Building Learning Organizations in Dementia Care December 2010 Kelly Papa MSN, RN

A Leaders New Work: Building Learning Organizations By Peter Senge Article available to you on the Alzheimer’ Resource Center Knowledge Sharing Web Community

Definition “A learning organization is an organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, were collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning how to learn together.” –Peter Senge

Leadership Leaders in learning organizations are: Designers Teachers Stewards These roles require new skills. The 5 Disciplines

New Skills Leading a learning organization requires new skills. These skills can only be developed through lifelong commitment. By understanding the practices and principles of a learning organization, a leader can develop needed skills. The 5 Disciplines of a Learning Organization

Personal Mastery “Personal mastery is the discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively.”

Creative Tension “Creative tension comes from seeing clearly where we want to be, our “vision,” and telling the truth about where we are, our “current reality.” The gap between the two generates a natural tension.” Core Leadership Capacity!!!!

Mental Models “Mental models are deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, or even pictures or images that influence how we understand the world and how we take action. Very often, we are not consciously aware of our mental models or the effects they have on our behavior.”

Mental Models The discipline of reflection and inquiry skills is focused around developing awareness of the attitudes and perceptions that influence thoughts and interactions. By continually reflecting upon, talking about and reconsidering these internal pictures of the world, people can gain more capabilities in governing their actions and decisions.

Shared Vision “When there is a genuine vision (as opposed to the all-too-familiar “vision statement”), people excel and learn, not because they are told to, but because they want to.” “The practice of shared vision involves the skills of unearthing shared “pictures of the future” that foster genuine commitment and enrollment rather than compliance.”

Team Learning “When teams are truly learning, not only are they producing extraordinary results, but the individual members are growing more rapidly than could have occurred other wise.” “A group can discover insights not attainable individually.”

Systems Thinking “Systems thinking is a conceptual framework, a body of knowledge and tools, to make the full patterns clearer, and to help us see how to change them effectively.” “We tend to focus on snapshots of isolated parts of the system, and wonder why our deepest problems never seem to get solved.”

Mind Mapping In the center of the page write Dementia Care. Put a circle around it. Reflect on the systems interrelating in the work that you do. Title them. Connect these topics with circles and lines to dementia care.

Why become a Learning Organization? It will empower your organization to achieve dramatically higher results compared to traditional organizations and will enable you to: Anticipate and adapt to change Be more responsive to needs Generate more enthusiasm and innovation Nurture talented professionals

Learning Organizations “The organization that will truly excel in the future will be the organization that will truly tap people’s commitment and capacity to learn at all levels in an organization.” -Peter Senge

Leadership Challenge in Building Learning Organizations “Significant change will require imagination, perseverance, dialogue, deep caring, and a willingness to change.” -Peter Senge

Leadership The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, “we did it ourselves.” -Lao Tsu