Designing and Leading a Learning Organization

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Chapter 15

• Designing and Leading a Learning Organization

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Chapter Objectives

• Trace the evolution of leadership through four
  eras to the learning leadership required in many
  organizations today.
• Recognize how leaders build learning
  organizations through changes in structure,
  tasks, systems, strategy, and culture.
• Know when and how horizontally organized
  structures provide advantages over vertical,
  functionally organized ones.
• Distinguish between tasks and roles and how each
  impacts employee satisfaction and organizational
  performance.
• Meet the dual challenge of supporting both
  efficiency and learning by using ambidextrous
  organization design elements, embracing
  technology, and using after-action reviews.

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Ex. 15.1 Leadership Evolution
ENVIRONMENT
Stable
Chaotic
Era 2 Rational Management
Era 3 Team Leadership
Micro

• Behavior theories
• Contingency theories
• Setting
• Vertical hierarchy, bureaucracy
• Management functions

• Confusion
• Empowerment
• Quality
• Setting
• Horizontal organization
• Cross-functional teams
• Downsizing

Scope
Era 1 Great Man Leadership
Era 4 Learning Leadership

• Trait theories
• Setting
• Pre-bureaucratic organization
• Administrative principles

• Shared vision, alignment, relationships
• Facilitate change and adaptation
• Setting
• Learning organization
• E-Business

Macro
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Learning
A change in behavior or performance that occurs
as a result of experience
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Adaptive Learning Cycle

• A cycle of action, feedback, and synthesis
  that all living organisms share

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Ex. 15.2 The Adaptive Learning Cycle
Action
Sensing
Deciding
Feedback
Synthesis
Learning
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Learning Organization
One in which everyone is engaged in identifying
and solving problems
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Ex. 15.3 Two Models of Organization
Efficient Performance (Hard, rational model)
Vertical Structure
Routine tasks
Rigid culture
Formal systems
Competitive strategy
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Ex. 15.3(contd.)
Learning Organization (Soft, intuitive model)
Horizontal structure
Adaptive culture
Empowered roles
Personal networks
Collaborative strategy
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Ex. 15.4 Evolution of Vertical to Horizontal
Structure
B. Functional organization with process overlays
A. Vertical functional organization
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Ex. 15.4 (contd.)
C. Horizontal organization based on processes
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Tasks Versus Roles

Task a narrowly defined work assignment Role a
part in a social system
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Ex. 15.5 An Organizational Communication Network
(adapted)
Marketing Manufacturing Engineering
David
Sharon
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Ambidextrous Organizations
Flexible organizations in which leaders
incorporate structures and management processes
that are appropriate to innovation and learning,
as well as to the efficient implementation of
ideas
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Knowledge Management
The efforts to systematically gather knowledge,
make it widely available, and foster a culture of
collaboration and learning