THE LEARNING ORGANIZATION The Seven Imperatives Model Watkins and Marsick (1996)

Background Also known as the Seven Dimensions Model Premise – Learning takes place at various levels of the organization and beyond

Learning Levels Individual: Triggered through inquiry and dialogue, and continuous learning Team/Groups: Collaboration towards continuous learning and transformation Organization: Creating systems to capture and share learning and empowering people to act towards a collective vision Global (society): Connecting with the environment through strategic leadership for learning

Learning Organization Action Imperatives Provide strategic leadership for learning Connect organization to its environment Empower people toward a collective vision Create systems to capture and share learning Promote enquiry and dialogue Create continuous learning opportunities Encourage Collaboration and Team Learning Continuous Learning And Change Global Organization Team Individuals

Promote inquiry and Dialogue Inquiry Climate of trust that promotes exploration of ways people think. Need for open minded curiosity. Dialogue Complements inquiry The purpose is to go beyond ones understanding and unveil incoherence.

Continuous Learning Opportunities Making available learning opportunities for education and individual growth. On-the-job learning. Individual sharing of learning and transferring into organizational processes. Incremental gains in knowledge

Team Learning Group work as a design Different approaches to a project and then groups will deliberate on the merits of the approaches Group learning Culture of collaboration is rewarded

Embedded Systems Systems of sharing learning are created and integrated into work. Prerequisites for capturing and sharing learning People are empowered toward a collective vision People are encouraged to participate in enacting that vision through collaboration and team learning Organization memory

Empowerment People are involved in creating, owning and implementing a vision. People are free to develop their own networks and are able to scan the internal and external environment The organization is thus connected to the environment

Systems Connection People are able to see the impact of their work on the entire range of the enterprise. A meaningful relationship between work, organization, community and global society is developed.

Strategic Leadership Leadership model, champion and supports learning. Comparing present reality to the vision Transformative leadership