Replying to LO30044 --
Thanks for the question. First of all: you write learning organisation,
which i think is smart. In my view the central parardox in learning
organisation has been formulated by Chris Argyris: "Learning in order to
control inhibits learning".
I found "Strategy, Change and Defensive Routines" very useful, because
that is what you will find: defensive routines. These reflexes, perhaps
even instincts, are deeply imbedded in our mental make up. They were
develeped to reduce the pain, the hurt of making errors and mistakes. In
the jungle, every mistake can be your last. Nowadays, we're not living in
a jungle, but the stress of modern corporation is just the same ("it's a
jungle here) and therefor the reflexes are there. In organisation the
problem has become that the problems are not being solved, but
circumvented: orderly inaction.
In the design of such a lo workshop i would give time and attention to
making errors, mistakes, misjudgement, faults. Not with the purpose to
correct them - or worse - to prevent them or reduce them, but with the aim
to be able to talk about them, reflect, look at the assumptions etc.
Perhaps based on a question like: "what mistakes were made in this
organisation?" and- after listing the answers - then asking them "and
which do you still make?" As a facilitator i would make some (un)intended
mistakes to show the participants that even i can make mistakes.
I would also do some training on giving and receiving feed back (you
know: I, I, You) as this might also be an issue.
If i had it my way, i would try to let the team decide on the
disciplines of a learning organisation, for instance based on a session
with a visualisation of the future company ("what would people
(customers, employees, suppliers, general public) say about us in 5
years time?" or perhaps based on teh actual history and strenght of the
organisation). What would be the most important qualities? Based on
these four or five qualities: what disciplines are needed in our
organisation to develop these.
You might also want to look into "Creating Paths of Change" by Will
McWhinney: very useful and handy for designing sessions. Need more?
Kind regards,
Jan Lelie
facilitator mind@work
Nick Heap wrote:
>I have an opportunity to create workshops to introduce senior people in a
>client company to the idea of a learning organisation. They have already
>done some work on people development. This workshops will delivered by the
>HR Director, who is an old established client and good friend, and I will
>be behind the scenes helping him think about the design and how to deliver
>them.
--Drs J.C. Lelie (Jan, MSc MBA) facilitator mind@work
mind@work VOF - ondersteuning besluitvorming van groepen LOGISENS - bedrijfsverbetering
tel.: + 31 (0)70 3243475 mob.: + 31 (0)65 4685114 (auto) web.: http://www.mindatwork.nl/
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <Richard@Karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>
"Learning-org" and the format of our message identifiers (LO1234, etc.) are trademarks of Richard Karash.