Karen E. Watkins, Ph.D.Professor of Human Resource & Organization DevelopmentThe 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 nowo Focus interventions on culture and leadershipo Design learning in and through work– learning

to take action

OECD Report- The Global PictureGDP fell 4.1%Unemployment from 5.9% in 2008, to 8.5% in 2009

and 9.8% projected for 2010Goods and services traded fell by 16% globally

OECD/APEC Reports– Regional DifferencesChina 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 includeRethinking workplace learning as

creating a learning infrastructure and Changing organizational capacity to

learn. We do this byEmphasizing leadership development—

changing mental modelsCreating 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

Team

Individual

Organization

Team

Leaders model learning

Connect the organizationto 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

Team

Individual

Organization

Team

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 knowledgeUse

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 capabilitiesTo know self and impact on

others To develop communication and

influencing skillTo effectively coach others

Develop high performance teamsTo effectively solve complex,

cross-functional problemsTo empower people to enact

the organization’s visionBuild organizational capacity

To transformTo develop a culture of learning

You as a Learner

Your Organization’s

Learning Culture

L C

Adapted from Reg Revans

In Action Learning, people:

Use work on a real business problem to develop and learn

Work in teams, take actionto solve problem

Learn how to learn from action Helped by learning coach to

balance work with “learning-from-experience”

And by changing themselves-- change the organization

Action Learning is a primary exampleStarts with a real problemDraws on relevant knowledgeAnalysis of the problemTrial of solutions in the organizationTest 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.