Why Learning Organizations Will Rule

Written by: Deb Sparrow

Published: March 2015

Ultimately, the most compelling reason for building a learning organization is because we want to work in one.-Peter M.Senge, et al. 

Spring has officially arrived and the sun has recently made an appearance or two, so I was inspired to take a walk in my neighborhood this week for the first time in several months. It was a brisk 20 degrees, not including the wind chill, and not exactly optimal strolling weather. The last time I took this route on foot I was running. That was in early December, before the snows arrived. 

By the time I reached the top of the hill and paused at the turn, less than a mile later and breathing more deeply than I care to admit, I realized how much fitness ground I had lost in three short months. After all, it was a long winter where exercise was not a priority and I made the unfortunate choice to never say 'no' to a frosted brownie. If I owned a Fitbit, it would have been mocking me. 

Fitness and learning have a lot in common: it’s important to make time for both in order to keep the body and the mind in shape. Both are easier said than done, especially when other distractions are calling. If I had the choice between writing an article and watching a new episode of House of Cards, for instance, I’m not entirely sure which way I’d go. And yet, I love to write because it helps me create order out of the oddly disparate thoughts running through my brain. I've also always been a learner, and I was fortunate to have been brought up in a family where my curiosity was encouraged. I still read everything and anything. I consider the written word to be magical and bookstores and libraries are my nirvana. Not every adult feels that way; in fact, learning can be a difficult and stressful chore for many.  

When my organization began our cultural initiative work nearly four years ago, little did I know how deeply learning would be ingrained in the cultural change process. After assessing our existing workplace culture, it was clear to all of us that we had a thing or two to learn about leadership, communication, and organizational development. There was certainly plenty of room for growth on my own path. I began to look for ways to improve my leadership, expand my influence, and encourage others to do the same. 

One of the best parts about being a leader in an organization striving for improvement and growth is the chance to impact the learning of others. I read as many books and articles as possible to try to keep up, and maybe, occasionally, keep a step or two ahead, so I was curious to find out more when a coworker returned from his first day at Priority Learning's new ‘Innovation’ series. He was talking about 'learning organizations' and 'systems thinking' and I didn’t know much about either concept. It was a definite "tell me more" moment, and the next thing I knew, I was deep into Peter Senge's books The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization and also The Fifth Discipline Field Book. 

What exactly is a learning organization and why do I think it's such an important focus for organizations of the future? The definition I like best is from the July 1993 Harvard Business Review article “Building a Learning Organization” by David A. Garvin. According to Garvin, "a learning organization is….skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights." 

Sounds simple, right? Shouldn’t we all be in search of the information and knowledge that will help us adapt and thrive in our chosen field? I believe the key is to find ways to transfer, or share, that knowledge in a safe environment where people feel empowered to learn and grow for the good of the organization. The truth is that knowledge can be threatening to those in power. Furthermore, modifying behavior in adults is not an easy task, especially if the adults in question don’t see the need or the problem (often themselves), and prefer the comfort and illusion of what is known, no matter how imperfect. 

The beauty of a learning organization, as I see it, is in the fundamental ability to proactively manage change rather than continually reacting to the latest crisis outside the door. This is done by encouraging continuous learning, shared vision, and personal growth within the workforce of an organization. Imagine this resulting in improved communication, new ideas, and a sense of empowerment and ownership that leads to more nimble adaptation in times of rapid change. Like now. 

According to Peter Senge, the core of the ‘learning organization’ concept is based upon the following five “disciplines” that are, essentially life-long commitments:

• Personal Mastery-expanding personal capacity
• Mental Models-seeing how our view of the world shapes our actions 
• Shared Vision-building a shared commitment within a group 
• Team Learning-develop the ability to harness collaborative thinking
• Systems Thinking-seeing the interrelationships that drive behavior and change

I’m still learning about the disciplines, and apparently will be until my own expiration date, but what’s exciting about the idea is how the learning, multiplied by the size of the workforce, can have such a positive impact on an organization. 

Imagine working in an organization where individual strengths are recognized and appreciated, and where mutual respect leads to truth and open dialogue. Problems become opportunities, and as learning capacity grows, so does a sense of safety and possibility. No one person has to know everything, or pretend to, so the collective capability of the workforce becomes important to the organization’s success. Such an organization can thrive on change as it become less ‘event’ focused and more ‘systems’ driven. 

One of the great questions asked by Senge is one that I’ll ask you to consider: 

“How many of us are still trying to optimize our own positions at the expense of the whole?” 

Of course we all want to know where we fit, where we’ll ‘be seen’, and where we can do our best, most meaningful work. As I’m learning, the more we encourage others to grow and share their learning, the more opportunities we’ll have to expand our own capacity and multiply our successes together. It takes effort, and it does take discipline. 

Organizations that adopt and encourage a learning approach have an advantage in managing change because the ability to learn is fundamental to the ability to adapt. Change is a constant in our lives, and we’re all seeking that edge to help us thrive and not simply survive. After all, wouldn’t you rather be part of an organization that will rule, rather than becoming irrelevant?

Thank you for reading. Your feedback is welcome. 

Deb Sparrow

Deb Sparrow worked in financial services senior leadership for over 25 years. She is a firm believer that "the universe always falls in love with a stubborn heart" as she explores the fork in the road and writes about it from time to time. She is a graduate of Bowdoin College and Priority Learning's inaugural Executive Leadership series. Follow her on LinkedIn at Deb Sparrow worked in financial services senior leadership for over 25 years. She is a firm believer that "the universe always falls in love with a stubborn heart" as she explores the fork in the road and writes about it from time to time. She is a graduate of Bowdoin College and Priority Learning's inaugural Executive Leadership series. Follow her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-sparrow/.