not material or financial capital that provides the sustainable competitive edge in the long run.
What is learning? Learning is the successful absorption and assimilation of principles, facts and techniques. It is the process of expanding the capacity to do different things or do things differently. One learns in many ways..."You learn from every thing you are exposed to," said Tom Johnson the CEO of CNN, USA. However, there are basically five types of learning within an organization.
- Learning from mentors. People learn from their mentors on one-on-one basis by accepting mentors as role models and are inspired by the initiative, insights and behaviour of the mentors. Well managed companies have institutionalized this mentoring process.
- Learning from interactions. Organizations as a whole can learn from its competitors, customers & other successful companies. Interactive Learning is a vital process in learning.
- Learning by doing & Learning while doing is the application of knowledge and skill. It is by carrying out the task at the work place the real learning about that job occurs as a Chinese proverb says "I do and I understand".
- Training and Education - the formal classroom training & education is the most popular way of learning. But to make these training effective it is necessary to relate it to the current capabilities, interests and motivation levels of the learners.
- Self Learning - self motivated learning is most effective. People learn by questioning their assumptions about themselves, environment and the organizations they work for and develop an ability to adapt and renew themselves.
Organizations have to create an environment for Learning, and following are the characteristics of a learning organization. - The leaders within the organization take up the role of resource persons, teachers, coaches, and facilitators. Apart from being continuous learners, they also enable others to learn. In fact, they are the change agents.
- There is cultural shift from scarcity thinking - where knowledge is jealousy hoarded, to abundance thinking - where knowledge is openly shared and developed.
- The investment in human capital is regarded as an essential part of the business strategy.
- The diversity of opinion, conflict of ideas and individualism are valued and not discouraged.
- Trust and tolerance is promoted to make people try new ideas, experiment and tolerate failures.
- Knowledge management process is systemized and good practices, ideas and insights are codified & documented, to facilitate structured transferring of knowledge and skills among the people.
- 'To learn unlearn" said Benjamin Disraeli. people are bold enough to discard fixed perception based on past performance and willing to revalidate their perceptions, attitudes and behaviours.
At the fundamental level, learning requires an open mind - as a wise man said, "I do not know all that I can be... but I do know what I am not... I desire to be rid of a part of my old self & I am willing to become a new me." This is an apt attitude that organizations need to adopt to transform themselves into a learning organization.
The author is the Director of NEW DAY, Centre for Human Potential Development, Bangalore
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