Jane Stubberfield Organisational Implications of Coaching

At the end of this session you will be able to:  Describe what is meant by the organisational learning  Identify single, double and triple loop learning  Assess the value of organisational learning

 Collective learning where not only the person who is doing the job improves but others in the organisation also change the way things are done. It brings about change, not only in the individual but also in organisational behaviour (Swieringa J & Wierdsma A (1992), Becoming a Learning Organisation, Addison Wesley)  Where individual learning becomes embedded in the organisation’s memory and structure (Kim D (1993) The link between Individual and Organisational Learning, Sloan Management Review)

 “Organisations do not have brains, but they have cognitive systems and memories… Members come and go, and leadership changes, but organisations’ memories preserve certain behaviours, mental maps, norms and values over time” (Hedberg, B. (1981) How organizations learn and unlearn, Handbook of organizational Design – Vol 1, Oxford University Press)

 The link between individual and organisational learning is shared mental models. Through the process of team learning evolve shared frameworks and shared routines (Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (1978) Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective, Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley)

FramingReframing Integrating perspectives Experimenting Crossing boundaries Argyris, C. & Schon, D, (1978), Organizational learning: A theory of Action Perspective, Addison Wesley

 Single loop learning  Double loop learning  Triple loop learning

 When the error detected and corrected permits the organization to carry on its present policies or achieve its presents objectives, then that error-and-correction process is single-loop learning. Single-loop learning is like a thermostat that learns when it is too hot or too cold and turns the heat on or off. The thermostat can perform this task because it can receive information (the temperature of the room) and take corrective action. Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (1978) Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective, Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley.

LearningAction Organisational or environmental response

 Double-loop learning occurs when error is detected and corrected in ways that involve the modification of an organization’s underlying norms, policies and objectives. Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (1978) Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective, Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley.

Learning Organisational frameworks and routines Action Organisational or environmental response

“Someone who only knows what he has learned and not how he learned it, still has a lot to learn” Swieringa, J. & Wierdsma, A., (1992), Becoming a learning organization, Addison Wesley) Triple loop learning is learning to learn better

‘they reflect on and inquire into previous episodes of organisational learning, or failure to learn. They discover what they did that facilitated or inhibited learning, they invent new strategies for learning, they produce these strategies and they evaluate and generalise what they have produced’ Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (1978) Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective, Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley.

Reflect on previous organisational learning Find out what enabled or inhibited the learning Discover new strategies for learning Design and implement new learning strategies Evaluate and share new learning strategies

 Incomplete learning cycles  Organisational structure and culture  Individual’s strengths, weaknesses and learning styles  Mental models

1 How do the different levels of learning impact on organisations? 2 Assess the role of coaching in organisational learning and its impact on the three levels? Organisational Learning Exercise

Swieringa J & Wierdsma A (1992), Becoming a Learning Organisation, Addison Wesley Kim D (1993) The link between Individual and Organisational Learning, Sloan Management Review Hedberg, B. (1981) How organizations learn and unlearn, Handbook of organizational Design – Vol 1, Oxford University Press Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (1978) Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective, Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley References

This resource was created by the University of Plymouth, Learning from WOeRk project. This project is funded by HEFCE as part of the HEA/JISC OER release programme.Learning from WOeRk This resource is licensed under the terms of the Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales license ( The resource, where specified below, contains other 3 rd party materials under their own licenses. The licenses and attributions are outlined below: 1.Slide 6, Team Processes: Argyris, C. & Schon, D, (1978), Organizational learning: A theory of Action Perspective, Addison Wesley 2.Slide 8, 10, 12, Single, Double and Triple Loop Learning: Argyris, C., & Schön, D. (1978) Organizational learning: A theory of action perspective, Reading, Mass: Addison Wesley. 3.The name of the University of Plymouth and its logos are unregistered trade marks of the University. The University reserves all rights to these items beyond their inclusion in these CC resources. 4.The JISC logo, the and the logo of the Higher Education Academy are licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution -non-commercial-No Derivative Works 2.0 UK England & Wales license. All reproductions must comply with the terms of that license. Author Jane Stubberfield InstituteUniversity of Plymouth Title Organisation Learning Description Defining organisational learning and its levels Date Created Educational Level 7 Keywords UKOER, LFWOER, Learning from WOeRK, UOPCPDLM, Continuous Professional Development, CPD, Work-based Learning, WBL, Learning, development, strategy, coaching, organizational learning, organisational learning Back page originally developed by the OER phase 1 C-Change project ©University of Plymouth, 2010, some rights reserved