Coaching approaches for a learning organisation

Q: These days, many people are talking about learning organisations, which I am eager to know more about. I am keen to implement this in my organisation but am rather uneasy with the name “learning organisation”. The name sounds rather strange and it seems to suggest that everyone is “studious” or studying as if they need not work! I am sure they do, right? So how is the balance between learning and working being met? How do they actually behave?
In the Dark

A: I do agree that without proper understanding of what a learning organisation is, one may arrive at a false interpretation of what it is. All in all, a learning organisation is one where people are doing something that matters to them personally and to the larger world. There is a lot more meaning in what they are doing, which is not just to earn a living and to establish some financial results. In such a meaningful environment, everyone is yearning and stretching themselves to improve. Teamwork is at its best because everyone knows that their results will be better if they work as a team rather than as an individual. Hence, there is great respect and trust in the way they talk to each other and work together, no matter what positions they hold. So you can see from here that learning and working are simultaneously happening at the same time. Productivity and performance will be at their highest.

The Bottom Line: Gather a team of “champions” as the task force to transform your organisation. Once done, brainstorm to get the right vision on what kind of learning organisation that you want to see happening. With this, you can examine what is already there for you to leverage on further, and those policies, procedures and leadership behaviours that are hindering the realisation of this vision. Once they are identified, the implementation can commence with the setting out of priorities in terms of which ones to act on first for this vision to be achieved.
Powerful Questions: What sort of policies, events, or aspects of leadership behaviours will make this happen? What will happen to your organisation when this takes place? What will it bring to the organisation? What will it bring to your people?

Appreciating the differences

Q: I have reached a stage of extreme frustration and anger in trying to change some of the bad habits of my team; like gossiping, coming to work late, taking things easy, no sense of urgency, infighting and so forth. I have not been able to make any headway, thus resulting in the problem remaining unsolved. Serious warnings have been given but yielded no result. I feel like getting rid of all of them, although this will cause major disruptions to the company. I really do not know what to do.
Wits’ End

A: It is probably time that you changed your strategy from focusing on their weaknesses to instead focusing on their strengths. It will be more motivating for them and you when both are working on what is already working, rather than what is not. By doing this, you will be addressing their weaknesses indirectly.

The Bottom Line: When you do this, you are applying what we call “appreciative inquiry”, where you look beyond the surface of the person to identify the “gems” that are in them. To do this, you need to reframe your outlook and reinterpret what is going on. For instance, if they are gossipy, then it can be put to good use if they are made responsible for investigative work. And if they are not working hard enough, then find an area of work where they will be boosted to do more. The opportunities are plentiful if you care to be more positive about this.
Powerful Questions: What strengths can their weaknesses be turned into? What can they be used for? What benefits will these bring? What must change in you for this to happen?

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