Sustaining Interest in Learning LO18859

Richard S. Webster (webster.1@osu.edu)
Sun, 16 Aug 1998 13:39:53 -0400 (EDT)

Replying to LO18852 --

Jody, and other LO colleagues:

LO/OL is a change process, sustained by participants' seeing relative
advantage for participating. The WIFM ("what's in it for me?") must be
right.

WIFM, where learning in organizations is concerned, seems to include the
following:

1. Improved employability - based on learning new things, or doing
present things better (i.e. more effectively, with improved performance
and results).
2. Better career opportunities, elsewhere, if staying with the present
company is not the right decision - for whatever reasons.
3. Improved performance on-the-job - with its accompanying improvements
in recognition, pay and other rewards, e.g. prestige.
4. Improved sense of accomplishment from work-related learning that helps
one's self and other company members.
5. "Better" (more caring, more supportive, more servant-oriented)
leadership, as formal leaders learn how to encourage and support the
necessary transition from Taylor's "scientific management" ("one best
way," which was hardly "scientific" in the current meaning of that term)
to the "scientific method" of hypothesis- testing (truth-seeking)
advocated by Deming, Juran and other quality improvement leaders.
6. Offering opportunities for company members to learn and practice
Senge's five disciplines of (learners and) learning organizations: company
members developing new mental models and personal mastery. Work groups
developing shared vision and work on team learning. Systems thinking,
developed from process improvement and other strategies.

Each of these opportunities for improvement, recognition, and reward can be
supported and encouraged by the company.

Hope that helps. Look forward to learning how others view your useful and
interesting question. Thanks for provoking thought on an important matter.

Dick Webster

Richard S. Webster, Ph.D. - President
Personal Resources Management Institute
709 Wesley Court - Worthington OH 43085-3558
e-mail <webster.1@osu.edu>, fax 614-433-71-88, tel 614-433-7144

PRMI is a 501(c)3 non-profit research, development and consulting company,
founded in 1978. The Institute's work relates primarily to the paradigm
shift from "training, instruction, and teaching" to "learning." Learning
is a key strategy for improving leadership, performance, processes,
quality, results -- and teams' work that creates outstanding organizations.
***
"Things are getting better and better and worse and worse faster and
faster" says Tom Atlee. Our challenge: finding and building on the
"betters" - in time!
***
N.B. - Remember: learning is each person's responsibility - and opportunity.

>How do you help sustain interest in learning in your organization?

-- 

"Richard S. Webster" <webster.1@osu.edu>

Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>