Systems Thinking Case Study #20:
Systemic structures that make learning & development resistant to change

INHERENT SYSTEMIC STRUCTURE: FIXES THAT BACKFIRE
Short-notes / stories heard at dialogue:

  • Working in what appeared as "glamorous job" (a job that other employees look up to) is no longer deemed as
    attractive as before.  Other branches provide equally attractive promotional and recognition prospects;

  • We are not recruiting individuals who are passionate in wanting to do the job.  They are in there for the money and
    are not prepared to face the tough parts of the job and give up too easily!

  • We have invested heavily in training and learning exactly to make sure that employees do not continue to make
    mistakes, but they continue to do so!  That is sometimes a high price we are paying both in terms of the cost of
    training as well as the cost of making mistakes!
WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF WE LEARN TO APPLY THESE STRATEGIES?

WHAT MIGHT MAKE IT DIFFICULT OR GET IN THE WAY OF MAKING THESE HAPPEN?

WHAT KEEPS OUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE THESE AND IS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THESE STRUCTURES?

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Lessons from the systemic structure:

  • "Creating mistakes" rather than preventing them are key to fostering a spirit of learning - this would mean mindfully
    creating spaces is critical for officers to test, experiment and learn to do self-learning;

  • Finding someone who is merely interested "in doing" or needing to prove he is sufficiently good or self-confidence, is
    not helpful in learning environment.  It may be helpful in creating a productive environment but not as much in a
    learning-ful environment!

  • Creating a learning environment does not start from the training or class-room or incentives to spur them to go to
    the classroom, but officers themselves becoming inspired by or are in awe of watching an experienced employee do
    his work with a commitment, forwardnesss, smoothness, clarity and dexterity.  These are qualities that officers can
    immediately grasp are things that cannot be taught in the classroom or explained explicitly but picked up by
    observing and watching over and over.  Work towards employees leaning towards wanting to create an apprentice
    scheme for themselves (do not introduce it until they want it themselves!  If younger / newer employees are not
    asking for it, it is a sign that the older ones are not doing or behaving in a way consistent with the behaviour of a
    mentor.)  Don't push it!

  • Not attempting to "teach everything in the classroom" and reminding officers to observe and learn from officers
    who are more experienced from the field.

  • Supervisors showing surprise and awe for employees who carry significant tacit knowledge in the subject (rather
    than perceiving them as a threat or finding ways to suppress their innate capacity or employees finding themselves
    suppress their potential in order to survive!) from others.

  • Recognize that unless employees become aware of their own environment and changes that are happening around
    and for them, they are unable to 'see and respond to learning' merely because there exists organizational strategic
    imperatives for changes (due to shifts in budgeting or marketing or production strategies).  Notice ways employees
    react to new policies and how in a matter of years, we find ourselves back at square one (reinventing new policies to
    correct the very behaviour that we had tried to change earlier)!  Did employees not learn to work with the
    organizations' strategies and bring it back to status quo for them?  There is really nothing to say they cannot work
    to create organizational strategies themselves.

  • If the organization finds itself having to developing learning strategies then that is a sign that none of the above are
    working inherently or in a manner consistent with the natural order of organizations.  The situation then becomes
    like putting a cart before the horse - and you know how stuck that feels, don't you?  Notice how often that had led
    us to chase our own tails?  Employees has been giving us the cue all along!  If they don't figure it out, you would
    need to do it for them!  We try (real hard), yes?
HOW COME LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT THE WORKPLACE IS DIFFICULT TO
HAPPEN DESPITE EFFORTS TO CREATE LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS?