Is Yours a Learning Organization?

Introducing a tool to help you paint an honest picture of your firm’s learning culture and of the leaders who set its tone.

Amy Edmondson, David A. Garvin, Francesca Gino

Mar 01, 2008 • 16 min read

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Culture

Learning

Organizational Culture

Organizational Learning

Feedback Culture

Summary

Harvard Business Professors introduce a survey instrument tool that enables a granular examination of the three pillars of a learning culture, scores each of them, and provides a framework for detailed, comparative analysis. With the results, you can make comparisons within and among your institution’s functional areas, between your organization and others, and against benchmarks that the authors have derived from their surveys of hundreds of executives in many industries.

Takeaways

Assessing organizational learning can be done through an assessment survey instrument
Managers need to be especially sensitive to local cultures of learning, which can vary widely across units.
Supportive learning environments allow time for a pause in the action and encourage thoughtful review of the organization’s processes.
There are three building blocks to a learning organization: a supportive learning environment, concrete learning processes and practices, and leadership that reinforces learning.
When leaders demonstrate a willingness to entertain alternative points of view, employees feel emboldened to offer new ideas.