Organizational Learning
Peter Sange defines a learning organization as "...people working together at their best" 3.
Commitment and Capacity
Successful organizations are learning organizations. In the Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of a Learning Organization, Peter Sange states, “the organizations that will truly excel in the future will be the organizations that discover how to tap people’s commitment and capacity to learn at all levels of the organization” (2006, p. 4) 4. The successful organization will invest in the organization and its people to grow their capacity for learning.
Knowledge Seeking
A learning organization is one that is always asking questions and looking for new knowledge. They take insight and information learned through experience and apply it to the organization to improve their performance utilizing systems and processes 2. It is not happenstance that these organizations seek to improve themselves through these systems and processes, it is by design 2. Learning organizations are intentional organizations.
Outside Influence
Organizations that are truly seeking to learn, must not overlook the value of going outside of their organization for new ideas and innovation 2. Other organizations are also seeking to improve their systems and already have in some cases, look for these organizations and learn from them. Sometimes it is best not to reinvent the wheel—organizations can take what others have learned and apply it to their organization for faster results.
Culture of Value
A learning organization will create a culture of value among all team members from top to bottom. By supporting team members and encouraging them to seek new knowledge, it will allow for creative ideas and information to be shared across the organization through proper communication channels 1.
Communication
Communication within the organization is a key component of organizational learning. Information must freely flow throughout the organization for it to be useful to the process. What is learned in one division or unit could be used to improve another division or unit in the organization. New and creative ideas, as well as feedback loops, should be the norm and not the exception.
Knowledge Sharing
There are many different methods for facilitating learning in an organization. Look at the organization and see what works best in that environment and share it widely. Useful ways to share organizational information throughout the organization can be accomplished through reports, sharing of skilled employees, presentations, or demonstrations.
Question, Learn and Implement
Finally—question, learn and implement. This cycle should constantly be repeated within the organization, it is not a one and done deal. Repeatedly seeking new learning and implementing this information into the organization will lead to a culture of knowledge seeking and an organization that is successfully built on the foundation of being a learning organization.
References:
1 Brewer, E. C., & Westerman, J. (2018). Organizational Communication: Today’s Professional Life in Context (1st ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
2 Garvin, D. (1993, August 1). Building a Garvin, D. (1993, August 1). Building a Learning Organization. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org
3 Sarder, R., [Screen Name]. (2015, June 04). Learning Organization [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wvJRL0a1Cg
4 Senge, P. (2006). The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization. Melbourne, Australia: Random House.