As organizations seem to be
straddling the "knowledge' economy and the "data" economy,
establishing and promoting a culture of "learning" within the
organizations is rising as a key "leadership" capability. As a leader
at any level of the organization, the following actions can be chosen to
promote learning:
Align Interests Prompt on
Leadership
Try to look for the skill
training that is good for both the employee and the business as an individual.
The advantages to the organization are obvious, but the motivation to learn for
the employee will be much higher if employees feel that their progression of career
has been taken into account. Training should be conducted to teach employees
skills that will be beneficial them just as much in a long period of time as it
is in the current role - then this advantage needs to be emphasized (Reid, Barrington and Brown).
Model Behavior Prompt on
Leadership
The initiative should be shown
and interest should be taken in the own learning, knowledge as well as continuing
education. Seeing own self take a role that so proactive in own skill
development and capabilities will make the employees far likely to do the same
thing. If a leader would like to have engaged and attentive employees who
devote energy and time enthusiastically to ongoing training in the organization,
then a leader must lead by example. There are various advantages for leader and
employees as well as an organization when a leader is actually leading by an example
(Marquardt).
Coaching and Mentoring Prompt
on Leadership
It is essential that employees
feel they are not alone and they have the support of their leader, and they can
turn to their leader if there are some concerns or questions about the
learning. Providing debriefing and candid feedback is one way to become an
effective and efficient coach, same feedback and debriefing should be outlined
on some paper so that employees could easily understand. Furthermore, it should
be made sure that employees know and must feel that their leader is interested
in the progress of his her employees and that their leader is anytime open to
listening about any issues or problems they might face or encounter during the
whole training process (Härtel and Fujimoto).
Recognize Success Prompt on
Leadership
Learning of the employees should
be tracked, and success should be rewarded as well as recognized in some possible
ways so that efforts of the employees could be appreciated. Acknowledge the achievement
of goals and meeting of targets, and hard-working employees should know that
their leader is impressed by their work, efforts, and progress (Marquardt).
Allow Collaboration Prompt
on Leadership
This is not a secret that most of
the times that information can be retained best after teaching the same
information to someone else. Set up a time if possible, a long lunch or dinner perhaps,
during that all of the employees can join together and help one another with
any learning parts that have been difficult for them. An opportunity can be
given to employees through this get together to discuss the features and
learnings from training among themselves, furthermore, a sense of team spirit would
be cultivated despite being at distinct phases of individualized learning (Reid, Barrington and Brown).
Depending on the method of market
or learning, several ways are there by which learning can be promoted in the
organization. It is advised in some articles that financial incentives should
be used in order to encourage the learning in the organization, while intrinsic
rewards have been focused by others in order to motivate the employees. At many
large organizations, managers of the accounting department work with leadership
and provide them assistance to implement training of data analysis at scale
while keeping the sight of all important features of effective learning (Adkins and Rigoni).
Gallup conducted a survey that
shows development in a job is considered important by 87 percent of millennials
think. Furthermore, opportunities to grow and learn are considered extremely
important by 59 percent of millennials while applying for some job. Considering
this a case, motivating employees to learn new skills and enhance their
capabilities in the workplace should be considered as an important
organizational goal (Härtel and Fujimoto).
The above actions will be chosen
because organizational learning is a dynamic and ongoing process that should be
a part of the DNA of the organization. A community of learners is supported by
the learning culture, as a total workplace, where everyone learns, everyone teaches,
and everyone shares knowledge. Collective, as well as individual learning, is rewarded
and encouraged. And the organizations that embrace learning culture will be
able to sustain as well as a gain competitive advantage (Reid, Barrington and Brown).
References Prompt
on Leadership
Adkins, Amy and Brandon Rigoni. Millennials Want
Jobs to Be Development Opportunities. 30 June 2016.
<https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236438/millennials-jobs-development-opportunities.aspx>.
Härtel, Charmine E.J. and Yuka Fujimoto. Human
Resource Management. Pearson Australia, 2014.
Marquardt, Michael. 16 Steps to
Becoming a Learning Organization. American Society for Training and
Development, 1997.
Reid, Margaret Anne, Harry A. Barrington
and Mary Brown. Human Resource Development: Beyond Training Interventions.
CIPD Publishing, 2004.