at some point, Jody, I think that organizations need to meet the 'WIIFM?"
test. (What's in it for me?)
The chief financial officers and senior management group want to know
"what's in it for the bottom-line;" those people in the organization who
don't seek out learning for its' own sake (a very sizable population in
most organizations) want to know what's in it for them (why bother?) and
all of the change resistors (especially the silent ones) are gleefully
waiting for this interest in learning to finally go where all of the other
organizational fads go--away.
I think that there's a series of systemic changes that need to occur,
somewhat simultaneously, to sustain interest in learning. There also
needs to be a methodology in place that can substantially show the benefit
of learning to the "bottom line."
The changes need to occur in the organization's vision and goals to
incorporate "learning;" in the HR (compensation, hiring, promotion, job
descriptions, etc) department; in "labor-management" relationships (and
intermanagement relationships); training programs and measurement
processes.
HR programs need to support and reinforce "learning" in the organization.
As people learn, they develop more capacity for power. If they don't get
to exercise this power (a negative reinforcing loop), their interest in
learning drops off. Managers need to learn how to encourage developing
and using these new capabilities (turning them, often, into coaches from
supervisors). Training programs need to be installed that support the
"right" kind of learning (strategic, experiential learning processes that
support organizational goals); and what the auditors, financial department
and senior managers "measure" should accurately measure progress towards
that organizational goal.
I'm sure that there are a host of other things I haven't considered
here...but I do know that if any of the ones I've mentioned are not in
place, that the interest in learning will eventually dissipate back down
to those who were the only ones interested in learning, on their own for
their own needs, in the first place. That, by the way, probably includes
most of the people on this list.
best regards,
Doc
-- "The mystery, the essence of all life is not separate from the silent openness of simple listening." -Toni ParkerThresholds <http://www.thresholds.com> Meeting Masters <http://www.thresholds.com/masters.html> Richard C. "Doc" Holloway Astoria, Or & Olympia, WA USA ICQ# 10849650 voice 360.786.0925
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>