Replying to LO26076 --
Matt,
Well, since I don't know the texts used in your course or your professor's
orientations toward defining management, I'd guess that the definition of
"classically run" organization is the command and control model of
organization and not one characterized by self-direction, high involvement
decision making, etc. They characteristically have used structured
analysis and elaborate strategic planning models.
Now, I think organizations that use the skills that we associate with
learning organizations (use of critique, challenging assumptions, feedback
loops, sharing visions, individuals focusing on personal growth. They are
organizations where power is disseminated and the value of individual
contributions is integral to organizational flexibility, ability to adapt,
etc.
I think the interesting thing is the thread that has been on this list
about the number of organizations that believe they are Learning
Organizations but they really aren't or they think that if they have
training classes, then they correlate that to being a Learning Org. I
just left a company where they were very smug about their learning
programs, widely espoused a "Develop People" goal, and yet, don't
challenge their internal picture of themselves. People "down" the
organizational hierarchy shouldn't ask questions of senior leaders, and
heavens, don't speak candidly about a problem. They have promoted their
own press (and to be sure, I promoted the "ideal" picture myself for about
a year or so while I was there, until I realized that the pockets of
learning were few and far between.
A critical piece of whether an organization will be successful in its long
term succes is whether or not it has the discipline to build its culture
and spend the time to do cultivate it, throughout. Elliot Jaques talks
about accountability and I think the accountability should be linked to
the cultural attributes that will sustain the learning elements of the
culture. That should sustain the organization to "rock" with the waves of
changes.
Best,
Sandy
--"Sandy Wells" <sjwells@earthlink.net>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <Richard@Karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>
"Learning-org" and the format of our message identifiers (LO1234, etc.) are trademarks of Richard Karash.