This document discusses individual and organizational learning. It notes that on average, individuals engage in about 8 learning projects per year, spending 100 hours on each. However, managers are often ambivalent about learning in the workplace. For organizations to thrive, learning must be incorporated at all levels. A learning organization is skilled at creating, acquiring, interpreting, transferring and applying knowledge to modify its behaviors. True organizational learning is an ongoing process of knowledge sharing, interpretation and application to drive new ideas and improvements.

1. From Individual Learning to Organizational Learning Based on Chapter 1, Learning in Action by David A. Garvin Presented by Kevin McLogan MGT 501 www.kevinmclogan.com

2. ADULT LEARNING In an average year, an average adult: Engages in approximately eight learning projects Devotes 100 hours annually to each learning project Fewer than 1% of learning projects are undertaken for credit Garvin pp3

3. Well… we’re all here, but What about some of the other learning projects you have undertaken? Let’s talk about the different things we have to learn about in the modern world in order to grow and thrive.

4. New products

5. New ways of doing things Maintaining our homes Preparing our food Shopping Detours around construction zones Modes of communication

6. Or maybe just the school of hard knocks…

7. We know… That what we do away from work: Relationships with family and friends Hobbies Maintaining our living spaces Improving our physical beings Can be improved by learning new things, but why doesn’t the same apply to our work environment?

8. How does that translate into the workplace? If we have to adapt by learning in our everyday lives, then a reasonable person would assume that the same process must translate to a business environment. BUT… Are managers receptive to learning? No, most managers are ambivalent about leaning. Ibid p.4

9. A typical exchange Look, I can either ship the product or talk about it, which do you want me to do? Both. Ibid pp.4-5

10. Why is learning important? Because if learning is not incorporated into the organization, the organization can be left behind in the marketplace.

11. The Big Disconnect Knowing what to do vs Doing what we know

12. Learning in Action Effective implementation of organizational learning in the organization is difficult. Start-up periods and new and more efficient technologies can take longer to adopt if organizational learning is not adopted. Organizations that deny the importance of learning risk big problems down the road

13. You can lead a manager to knowledge…. But you can’t make her learn!

14. Learning Organizations Lots of definitions, but Garvin boiled it down to this: A learning organization is an organization that is skilled at creating, acquiring, interpreting, transferring, and retaining knowledge, and at purposefully modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights. Ibid p.11

15. What does a Learning Organization act like? It’s a process! Abundance of knowledge does not ensure a Learning Organization The process continues with interpretation; knowledge needs to be shared collectively New ideas must be imbedded in the organization’s memory And then examined and analyzed. Ibid p.11

16. Lines of communication employees customers managers suppliers The organization

17. Warning Signs The organization does not have a defined plan to continue learning among all the organization’s members. The organization is not open to the voices both inside and out that provide criticism of the organization. The organization makes the same type of mistakes over and over. When senior staff leave, their knowledge base leaves with them. The organization does not take advantage of what it has learned and does not modify its behavior based on what it knows.

18. FIX IT!! SWOT Process Indentify S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities and T hreats in each unit to find the most pressing challenges What kind of resources do you need to overcome these challenges - what is it we need to learn? Where do we need to look to find what we need to know? Ibid pp.13-14

19. In summary… Ask good questions, question the answers, test the answers, examine your results and proceed again based on what you have learned. Just like you do at home! Thank you!