What does it mean to learn?
This isn't a trick question, but a serious inquiry. I believe that learning happens at three levels in any organization: the individual level, the team level and the organizational level. Higher levels of learning are not necessarily the sum of individual or team learning, but a dynamic and evolutionary way that people come together to accomplish something.
Individuals can learn by reading a book, writing a paper, talking with others, and reflecting internally. Teams and organizations cannot learn by reading or writing. Given that teams and organizations are comprised of individuals, learning occurs in the spaces between the people — through interaction, dialogue and debate.
Apparently the Center for Disease Control counted on reading and writing as learning tools to protect against Ebola outbreaks, sending their protocol to healthcare providers to read and implement. I suspect that the two nurses who cared for Mr. Duncan would agree with me that reading the protocol wasn’t enough. Thankfully, in most organizations, we don’t face life and death situations, but perhaps there is a lesson for us to learn from this horrible situation so that we can avoid falling into the trap of thinking that simply communicating a change in behavior is sufficient to actually enact behavior change.
Even without dire situations facing us, we do find ourselves needing to change behavior. Take, for example, those in leadership positions. As a leader, our behavior must change the moment we accept the role. We now have responsibility for the work, the people, and the results. That is a sobering responsibility, to have so much hinging on our leadership skill.
Yet we send new leaders into their roles without helping them to learn how to lead. We may communicate to them the content that they need to know. We may even do a really good job of teaching them how to budget, complete performances reviews, and allocate other administrative work. Rarely have I seen organizations that help a new leader learn leadership behaviors, though.
Changing behavior requires practice, reflection, feedback and more practice, particularly when the behaviors are contrary to someone’s instinct, or are difficult to carry out. Helping someone learn these behaviors requires a systematic, consistent process of stating clear expectations, establishing consequences, and allowing the new leader to practice in a safe space.
What happens if a new leader is not given the opportunity to learn? She may have great instincts or have looked up to and observed a great leader. She may not have the instincts or role models. Everything that an organization accomplishes is through people, and leaders are in the unique position to either motivate or stagnate a group of people. Is leadership of the people of an organization something with which we want to take a chance?
Perhaps had the CDC realized the significance of the behavioral change required by the Ebola protocol, they may have sent advisors to help ensure that the learning was, in fact, taking place when the first case appeared. Like the CDC promulgating a protocol document and expecting that everyone will do the right thing and take it upon himself or herself to learn and practice, we cannot leave leadership skill to chance. It is too important to the success of our organizations.
Photo: Can Stock
Ressources similaires
Vous souhaitez continuer à apprendre ? Découvrez nos produits, les témoignages de nos clients et les actualités du secteur.
Billet de blog
10 conseils pour des entretiens reguliers efficaces
Organiser des entretiens réguliers avec chaque collaborateur est un prérequis à une gestion d'équipe efficace. Pourtant, si elles manquent de préparation ou d'angle, ces réunions individuelles s'apparentent souvent à un supplice pour les collaborateurs. Les responsables doivent les considérer comme de véritables opportunités, au-delà de la simple formalité. Pour les optimiser, ils doivent s'y préparer, établir un ordre du jour clair et écouter attentivement les préoccupations et commentaires des collaborateurs.
Fiche technique
Cornerstone HR
En centralisant la gestion des dossiers RH et en favorisant une connexion parfaite des données, Cornerstone HR améliore l’expérience des collaborateurs et transforme la capacité des entreprises à gérer leurs données personnelles pour une plateforme de gestion des talents.
Fiche technique
Cornerstone Learning Fundamentals
La formation est plus que jamais essentielle à la réussite d’une entreprise. Vous devez pouvoir déployer et suivre les formations nécessaires, renforcer les compétences de vos collaborateurs pour répondre à de nouveaux besoins et offrir des opportunités de croissance pour retenir vos éléments les plus performants. Mais il vous faut également une solution tout-en-un, facile à administrer et rapidement déployée, adaptée à votre entreprise de taille moyenne.