Replying to LO28067 --
Rick and student, are we not all students at the Universety* Of Life
(UOL)! Good question,
Is see no role of HRD in creating a learning organisation. The best thing
HRD can do: HRD should proclaim it has nothing whatsoever to do with
creating a learning organisation. First of all, because it is a three
letter acronym. Always be aware when there are three capital letters used.
Especially when these are "stable" letters, like I, M, H or R. The hidden
message is: control.
Secondly, because i've been taught never to consider a fellow human being
a means. I think that being a resource implies that you're considered a
means. Now, an organisation is a set of common means, common means to
acheive individual goals. Being a goal - making an exception for being the
target of somebodies love - is not the purpose of a person. In my view
that is not the point of human beings - of no being at all. People should
be considered an end, a goal, becoming - in themselves. I do know that
most HRD-people have the best of intentions, know this to be true, but
still, they seldom call themselves Personell Department. Be what you would
seem to be.
Thirdly, developing, creating, sustaining a learning organization is the
responsibility of line management, of the leaders of an organization (See:
Leadership Is An Art by Max DuPree). More often than not, i encounter a
process of shifting the burden: the burden of creating a LO is shifted to
the HRD-people. Because these people are often well-intended, social and
good educated, they take over this burden and start to develop all kinds
of programms, interventions, supports, trainings etc. HRD will take care!
They'll hire experts and set op projects. They'll write brochures and
memo's, start communication programms. The worst sign is "managing
competencies". In the end HRD will be frustrated because the management
will not truely adopt the ideas of a learning organisation. And you cannot
blame them: that problem has been shifted to HRD. So, after some time the
organization start to enter the fields of the common tragedy. Factor-T.
Most HRD-ers - again, fine people, nice people, there is nothing wrong
with the people, it is the structure that is to blame or to point to the
cause: the self-referent nature of the structure is to blame - become
trapped in the trap they tried to avoid: defensive routines. Theory
espoused is not equal to theory in use. No double-LOop learning.
Keep up the good work, happy Eastern,
Jan Lelie
Richard Karash wrote:
> A student asks me:
>
> "But the problem is that I know what a leaninf organistion is and why is
> essential but what i dont know is how exactly HRD would help in developing
> one. As it is, HRD takes care of providing various competencies to people
> but what special role or models it would have so that it can help in the
> same endeavour..."
--With kind regards - met vriendelijke groeten,
Jan Lelie
LOGISENS - Sparring Partner in Logistical Development mind@work est. 1998 - Group Resolution Process Support Tel.: (+31) (0)70 3243475 or GSM (car): (+31)(0)65 4685114 http://www.mindatwork.nl info@mindatwork.nl
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