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Organizational Learning and Organizational Memory 371
Table 11.1
Key characteristics and associated best practices of successful learning organizations
Characteristic Defi nition Associated best practices Positive by-products
Self The ability to 1. Positive reinforcement Greater commitment to
mastery — honestly and from role models/ the organization and to
individual openly see reality as managers work; less rationalization
it exists; to clarify 2. Sharing experiences of negative events;
one ’ s personal 3. More interaction time ability to face limitations
vision and areas for
between supervisory
levels improvement; ability to
deal with change
4. Emphasis on feedback
5. Balance work/nonwork
life
Mental The ability to 1. Time for learning Less use of defensive
models — compare reality or 2. Refl ective openness routines in work; less
individual personal vision 3. Habit of inquiry refl exivity that leads to
with perceptions; dysfunctional patterns of
reconciling both 4. Forgiveness of oneself behavior; less avoidance
into a coherent 5. Flexibility/adaptability of diffi cult situations
understanding
Shared The ability of a 1. Participative openness Commitment over
vision — group group of individuals 2. Trust compliance, faster
to hold a shared 3. Empathy toward others change, greater within
picture of a group trust; less time
mutually desirable 4. Habit of dissemination spent on aligning
future 5. Emphasis on interests; more effective
cooperation communication fl ows
6. A common language
Team The ability of a 1. Participative openness Group self-awareness;
learning — group of individuals 2. Consensus building heightened collective
group to suspend personal 3. Top-down and learning; learning “ up
assumptions about bottom-up and down ” the
each other and communication fl ows hierarchy; greater
engage in cohesiveness; enhanced
“ dialogue ” rather 4. Support over blame creativity
than “ discussion ” 5. Creative thinking
Systems The ability to see 1. Practicing self mastery Long-term improvement
thinking — interrelationships 2. Possessing consistent or change; decreased
group rather than linear mental models organizational confl ict;
cause and effect; 3. Possessing a shared continuous learning
the ability to think vision among group members;
in context and revolutionary over
appreciate the 4. Emphasis on team evolutionary change
consequences of learning
actions on other
parts of the system