Action Learning and Coaching at LG
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Transcript Action Learning and Coaching at LG
Karen E. Watkins, Ph.D.
Professor of Human Resource & Organization Development
The University of Georgia
Context– A Knowledge Economy Amid Economic
Uncertainty
Repositioning Learning as part of the organization’s
DNA-Learning our way through
Creating A Learning Organization
Strategically intervening
o First Diagnose where the organization is now
o Focus interventions on culture and leadership
o Design learning in and through work– learning to take
action
OECD Report- The Global Picture
GDP fell 4.1%
Unemployment from 5.9% in 2008, to 8.5% in 2009 and 9.8%
projected for 2010
Goods and services traded fell by 16% globally
OECD/APEC Reports– Regional Differences
China from 9% in 2008 to 7.7% in 2009 and back up to 9.3%
in 2010
India from 6.5% growth in 2008 to 5.9% in 2009 and 7.2% in
2010
U.S.– down significantly in GDP, slight increase of .9%
projected for 2010
For individuals, financial Instability leads to
Widespread fear of job loss
Fear of disclosure, of sharing knowledge
More people doing the work of 2 or 3 people
Postponing retirement, and older than average employees
High need to learn new skills, to perform well
With lower morale, less time, less cognitive capacity
Need for Financially-Strapped Governments to focus support on most
needy
Retraining unemployed
Support for displaced workers [food, shelter, health insurance]
Yet cannot do this when also shoring up banks, major industries
A Knowledge Economy Is
Where the Generation and
Exploitation of Knowledge
Plays the Predominant Part
in the Creation of Wealth
Permeates the Whole
Economy, Not Just the
Computer and
Telecommunications
Industries
Foundation -- a Highly
Skilled Labor Force
Trends of particular importance in a financial
downturn include
Rethinking workplace learning as creating a
learning infrastructure and
Changing organizational capacity to learn. We
do this by
Emphasizing leadership development—changing
mental models
Creating a learning infrastructure that includes
formal, informal, and technology-enabled learning
approaches – an option rich modular design
architecture
Fostering organizational responsibility for creating a
learning culture
Human resource
development is "the field of
study and practice
responsible for the fostering
of a long-term, work-related
learning capacity at the
individual, group and
organizational levels within
organizations.”
Learning must be part of the
DNA of the organization
Watkins and Marsick (1993) define the learning
organization as “one that learns continuously and
transforms itself…
Learning is a continuous, strategically used process—
integrated with and running parallel to work” (p.8).
The model emphasizes three key components:
1) systems-level, continuous learning;
2) in order to create and manage knowledge outcomes;
3) that lead to improvement in the organization’s performance,
and ultimately its value, as measured through both financial
assets and non-financial intellectual capital
Learning organizations
facilitate learning
within and between
Individuals
Teams
Organization
Environment
Global
Organization
Team
Team
Individual
Leaders model learning
Connect the
organization
to its environment
Empower people toward
a collective vision
Establish systems to
capture and share
learning
Encourage collaboration
and team learning
Promote inquiry &
dialogue
Create continuous
learning opportunities
Global
Organization
Team
Team
Individual
Learning is…
the way in which people
make meaning, acquire
knowledge & skill
To support individual
learning, the organization
needs to…
Create continuous
learning opportunities
Promote dialogue and
inquiry
Team Learning is….
Mutual construction of
new knowledge
Capacity for
concerted,
collaborative action
Encourage collaboration
and team learning
Organizational learning is…
Organizational mental models,
schema, “karma in the walls and
halls”
How vision, strategy, culture,
leadership, structure, processes,
communication, management
practices, etc. come together to
support & align learning with
mission and goals
To Support Organizational
Learning, the Organization
must…
Establish systems to capture
and share learning
Empower people toward a
collective vision
Global learning is….
Thinking globally and
systemically
Crossing boundaries of
environmental or societal impact,
including those that affect the
quality of life and morale of
people connected with the
organization
Embodied in leaders who “live” a
learning culture -- walk the talk
To Support Global Learning, the
Organization Must..
Connect the organization to its
environment
Have leaders who model and
support learning at all levels
Learning organizations have systems that:
Capture
Share
Use
knowledge
Leaders must champion this.
Lack of investment in early
2000’s left many
organizations behind
Realize focus on leadership
development is imperative
Extensive use of informal
learning strategies such as
action learning, executive
coaching
Creating a Learning
Culture
A learning culture is one in which learning is a
deliberate part of the organization’s strategy
Change is understood to be a learning process- and
change is continuous
Leaders model learning themselves, reward
learning, and use mistakes as opportunities to learn
The Little Boy and the Ice Box
Air Traffic Controllers Study
The School Superintendent Study
Develop individual capabilities
To know self and impact on others
To develop communication and
You as a
Learner
influencing skill
To effectively coach others
Develop high performance teams
To effectively solve complex, cross-
functional problems
To empower people to enact the
organization’s vision
Build organizational capacity
To transform
To develop a culture of learning
Your
Organization’s
Learning
Culture
LC
Adapted from Reg Revans
In Action Learning, people:
Use work on a real business
problem to develop and learn
Work in teams, take action
to solve problem
Learn how to learn from
action
Helped by learning coach to
balance work with “learning-fromexperience”
And by changing themselves--
change the organization
Action Learning is a primary example
Starts with a real problem
Draws on relevant knowledge
Analysis of the problem
Trial of solutions in the organization
Test is what works-- actual business results
In this economic context it could
be argued that the survivors will
be those with the strongest pool
of talent, most able to handle
change and uncertainty.
Human capital resources are the
bedrock of organizational
capacity– our hope for the future.
Organizations structured to
recruit and develop talented
people, led by individuals able to
work across borders of many
kinds, hard-wired to promote,
capture and share learning, will
have the core competencies
needed in uncertain times.