So let’s talk a little about the organizational learning process. It’s a bit of a tricky topic, because this is something where there’s no real standard for strategy. There really can’t be for the most part, given the severe and unpredictable differences from one case to the next. The human element is very random and hard to forecast, as is the company dynamic and corporate culture.
How to Create an Effective Organizational Learning Process – a Few Key Things to Consider
As a result, the organizational learning process is a living thing, which adapts and changes from one scenario to the next, and from one moment to the next at times. This is why so many proposed strategies and topologies exist in the field, and why no definitive answer has ever been reached as to which one is the most proficient. The truth of the matter is, any given strategy or methodology is very proficient some of the time, but none of them are all of the time.
So, what’s to be done with this? How can we create an effective strategy, if there’s no standard for strategy to begin with? Well, we can’t write a trainer’s bible on how to strategize for organizational learning, but there are surely a few key points to consider, which apply in 99% of the cases the universe could set forth. Let’s take a look at these, because any common ground trumps no common ground at all, right?
What to Consider
The first key thing to consider is how much of a team player the individuals within your organization really are. Team value and cooperation is a must in organizational learning, no matter what method or strategy you adopt or formulate.
The individuals in your team must value team accomplishments every bit as much, if not more than their own accomplishments, and therefore value the success of other individuals personally as well. If a true, centralized team mindset is not in place, then the strategy has to be worked around these weaknesses first and foremost. If this be the case, good luck.
Second, how do you plan to incentivize your individuals, teams and overall organization? The strategy you choose will rely heavily on this as well. While it’s easy to expect for the people involved to value the success from a professional and career-oriented perspective, the truth is we’re all human.
Humans need incentive above and beyond duty most times, so how you plan to present the goal, and how you plan to reward its accomplishment is very important in how you plan to form your strategy.
Also, do your people value learning for the sake of learning? This is important, because if some of them do not, then the strategy must be planned around practicality of application for whatever they must learn, and this brings about a whole different approach altogether. If they all value learning as its own reward, this softens incentive parameters a good bit, but also makes the strategy far more direct and daisycutter.
Conclusion
Finally, what does your corporate culture stand for? What is your company’s philosophy on life, the universe and everything, as it were? The way you present learning, and the way you conduct the process must dance in step with this, rather than go against it or try to force it to change.
There’s no definitive strategy to organizational learning development, but considering these key points should be a first step down this path for anyone in any training or learning scenario, hands down.
