Jane Stubberfield Organisational Implications of Coaching

At the end of this session you will be able to:

Define the Learning OrganisationExplain the advantages and disadvantages of the Learning Organisation conceptEvaluate the use of coaching in developing a Learning Organisation

Organisational learning happens anyway

Learning organisation is one that manages its own learning processes to its advantage

the learning company or organisation is not a defined end state. It is the journey, not the destination. As Carl Rogers put it we are all in a process of becoming. Hence, organisations that embrace learning commit to an ongoing process. It would be a contradiction in terms to say We are now a learning organisation weve got the plaque on the wall whats our next project?

Hughes, M., (1995, March), Propagating the Learning Organization, Financial Training Review

An organisation which facilitates the learning of all its members and continuously transforms itself as a wholePedler, M., Burgoyne. & Boydell, T., (1991), The Learning Company, McGraw HillOrganisations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, when new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free and where people are continually learning how to learn togetherSenge, P., The Fifth Discipline, Centuary

A Learning Organisation harnesses the full brainpower, knowledge and experience available to it, in order to evolve continually for the benefit of its stakeholders Mayo, A., & Lank, E. (1995, 16 November), Changing the Soil Spurs New Growth, Personnel Management

Learning is essential to provide rapid continuous changeThe competitive advantage of learning quicker than competitorsIncreasing the rate of changeIncrease in creativityOrganisations success depends on engagement and learning at all levels of the organisation

Implemented with speed and without careful consideration of the implications and objectivesSuperficial implementationCan be regarded as management fadConsidered as panacea for all the organisations illsEither in time of crises or in an effort to be seen as progressiveConsideration not given to triple loop learningCan be seen as quick fix which can be achieved by sending all managers on a short training course!

Learning Organisation Exercise

Hughes, M., (1995, March), Propagating the Learning Organization, Financial Training Review

Pedler, M., Burgoyne. & Boydell, T., (1991), The Learning Company, McGraw Hill

Senge, P., The Fifth Discipline, Centuary

Mayo, A., & Lank, E. (1995, 16 November), Changing the Soil Spurs New Growth, Personnel Management

References

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AuthorJane StubberfieldInstituteUniversity of PlymouthTitleThe Learning OrganisationDescriptionThe Learning Organisation concept and its implementationDate Created17.01.2011Educational Level7Keywords UKOER, LFWOER, Learning from WOeRK, UOPCPDLM, Continuous Professional Development, CPD, Work-based Learning, WBL, Learning, development, strategy, coaching, learning organization, learning organisation

Welcome to this, the first session in the module on the organisational implications of coaching. In this one we are going to think about an organisations learning and development strategy*The objectives for this session are that you will be able to:Define the Learning OrganisationExplain the advantages and disadvantages of the Learning Organisation conceptEvaluate the use of coaching in developing a Learning Organisation

*Firstly, what is the difference between organisational learning and a learning organisation. Burgoyne (1995) says that organisational learning happens anyway, whether it is single, double or triple loop learning but a learning organisation is one that manages its own learning processes to its advantage. It is one that creates an environment and processes in which individual, team and organisational learning can happen effectively and easily.*Hughes in Propagating the Learning Organisation said the learning company or organisation is not a defined end state. It is the journey, not the destination. As Carl Rogers put it we are all in a process of becoming. Hence, organisations that embrace learning commit to an ongoing process. It would be a contradiction in terms to say We are now a learning organisation weve got the plaque on the wall whats our next project? This concept of a learning organisation being a journey rather than a destination is essential to the whole concept. Once an organisation sits back and says weve got there inevitably the learning has ceased and, paradoxically, it is no longer a learning organisation.

*Pedler, Burgoyne and Boydell define a learning organisation as one which facilitates the learning of all its members and continuously transforms itself as a whole. It links the learning organisation concept firmly with continuous learning.

Senge describes it as organisations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, when new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free and where people are continually learning how to learn together. Thus incorporating the importance of triple loop learning.

*Mayo and Lank suggest that a learning organisation harnesses the full brainpower, knowledge and experience available to it, in order to evolve continually for the benefit of its stakeholders.

Cunningham (1995) warns that the learning organisation has started to degenerate into a general term linked to the idea of more knowledge and competence sharing in organisations. That is not a bad thing but it far too limited. It does not accommodate Argyris case for double (and triple) loop learning that is an approach which gets people to re-examine (and change) fundamental beliefs and assumptions. *Why would an organisation want to adopt learning organisation principles?

Firstly learning is essential to provide rapid continuous change, and continuous improvement in organisations

Then there is the competitive advantage of learning quicker than other organisations and, in particular than competitors. This is especially important in providing greatest value for customers

Thirdly that it is essential for organisations to keep up with the rapid change in their external environment.

The learning organisation culture is one that promotes and actively encourages creativity and new ideas. Not just the thinking up of new ideas, but also the implementation and experimentation and the learning from that

And one more is that organisations success depends on engagement and learning at all levels of the organisation and the learning organisation concept is one that promotes that learning and engagement. *Problems with the Learning Organisation concept can be found if:

It is implemented with speed and without careful consideration of the implications and objectives some organisations get hold of a few of the principles and attempt to implement them very quickly without fully aligning all the strategies and cultural aspects of the organisation and then expect to have success

Superficial implementation this is linked to rapid implementation, where the planning and implementation is not given sufficient consideration

Can be regarded as management fad in some organisations its implementation is seen as a fad and then not taken seriously

Considered as panacea for all the organisations ills where it is implemented in time of crises or in an effort to be seen as progressive.

Consideration not given to triple loop learning some organisations see the learning organisation as a fancy name for a learning and development plan and so think it is about implementing training courses etc and completely miss the importance of creating the conditions for triple loop learning

Can be seen as quick fix which can be achieved by sending all managers on a short training course! That all that needs to happen is to send all the managers on a learning organisation course and that will be it.

*This exercise is to help you think about the learning organisation and the value of coaching in that concept

What are the important considerations in a learning organisation?Evaluate the use of coaching as a strategic intervention to create a learning organisation?

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