Is yours a learning organization, a knowledge-driven one, or both?

As a management consultant who specializes in organizational learning and KM, Ron Young of Knowledge Associates International is often asked what the differences are between these approaches; what benefits they bring, both individually and together; and whether KM can help in becoming a learning organization.

These are all big questions – but vital ones for any organization keen to establish and maintain a competitive edge over its rival companies. In the latest issue of KM Review, Young outlines his own thinking on the subject, based on his vast experience in working with companies around the world.
"When this topic is up for debate in the boardroom, the first question should be: 'Why do we want to become a learning organization?'. The only answer should be: 'To help us better achieve or exceed our objectives'," he writes.

What makes an organization learning and knowledge driven?
He finds that there are 6 "natural principles" that we can apply to organizations that are both learning- and knowledge-driven. In these organizations:

1. Trust is the lifeblood of the organization, and when sufficient trust is developed, people will "naturally" want to communicate.
2. Open and frequent, two-way communication of information will develop even more trust, and people will  "naturally" want to collaborate and work better together.
3. More open and more frequent communication of information "naturally" brings about more rapid, more accelerated learning.
4. Increased and continual learning will "naturally" increase peoples' levels of confidence and competence.
5. Confident and competent people "naturally" want to share their knowledge.
6. Sharing knowledge, naturally, is enjoyable.

Create a virtuous, not a vicious cycle
"These principles all build on one another and interrelate to form a 'virtuous circle'," says Young. "If you improve in any one area, it will impact and improve all the others. Conversely, if any one principle is neglected, it will also impact all the others, to create a 'vicious circle' of doubt, fear and mistrust," he says.

A virtuous circle will lead to much better "knowing what we know". A vicious cycle, by contrast, leads to "not knowing what we know". What matters is that we constantly remind ourselves of the evergreen business principles that will naturally lead to organizational success and then apply the best strategies, processes, methods, tools and techniques available at any given time to bring those principles fully to life.

Best regards,
Jessica Twentyman
Editor
jessica.twentyman@melcrum.com

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