Learning, within the context of organisational change, is a more complex process than the kind of learning that people often associate with academic learning. However, the principles and elements remain the same. The only differences are in the nature of the learners, the setting upon which learning takes place, and the circumstances surrounding the need for such learning to occur. It is an important responsibility of change managers to facilitate learning change in their organisations to ensure the viability and sustainability of such change measures.
The Learning of Change
Learning change does not occur overnight. It is a continuous developing process that involves understanding, assimilation, reflection, and modification. Learning change can occur at the level of the individual and at the group level.
- Individual Learning
Individual learning approaches require change managers to create person-specific activities that will promote learning and facilitate the better retention of new knowledge and skills. A large organisation might deem it impractical to develop a learning package for each single employee. A better approach will be to identify individuals who may have problems assimilating and integrating new knowledge in their work.
- Collective Learning
Large organisations can opt for a collective learning approach. Managers can devise learning programmes that are specific to the different groups within the organisation. The focus here is on the development of group competencies that will allow the group to function as a unit.
Leadership Reflection
For learning to proceed in a smooth manner, it is critical for organisational leaders to reflect on the theoretical foundations of the changes that their respective organisations have implemented. This includes comparing the theories that they have advocated for at the beginning of the organisational change and the theories that are currently in place.
The general observation is that some organisations tend to scrap the fundamental theory underscoring the need for change and replace it with something more relevant and current.
One characteristic of good organisational leaders is their self-awareness. They learn from experience. They can extend this level of awareness to the rest of the organisation, especially in terms of the ongoing change.
Organisational leaders need to reflect on any discrepancy between the beginning theory and the current theory in use.
An awareness of the discrepancies between the fundamental change theory and the operational theory will allow organisational leaders to determine whether modifications in the current system are necessary or not. This will allow for the improved learning of the different aspects of change that the organisation needs.
Reflection and Learning
Reflection within the context of learning change involves deep thinking. It allows everyone in the organisation to consider the different aspects of change that are impacting the performance of their jobs.
Since the change programme is already in place, reflection allows leaders, managers, and employees to evaluate whether the different change interventions are making a positive impact on their organisation.
Argyris and Schon developed a theory of action that best describes the learning processes that many organisations observe. One of the models that the theorists forwarded is the single-loop learning. Organisations modify their actions depending on the perceived differences between what they expected to occur and what the actual outcomes are. Organisations using a single-loop learning method change their behaviour in response to a flaw.
Another model is the double-loop system. This is different from a single-loop system in that it also addresses the underlying causes of the problems identified. The basic premise is that people’s assumptions lead to actions, which then beget results. If the outcomes are not what the organisation expected, then it attempts to address the assumptions of its people.
Both single- and double- loop learning systems require the organisation and its people to reflect on either their actions or assumptions or both.
The models underscore the nature of reflection within the context of learning. People should develop an awareness of competing interests, often between expectations and the actual outcomes.
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Barriers to Reflective Practice
Reflection allows organisations to evaluate where they are now relative to what they have envisioned at the beginning of their pursuit of organisational change. Sadly, there are certain factors that can undermine the process of organisational reflection.
- Shared Mental Models
Reflection is more effective in an organisation whose members have a uniform understanding of what needs to be accomplished and the need for teamwork. The greater is the shared understanding, the better is the organisation and its people in learning change.
- Existing Organisational Rules and Behaviour
The existing rules and the overall behaviour of the organisation can also be an important barrier to reflective practice. If certain organisational rules do not favour employee reflection to address faulty assumptions or actions, then that organisation may not be able to ensure adequate learning of change. The same is true with organisations that do not espouse openness to reflective practice.
- Modification Rules in Collective Learning
In a double-loop learning system, the organisation needs to reflect on the basic assumptions that people have about change in general and about the change interventions. Unfortunately, if the organisation does not set forth clear rules and guidelines as to how different groups of people in the organisation can seek to modify their assumptions, then that organisation will not achieve its desired outcomes.
- Organisational Learning Impediments
There are many barriers to organisational learning. Resistance to change is one of the most critical factors that organisational leaders and change managers must address if they want to promote reflective practice. Resistance to change does not only entail resistance coming from the people working in the organisation. It can also include people with a large stake in the organisation.
Other potential impediments to organisational learning can include the absence of direct leadership and measures that focus on individual success and not on the success of the team or organisation.
The absence of value that people placed on learning can also be an important impediment to successful organisational learning and reflective practice. Very stringent controls and short-term focus can also lead to a dysfunctional organisational learning environment.
Learning change entails reflecting on the different activities the organisation has undertaken to facilitate change. Addressing common barriers to reflective practice can help leaders, managers, and employees evaluate their experiences in a more effective manner. Change managers need to create mechanisms or action plans that promote effective reflection to ensure the success of the organisational change.