success in this area creates a thriving learning system. The goal is to promote peer support and targeted development. Everyone should have access to coaching and mentoring. All leaders are part of the learning and development system.
focus on adaptation
To create an adaptive learning system, leaders must champion the use of technology. And provide executants with access to a broad range of knowledge sources. Virtual learning environments will become more important. Many learners will find they get better results accessing learning on mobile devices.
data-driven learning
Leaders will make wiser decisions if they have access to business data. Relevant metrics help them understand which areas or people need support. And where their actions are having the most impact. Organisational analytics help your leadership team to understand the past better. And predict the future. A data-driven learning system allows leaders to better design and deliver training.
Embrace workflow learning. It’s challenging keeping learners inspired and motivated. But, bringing learning into their work context means they can tackle important challenges. This is easy to say. Getting it done will mean designing training based on organisational capabilities. Amplify learning using our toolkit. The goal is a lasting improvement. You can transform from a reactive organisation to a learning organisation.
continuous engagement
Action learning requires continuous engagement. Your leadership team needs to commit to nurturing learning relationships. And connecting internal communities as needs arise. This work means that your executants will find growing space within the organisation. Space where they can share their experiences and talk through problems. Encourage trial and learning in a safe and non-judgmental environment. Leverage physical, virtual, and hybrid environments. Your learning and development leads will support this effort by breaking down silos. Point out successes for celebration.
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