Welcome to the tenth application lab in the [Re]Create Application Lab Collection. The lab includes a downloadable workbook (PDF), a video, and editable worksheets (PPTX).
Introduction
Results may not always reflect the performance that we had hoped for, but they still provide an opportunity for learning. If designed well, systems throughout the organization have learning loops built into the processes. While these learning loops take many forms, they are at their core, versions of the scientific method — or Plan, Do, Study, Act.
Unfortunately, many organizations and leaders are very good at “Plan, Do” — but they often do not take the time to study the results, learn from them, and adjust future actions based on those learnings. It doesn’t have to be that way. We choose to learn or not. Creating and sustaining high performance requires a disciplined approach to learning from the past to create the desired future. Learning is built into several components of a well-designed leadership system.
Read Chapter 10, Learn and Improve, in the [Re]Create Book.
Available on: Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Audible (Audiobook)
Application
Objective – Understand the Learn and Improve concepts, components, and relationships and how they contribute to leadership and organization [re]design for sustainable excellence.
How does your organization systematically learn and improve? In this lesson, you will apply the key learning and improvement concepts to your organization. Specifically, you will identify the approaches to learning and improvement used in your organization. Describe each process, the frequency, the people, and example projects.
Learning & Improvement Approaches Video 0:37
Objective – Identify the approaches to learning and improvement used in your organization and describe the process, frequency, people, and example projects.
1. Method
Identify the learning and improvement method, including key steps. Examples include process improvement methods (e.g., PDSA, Six Sigma, Lean), organizational assessments (e.g., ISO 9000, Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, EFQM), and the organization’s strategy development and deployment system.
2. Application and Scope
Identify where in the organization this method is used, and the typical size of improvement projects are addressed with this method. Depending on the method, the scope can vary from somewhat limited work processes to the overall enterprise system.
3. Frequency
Describe how often and when this method is used if it is a regularly scheduled method. If an unscheduled ad hoc method, describe the conditions that would trigger the use of this method.
4. People and Projects
Identify the people who are involved and use this method. Describe the number and type of people who are trained to use this method. Identify an example learning and improvement project where this method was used.
Examples
#1 Strategy Development and Deployment
At the enterprise level, the strategy development and deployment system is a learning and improvement cycle. The application scope is the entire enterprise, both external products and internal operations. The frequency is an annual “overlapping” process where next year’s planning begins while still executing the current year’s strategy. It may be more frequent than that, depending on the industry’s time horizon and how quickly the external environment is changing. Finally, the strategy process is typically the domain of the Board of Directors, CEO, and Senior Leadership Team working together as they all have different roles in the process.
#2 Organizational Excellence Assessment
The organization-level assessment processes (e.g., Baldrige, EFQM) at their core are enterprise-level learning and improvement cycles. The application and scope include all systems included in the assessment framework, which often includes customers and strategy to operations and production to support systems and governance. The frequency is typically an annual process that drives improvement projects throughout the year. People involved are often trained examiners, including the senior leadership team.
#3 Continuous Improvement
Continuous improvement processes (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) are the foundation of organizational learning. The Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) or scientific method is at the core of most organizational learning and improvement cycles. The application and scope of these continuous improvement methods are generally limited to operations and support processes. Frequency is often ad hoc as needed to address issues or strategic initiatives. Trained people such as Six Sigma Black and Green belts and other certified employees are required to effectively lead these efforts.
Worksheets
- Complete – Complete the worksheets by yourself or with your group.
- Review – Present and explain your worksheets to your colleagues and boss and get their feedback.
- Revise – Incorporate their feedback into your worksheets.
Conclusion
The design of the organization influences the behavior of the people inside and outside. The design is what people see and hear. What they think and feel about what they see and hear influences what they say and do (their behavior). Their behavior influences the results and overall organization performance. Developing the organization’s systems, culture, and individual people requires that the leaders learn from their successes and failures.
When we review organization performance, we engage in two main types of learning: single-loop and double-loop. Single-loop learning occurs when the existing system’s execution and management are adjusted to achieve the best performance possible. Unfortunately, sometimes our best efforts fail to meet the expected performance levels. Double-loop learning occurs when the underlying assumptions regarding the strategy and system design are examined and changed.
As others have noted, the only sustainable competitive advantage today is to learn faster than the competition. While we talk about organizational learning, it is the people in the organization that learn. And people learn when leaders set the example and learn too.