Learning strategies:
Action Learning is a process for bringing together a group of people with varied levels of skills and experience to analyze an actual work problem and develop an action plan. The group continues to meet as actions are implemented, learning from the implementation and making mid-course corrections. Action Learning is a form of learning by doing.
When to use it:
To address problems and issues that are complex and not easily resolved.
To find solutions to underlying root causes of problems.
To determine a new strategic direction or to maximize new opportunities.
How to use it?
Clarify the objective of the Action Learning group.
Convene a cross-section of people with a complementary mix of skills and expertise to participate in the Action Learning group.
Hold initial meetings to analyze the issues and identify actions for resolving them.
Return the group to the work place to take action.
Use subgroups to work on specific aspects of the problem if necessary.
After a period of time, reconvene the group to discuss progress, lessons learned, and next steps.
Repeat the cycle of action and learning until the problem is resolved or new directions are determined.
Document the learning process for future reference. Record lessons learned after each phase of learning.

A Cross-Functional Team is composed of people with varied levels of skills and experience brought together to accomplish a task. These teams may use Action Learning as a process to solve problems. As the name implies, Cross-Functional Team members come from different organizational units. Cross-Functional Teams may be permanent or ad hoc.
When to use it:
To solve a problem that impacts on multiple parts of the organization.
To improve a work process that crosses organizational lines.
To coordinate ongoing processes or activities that cross organizational boundaries.
To accomplish tasks that require a breadth and depth of knowledge, skills, and experience.
How to use it:
Select team members who have the optimal mix of skills and expertise.
Clarify the objectives and outcomes of the team.
Identify the roles and responsibilities of team members.
Use the knowledge of the entire team to determine strategies and solutions to accomplish objectives.
Determine timelines and actions to accomplish objectives.
Provide team members with access to training in teamwork skills such as communicating, listening, and facilitating.
Periodically evaluate the functioning of the team.

A Work-Out is an accelerated strategic change initiative pioneered by General Electric. Individuals representing all levels and functions of the organization or unit meet, without management, to identify ways the organization can work together more efficiently and effectively. Work-Outs can last from one to several days.
When to use it:
To accomplish rapid and far-reaching organizational change.
To develop creative and practical approaches to resolving work issues.
To examine and redesign work processes and practices.
To gain commitment to change from all stakeholders.
How to use it:
Choose a facilitator who is skilled in Work-Out technology (or other real-time strategic change approaches).
Select members who have the optimal mix of skills and expertise to participate in the Work-Out sessions. Members should represent all functions and levels of the organization or unit.
Identify and prioritize issues to be addressed during the Work-Out session.
Develop strong recommendations and action plans.
Provide recommendations to managers at the end of the Work-Out session. Managers make immediate public decisions to accept, reject, or ask for more information about recommendations. After some time has passed, managers should provide followup with Work-Out group members on the status of recommended actions.
Strategic Planning is a process of determining the vision, mission, and goals of an organization and the strategies for achieving those goals. Strategic planning bridges the gap between the present and future. The process involves analyzing opportunities and threats that exist within and outside of the organization.
When to use it:
To ensure that the organization¡¯s goals and objectives are aligned with the needs of customers and the demands of the external environment.
To get stakeholder commitment to organizational goals.
To link budget and resource requirements to performance outcomes.
To establish the framework for the organizational outcomes that will be measured and reported annually to the Congress, the Executive Branch, and the public as required under the Government Performance and Results Act.
How to use it:
Begin with the end in mind by developing a vision for the future. Discuss how the vision of your work unit fits with the overall organization.
Clarify the mission of your work unit or organization by asking: ¡°What would not get done in the organization if our function were taken away?¡± Assess the current state of the work unit or organization by gathering data on internal and external threats and opportunities.
Check that your strategic goals and performance plans align with the mission.
Analyze the gap between the current state (where the work unit or organization is now) and the vision (where the work unit or organization wants to be).
Identify strategies and actions for determine how to get from the current to the future state.
Identify resources required to achieve your future state such as human resources, money, and intellectual capital.
Benchmarking is a process used to compare the performance and best practices of an organization with those of other organizations. The ultimate goal is to identify improvements that can make significant changes to the organization.
When to use it?
To calibrate an organization¡¯s performance against well-respected organizations.
To obtain information on the best practices of other organizations.
To set priorities and allocate resources by learning from what others are doing.
How to use it: A Corporate Scorecard is a tool that facilitates the implementation of long-terms goals and strategies through a mechanism of measurement. Also known as the Balanced Scorecard, this mechanism provides a medium to translate the vision and objectives of the organization into a system of performance measurements that effectively focuses the entire organization. The Scorecard tracks financial and nonfinancial drivers of performance as well as the impact of intangibles that are often overlooked (e.g., skill development and knowledge transfer between functions).
When to use it:
To track performance against established strategic goals as required by the Government Performance and Results Act.
To collect data that are useful in monitoring customer satisfaction, employee morale, and organizational learning along with the more traditional financial management measures.
To identify the work activities that add value to the organization.
To incorporate data from customers, employees, learning and growth, and financial growth perspectives.
To obtain a balanced view of the present and future performance of the organization.
How to use it:
Begin creating a Scorecard by setting strategic goals and measures in four areas:
• Customer perspective: Considers the organization through the eyes of a customer so the organization retains a focus on customer expectations and satisfaction.
• Internal perspective: Focuses attention on the key internal processes that drive the business.
• Learning and growth perspective: Focuses on the organization¡¯s people and infrastructure and how the organization can improve and create value.
• Financial perspective: Measures the ultimate results that the business provides to its shareholders.
Map the strategic goals and measures to the work activities and individual performance.
Pilot test the measures and survey instruments with small groups and make needed revisions.
Conduct briefings with all stakeholders (employees, union representatives, managers, etc.) on the Scorecard elements, process to be used, and anticipated benefits.
Collect and analyze the data using the Scorecard.
Involve all stakeholders in working with the results. Find ways to sustain areas of high performance and develop strategies for improving areas of less successful performance.
Parallel Learning Structures (also known as Communities of Practice) promote innovation and change in large bureaucratic organizations while retaining the advantages of bureaucratic design. Groups representing various levels and functions work to open new channels of communication outside of and parallel to the normal, hierarchical structure. Parallel Learning Structures may be a form of Knowledge Management. Knowledge Management involves capturing the organization¡¯s collective expertise wherever it resides (in databases, on paper, or in people¡¯s heads) and distributing it to the people who need it in a timely and efficient way.
When to use it?
To develop and implement organization-wide innovations.
To foster innovation and creativity within a bureaucratic system.
To support the exchange of knowledge and expertise among performers.
To capture the organization¡¯s collective expertise.
How to use it?
Look for existing, informal exchanges that naturally occur among staff members.
Have interested parties convene and develop a mission statement or list the outcomes.
Determine what support (e.g., time, facilities, and technology) would facilitate the information exchange and learning.
Publicize when and where the exchanges take place.
Establish a process for organizing and recording the corporate knowledge.
Groupware is a technology used to facilitate a group¡¯s communication, problemsolving, and decisionmaking processes. Groupware technologies can be either synchronous (real time) or asynchronous (different times). In addition, users can either work together in the same place (co-located) or in different places (non co-located). One of the most widely used Groupware applications consists of a meeting that allows participants to be in the same room inputting information simultaneously. Participants provide ideas, comments, and decisions at individual networked workstations. A projected computer screen displays the anonymous input of all participants. Information can be weighted, prioritized, and voted on.
When to use it:
To facilitate communication by making it faster and clearer.
To bring together multiple perspectives and expertise.
To facilitate and accelerate group problem solving and decision-making.
To encourage collective learning.
To bring together geographically dispersed team members or stakeholders whose input is needed for decision-making and/or problem solving.
How to use it:
Develop or lease a Groupware meeting setting that includes individual networked stations and a computer projection screen.
Determine the goals and objectives of the Groupware meeting.
Prioritize issues to work on during the meeting.
Use a facilitator to manage the process of the meeting.
Use an operator to run the computer system tabulations.
Distance Conferencing allows for learning and knowledge exchanges using computers and telecommunications. Distance Conferencing technology is versatile. This technology can be used to conduct an actual training class or to hold meetings among team members who are not in the same location.
When to use it:
To deliver training to the employee¡¯s desktop.
To allow people to communicate and participate when they are unable to be co-located.
To reach large audiences while reducing travel costs.
How to use it:
Determine goals and objectives for using Distance Conferencing.
Train instructors and facilitators in how to work with large groups of people from several different locations.
Prepare any needed materials and send them to the remote sites in advance of the conference.
Involve all of the sites by structuring meaningful interactions (e.g., questions, reports from each site, etc.).
Solicit feedback after each conference.
Learning Groups (or teams) are gatherings of individuals who meet to focus on their own learning and development in a particular interest area such as information technology, public speaking, or career paths.
When to use it:
To provide a mechanism for obtaining knowledge and skills when there is no formal training available in a particular area.
When the environment or technology is changing so rapidly that there is no time to develop a formal training program.
To reinforce learning through the ongoing peer support provided by regular learning team meetings.
How to use it:
Initiate a Learning Group if you feel there is a need or you have an interest in a particular area.
Hold the Learning Group meetings during times when people are more likely to attend (e.g., lunchtime meetings or early morning meetings).
Making the learning available to group members through newsletters, e-mail messages, etc.
Consider using technology to augment face-to-face meetings.
Job Rotation is a career development strategy where an individual temporarily moves laterally into an established or ¡°shadow¡± position. An employee may complete a series of Job Rotations.
When to use it:
To broaden an individual¡¯s knowledge of other functions and departments in the organization.
To prepare an individual for career advancement.
To maximize an individual¡¯s exposure to customers by moving him or her into positions that require customer interaction.
To motivate and challenge an individual who has been on a job for a long time.
To cross-train members of a team.
How to use it:
Link job rotations to the organizational goals and individual learning needs.
Establish expectations and learning goals with the individual before the job rotation.
Check with the individual periodically to ensure expectations are being met.
At the end of the job rotation, meet with the individual to discuss lessons learned, how these lessons can be applied to the individual¡¯s current job. Also discuss how the individual can educate others about what was learned during the job rotation.
A Special Assignment is a learning strategy in which the individual performs temporary duties on a full-time or part-time basis. These temporary duties may be performed within the individual¡¯s current organization or outside the organizational structure. An example of a Special Assignment is being assigned to chair an ad hoc cross-functional team.
When to use it:
To enhance an individual¡¯s knowledge or skills in a particular area.
To complete tasks or assignments when a mix of people with expertise in different areas is needed.
To prepare an individual for career advancement or develop specific knowledge or skills.
To broaden an individual¡¯s knowledge of other functions and departments in the organization.
To motivate and challenge an individual who has been on a job for a long time.
How to use it:
Link Special Assignments to organizational goals and learning needs.
Establish expectations and learning goals with the individual prior to the Special Assignment.
Check with the individual periodically to ensure expectations are being met.
At the end of the Special Assignment, meet with the individual to discuss lessons learned, how these lessons can be applied to the individual¡¯s current duties, and how the individual can educate others about what was learned.
Coaching is a learning technique that involves observing an individual at work and providing feedback to enhance performance or correct deficiencies.
When to use it:
To support an individual who is assuming new job duties.
To develop or provide new skills through on-the-job training.
To introduce new procedures or technologies.
To enhance performance and correct deficiencies.
To prepare individuals for career development.
To develop members of a work team.
How to use it:
Prepare by collecting necessary information on current performance levels and needs.
Set learning objectives and expectations together with the individual.
Mutually develop and agree on a course of action for enhancing performance.
Facilitate learning and enhance performance through using observation, listening, and feedback skills. Give constructive feedback and encourage and reward accomplishments.
Schedule follow-up coaching sessions.
Mentoring is a formal or informal relationship between senior and junior employees for the purpose of supporting learning and development. The mentor provides ongoing support, advice, and career direction to an individual. A mentor holds a higher position in the organization and is usually outside of the mentee¡¯s chain of supervision.
When to use it:
To continue the development of talented and skilled staff members.
To groom individuals who show high potential for management or leadership responsibilities.
To retrain and prepare an individual for a new job or function.
To assimilate new individuals into the organization by educating them about the norms, culture, and politics of the organization.
How to use it:
Clarify what will be achieved through the mentoring relationship.
Use training and education to promote and explain mentoring.
Listen, coach, counsel, and motivate.
Allow mentors and mentees to select each other. For a mentoring program to work both mentor and mentee must be motivated to participate in such a relationship.
Manager as Teacher is a learning strategy where managers view themselves as teachers and facilitators of the learning process. Each interaction is seen as a learning opportunity. Managers are also aware that they serve as powerful role models for individual learning.
When to use it:
To practice and demonstrate desired performance, behavior, and skills to employees.
To set tone, pace, work habits, and behavior.
How to use it:
Consistently model the behaviors and skills that you want to see employees use.
Set the tone for learning by taking calculated risks, acknowledging your own mistakes, and openly discussing what you have learned.
Understand that people learn by doing. When you are intending to teach something through modeling, do it in a way that enables others to use the knowledge or practice the skill.
Think of every interaction, meeting, job assignment, or event as a teaching opportunity. Ask yourself: ¡°What lessons can be learned?¡± ¡°How can we apply these lessons to future situations?¡±
Take advantage of ¡°teachable moments.¡± That is, opportunities where you can drive home a learning point or reflect on a learning experience.
Stay up-to-date on current organization and management approaches and technologies in your field through professional seminars, conferences, trade journals, and professional magazines.
Self-Development is taking personal responsibility for one¡¯s own learning and development through a process of assessment, reflection, and taking action.
When to use it:
To continually update skills and to remain marketable in the workplace.
To determine future career direction.
How to use it:
Assess your current skills and interest through paper-and-pencil career tests or through computer programs that analyze skills and interests.
Maintain a learning log or diary to help you analyze what you are learning from work experiences.
Write a personal vision and mission statement.
Develop a personal development plan that identifies your learning needs and goals.
Find a mentor who can provide you with support, advice, and assistance in your career direction.
Become involved in professional organizations.
Read professional journals and trade magazines to keep current on the latest developments in your field.

Identify activities and practices to benchmark.
Collect data from organizations that have recognized ability or accomplishment in the activity. Suitable ¡°benchmarkers¡± may include primary competitors, other divisions in a larger organization, and ¡°world class¡± performers in a particular area. Be prepared to share as much information as you receive from benchmarking partners.
Integrate and analyze the data.
Act on the information collected by implementing features that can be adapted to your own organization.
Monitor improvements and conduct ongoing benchmarking.

A ¡°Learning Organization¡± is one in which people at all levels, individually and collectively, are continually increasing their capacity to produce results they really care about.

For the organizations, the level of performance and improvement needed today requires learning, lots of learning. In most industries, in health care, and in most areas of government, there is no clear path to success, no clear path to follow.

For the people, learning to do is enormously rewarding and personally satisfying. For those of us working in the field, the possibility of a win-win is part of the attraction. That is, the possibility of achieving extraordinary performance together with satisfaction and fulfilment for the individuals involved.

The Learning Organization is an ideal, a vision. Various organizations or parts of organizations achieve this in varying degree.

For example, The Society for Organizational Learning (formerly the Organizational Learning Centre at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)), is a major locus of research and application. Several large corporations are attracted to this concept and are investing to support organizational learning.

The benefits of a learning organisation:
Promoting a Learning Organization culture is essential to meeting the following types of challenges faced by all agencies.
Rapid Change: Change in the workplace is occurring rapidly. Agencies are being forced to quickly adapt work processes. In a Learning Organization, change is seen as an opportunity to learn through problem solving.
Shifting Focus: Federal agencies are changing their focus from a role of ensuring compliance to one of serving customers. A Learning Organization can ensure that there is a strategic alignment between customer needs, organizational goals, individual learning, and resource allocations.
Eroding Knowledge Bases: The recent attrition of Federal employees, reductions-in-force, and expected retirements are eroding the organizational knowledge bases. A Learning Organization fosters information exchange and captures expertise from all levels of personnel. And, technology is leverage to support information exchange.
Limited Training Resources: Federal training budgets are shrinking while staff members have less time to attend formal training sessions. A Learning Organization can make use of alternative strategies that integrate learning into the workplace. These alternative methods cost less and are effective.
Evolving Roles of Supervisors: Supervisors are assuming increasing responsibility for traditional human resource functions. In a Learning Organization, managers serve as teachers and each individual is empowered to be responsible for his or her own learning.

How can companies can become learning organisation:

Becoming a Learning Organization requires a cultural change for most organizations. To be successful, agencies should work with all staff members to:
Create and communicate a shared vision for the organization.
Make information in the organization accessible to all.
Help employees manage change by anticipating change and creating the types of change desired by the organization.
Empower employees to act.
Acknowledge and support the need to take risks.
Learn to manage the organization¡¯s knowledge by:

1. • Keeping information current.
2. • Maintaining historical knowledge.
3. • Addressing increasing volumes of information.