The Learning Organization

Deputy Auditor General: Larry Meyers
Responsible Author: Otto Brodtrick


Main Points

5.1 Today's organizations operate in a world of rapid and accelerating change. To stay relevant, effective and competitive, these organizations must learn at least as fast as their environment changes. This means maintaining a fit between the organizations' assumptions about reality and reality itself.

5.2 The learning organization views change not as a threat to be resisted, but as an opportunity to become more confident, responsive and effective.

5.3 The learning organization encourages its members at all levels to learn continually and to embed their skills and knowledge into its attitudes and practices.

5.4 Organizational learning is inspired by "learning champions." These are people who foster a sense of purpose, develop enlightened strategies, attract other committed people, and view work environments as continual learning structures through which service and performance can be improved.

5.5 The learning organization sees itself as part of an interactive partnership with its customers. This relationship involves a process of ongoing development through reciprocal feedback. Together, the partners create products and services that are valued by society.

5.6 The public service could foster organizational learning through experimental projects in a variety of areas. These projects would emphasize continuous learning as the basis for effective teamwork and for improvements in service and performance. Learning and innovation would gradually become dominant characteristics of the public service culture.