Learning Organization-Creating a Learning Organization and Leading it
Learning organization is not a new concept. Traces
of this concept could be found in eastern philosophies. The article discusses
the characteristics of a learning organization and how to lead a learning
organization.
What Today
we live in a world of mounting expectations (both shareholders and employees are
expecting more from organizations). Demand for immediate fulfillment of needs &
wants has never been so intense. How to survive in this environment (forget
about thriving)?
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In the last 200 years there has been
tremendous progress in the outside environment (I refer to the instruments we
use, the complexity of activities we involve in). But as individuals, we
remained the same. Our mental makeup remained the same. We are still driven by
the same old motives: power, hunger, sex, and belongingness. When the
environment around us is changing, we also have to change our mental habits to
align with it (I assume that motives are reflection of habits). For example,
command and control style was appropriate in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, the
same style is no longer relevant. Knowledge economy needs teamwork. A leader
of knowledge economy, unlike one of the past, has to share his power. If we do
not change with the times and environment, we will naturally be overwhelmed by
the environment. That is what is happening currently. The crisis of today is
due to human being’s unwillingness to change and belong to future. |
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In future the progress of
organizations depend all the more on their people. Organizations have to unlock
the potential of their people. Top managements can no longer afford to set
agendas and expect people to march on to fulfill them. They have to accept them
as partners. To motivate the people, first they have to understand them. People
have to be seen as creatures who are here to realize their potential selves
(self here refers to the unique role only one individual can play).
In the ancient Indian system, the work in the society was meant to ensure inner
development of the individual. This should be the aim of future organizations.
Organizations must create such an environment where people develop internally as
well while working. For example, ability to change mental models, systems
thinking, personal mastery are such inner improvements. At personal level
mastering these disciplines leads to better personal relationships. At
organizational level, can ensure the growth of the organization.
The Concept of Learning Organization
The basic idea of learning continuously can be traced to
eastern philosophies. They state that one never understands anything completely.
And life is a continual process of learning. One cannot say the word “learning”
in Chinese without saying both “study” and “practise” constantly. One cannot
say, “I learned something” in Chinese. It is literally impossible.
Organizations are continuously changing either through mergers or some other
means. Changes are significant and rapid in some cases. They are slow and not so
significant in some other cases. In any case when the organizations are
changing, they are trying to adapt themselves to the changing surroundings. In
the process they are also learning. A learning organization is an organization
that is continuously expanding its capacity to create its future.
Next
Principles of Learning Organizations
Learning Organization in Practice
Personal Mastery and Systems Thinking
Leading a Learning Organization
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