Monthly Archives: January 2016

We learn fast…

I saw this article on my twitter stream, and it really piqued my interest:

We learn fast…

Quote: “The role of L & D professionals in their background and their present form will disappear soon.”

Reflection: This may be the case, but I think that many will be willing to have others tackle this problem. Those who understand this will be the most successful and stand out.

Quote: “His apprentice-employees need to be nimble and quick in learning new technologies, acquire new flexible and continuously and permanently skills.”

Reflection: This is the part where we fail. I think that we push too much on drill and kill. But it may be necessary to keep some of the drill around, just make sure that it plays a lesser role.

Quote: ” Understanding how the brain learns and how we can optimize our ability to learn pioneers will cause changes in learning and development.”

Reflection: It is interesting that this isn’t more at the core of teaching and learning. We take ideas from teaching and learning more from experience than from physical study.

 

 

 

 

Why Organizations Don’t Learn

I came across the following article on my twitter feed:Why Organizations Don’t Learn. There are a few items that really resonated with me. The author tackles bias and how to handle the organization as a leader to avoid pitfalls.

According to the article there are 4 consequences of a bias toward success:

  1. Fear of failure
  2. A fixed mindset
  3. Over reliance toward past success
  4. Attribution bias

To me, the consequences of failure are the real sticking point. Without success, at some level, a venture will be short lived.

I really like the part that directs leaders in how to overcome the bias toward success:

  • Destigmatize failure
  • Embrace and teach a growth mindset
  • Consider potential when hiring and promoting
  • Use a data-driven approach to identify what caused success for failure

Next, there is the bias toward action, which means reaction. Here are the consequences of this bias:

  1. Exhaustion
  2. Lack of reflection

How do leaders help to overcome this bias:

  • Build breaks into the schedule
  • Take time just to think
  • Encourage reflection after doing

Now, the consequences for a bias toward fitting In are addressed:

  1. Believing we need to conform
  2. Failure to use one’s strengths

How to address bias toward fitting in:

  • Encourage people to cultivate their strengths
  • Increase awareness and engage workers
  • Model good behavior

Finally, there may be a bias toward experts with these consequences:

  1. An overly narrow view of expertise
  2. Inadequate front-line involvement

And how to address this bias in leadership:

  • Encourage workers to own problems that affect them
  • Give workers different types of experiences
  • Empower workers to use their experience

Great article by Francesca Gino and Bradley Staats. I look forward to applying these principles.