When an organization achieves success by using its standard procedures, its members will be satisfied of their effort and continue to use the familiar and result-proven procedures. However, in the long-term this may lead to members being reactive in their work approaches and deter them from being more proactive in searching for new knowledge and perspectives to learn. This lead to organizational inertia that makes members resistant to improvement. When programmed decision-making drives out non-programmed decision-making, the level of organizational learning and improvement declines. Past successes inhibit organization members to take initiative to seek learning and improvement opportunities.
Organizations can adopt the philosophy of continuous improvement whereby improvements are made in small incremental steps that add up to holistic performance improvements. Tools such as value-stream mapping and DMAIC can help members to learn streamlining processes and products in a progressive manner.
Would like to seek advice on how to cultivate organizational learning and improvement, be it in a project or non-project environment. Thank you. Saving Changes...
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Drew CraigSr. Agile & Product Coach| VanguardPhiladelphia, Pa, United States
Empower individuals to seek opportunities, cultivate a learning environment, provide a 'safey-zone' for employees to proactively initiate and recommend possible areas of direction. As well, take an approach to consistently evaluate current procedures for improvement or realignment with organizational strategies/direction.
It's not just, or should not be, a top-down only approach.
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1 reply by Pang DX
Dec 09, 2018 12:25 PM
Pang DX
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Thanks Andrew. Indeed, cultivating a learning environment with top-down and bottom-up approaches can drive improvement.
Saving Changes...
Karthik RamamurthyAuthor, Say YES to Project Success| Founder KeyResultzChennai, Tamilnadu, Tamilnadu, India
Great points, Pang! Thanks for starting this interesting discussion.
Andrew has already posted some great points on building the right culture within organizations and teams.
Here are my learnings:
1. Knowledge Management Systems are an excellent way to share and build organizational knowledge. However, these need to be constantly updated with the latest innovations to keep moving forward. Team members also need to be convinced that sharing knowledge will not threaten their positions.
2. During one of the sessions of my PMI Leadership institute Master Class (LIMC batch, we played an interesting group game. As a group, we initially failed. Our learning was that we ignored good advice from people in our own batch.Our coach told us how, oftentimes in our projects, the knowledge of how to solve a problem exists in our own room, but we fail to recognize or use it.
When we applied this advice, our LIMC group won by excelling at the same task that we found so difficult the first time around.
3. You are absolutely right in saying that continuous improvement can be very effective. Since it is natural for many humans to resist and even suspect change, incremental improvements are often safer.
However, in rare cases, "big bang" improvements may be the only way forward.
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1 reply by Pang DX
Dec 09, 2018 12:43 PM
Pang DX
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Hi Karthik, well noted with thanks.
Indeed, we should explore and leverage on internal environment's capability to drive innovative solutions and manage organization knowledge well.
Yes, at times, accelerated leaps can bring us closer to or reach viable improvements.
Empower individuals to seek opportunities, cultivate a learning environment, provide a 'safey-zone' for employees to proactively initiate and recommend possible areas of direction. As well, take an approach to consistently evaluate current procedures for improvement or realignment with organizational strategies/direction.
It's not just, or should not be, a top-down only approach.
Thanks Andrew. Indeed, cultivating a learning environment with top-down and bottom-up approaches can drive improvement. Saving Changes...
Great points, Pang! Thanks for starting this interesting discussion.
Andrew has already posted some great points on building the right culture within organizations and teams.
Here are my learnings:
1. Knowledge Management Systems are an excellent way to share and build organizational knowledge. However, these need to be constantly updated with the latest innovations to keep moving forward. Team members also need to be convinced that sharing knowledge will not threaten their positions.
2. During one of the sessions of my PMI Leadership institute Master Class (LIMC batch, we played an interesting group game. As a group, we initially failed. Our learning was that we ignored good advice from people in our own batch.Our coach told us how, oftentimes in our projects, the knowledge of how to solve a problem exists in our own room, but we fail to recognize or use it.
When we applied this advice, our LIMC group won by excelling at the same task that we found so difficult the first time around.
3. You are absolutely right in saying that continuous improvement can be very effective. Since it is natural for many humans to resist and even suspect change, incremental improvements are often safer.
However, in rare cases, "big bang" improvements may be the only way forward.
Hi Karthik, well noted with thanks.
Indeed, we should explore and leverage on internal environment's capability to drive innovative solutions and manage organization knowledge well.
Yes, at times, accelerated leaps can bring us closer to or reach viable improvements. Saving Changes...
Frank ValdiviaDirector of Analytics| Heifer InternationalShoreview, Mn, United States
I'd add to the discussion 2 things:
1: Assess organizational culture in that respect and prepare plans accordingly meaning, what is the culture of your org and how willing is it to change based on last 10 years?
2. Some orgs even make it official with formal Improvement teams or functions such as Director of Effectiveness, etc
I hope it helps
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1 reply by Pang DX
Dec 15, 2018 8:32 AM
Pang DX
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Hi Frank, thanks for the advice.
Yes, organizational culture and support are keys to learning and improvement.
1: Assess organizational culture in that respect and prepare plans accordingly meaning, what is the culture of your org and how willing is it to change based on last 10 years?
2. Some orgs even make it official with formal Improvement teams or functions such as Director of Effectiveness, etc
I hope it helps
Hi Frank, thanks for the advice.
Yes, organizational culture and support are keys to learning and improvement. Saving Changes...
Ganesh KumarProgram ManagerBangalore., Karnataka, India
Hi Pang,
Create a learning disruption, by asking people to contribute to latest trends or topics of interest.
Encouraging all people to participate, shed their inhibitions and fears for failure. Creating a fun learning atmosphere which is not tagged to appraisal, but is rewarded instead. Creating interest group or forums wherein people can learn and contribute at the same time. Ensuring everyone is attached to one of the forums. Making sure each participants contribute to the learning and enrich themselves.
Regular contributors to be aligned to first time contributors and those who have inhibitions. All this with a precursor, that organization has learning culture, and learning is fun and rewarding.
Create a learning disruption, by asking people to contribute to latest trends or topics of interest.
Encouraging all people to participate, shed their inhibitions and fears for failure. Creating a fun learning atmosphere which is not tagged to appraisal, but is rewarded instead. Creating interest group or forums wherein people can learn and contribute at the same time. Ensuring everyone is attached to one of the forums. Making sure each participants contribute to the learning and enrich themselves.
Regular contributors to be aligned to first time contributors and those who have inhibitions. All this with a precursor, that organization has learning culture, and learning is fun and rewarding.
Hi Ganesh,
Good points! Thanks. Saving Changes...
RAJESH K LProject Manager, PMP| Bharat Electronics, Bengaluru, IndiaBengaluru, Karnataka, India
Good points made by all above members !! Saving Changes...
