Learning Organization by John Frederick P. Cruz

Every organization may look daunting because of the various functions and requirements for it to survive. Organizations function with every member playing a specific role, every role is interdependent. Aside from this, an organization is also required to adapt to the environment where it is embedded. And the best way to be able to adapt if by knowing what is occurring and all the trends in the environment. In other words, an organization needs to LEARN.

Peter Senge exhibited this concept with his idea of a learning organization. The learning organization revolves around the concept of evolution to be able to survive. The old parts of an organization, if used in a different and more effective way, will form a new part essential for the organization’s survival.

The learning organization is basically focused on learning and awareness. It shows that organizations organization performance is dependent on how individuals learn and perform. It also exhibits the formula: Learning + Adapting = Change.

There are basically 5 elements in a learning organization, shown in the figure bellow.



Systems Thinking
It is the corner stone of the learning organization because it bonds the other 4 other elements to function together to be able to achieve the learning organization. Systems thinking basically require an individual or organization to think outside the box; you must not only settle for what is most convenient to you or the organization.
Personal Mastery
As I’ve said earlier, the organization is fully dependent on its parts, the members. The learning and direction of the organization is dependent on how members learn and apply their learning in their tasks. It encourages members of the organization to always learn and develop to be able to become better.

Mental Model
Often times we act in certain ways that we wouldn’t even notice because it comes from our mind. And these actions or ideas affect how we see things that face us as an individual. Mental models are basically the assumptions we make that affect our actions.

Share Vision
There are sayings that unity is the only key to success, and this is also applicable in the learning organization. By having a shared vision; members of the organization work together to be able to achieve the goal of the organization. A vision crafted by the member of the organization is always better that the vision made by top management because this type of vision is the desire of the members which give them extra motivation to work harder and work together to be able to achieve the vision. The shared vision also propels the learning process in the organization because of the desire to achieve the vision crafted by the members of the organization.

Team Learning
In team learning, members of the organization are encouraged to forget their personal assumptions to be able to arrive at an agreement with the other members. By doing so, members are able to think effectively with regard to what they want for the organization. This process encourages as well the discovery of goals that are only attainable by working with other people. All in all, leaning together makes the growth of the organization faster and more attainable.

Reference:

Learning Organization Presentation

Lecture by Ms. Marissa Fernando

http://www.infed.org/thinkers/senge.htm

http://www.albany.edu/sph/Hoff_learning/hpm_tim_learnorg.htm