How to make learning part of your company

To move forward as a company it is imperative that you grow the people at the same rate as your company. That means making learning part of your organisational DNA.

At GE - even at simple operating meetings - the leaders ask "What are we learning here" They don't just accept success, they want to learn from the success. They want to know what created the success, how the numbers have grown, what changes they could make and even more powerful how could we make it even better.

Sometimes success can lead to complacency....it does not have to do. The key is to build a learning culture that explores, that encourages people to push the boundaries, that loves success and passionately wants to create it.

A quote to inspire you to inspire

Lou Gerstner said

"In the end, management doesn't change culture. Management invites the workforce to change the culture"

Look at the word invite....you invite because you want to, you invite because they are people you respect, you invite with the knowledge they have a choice...

Do you tell people what kind of culture, or do you invite them to the "culture party?"

If they are not accepting the invitation then look at that mirror, what are you doing that is preventing people wanting to come to the "culture party?"

Boxing clever for Suggestions

I am not a lover of suggestion boxes...though it is a start, I have to admit that in getting feedback. The problem tends to be that they become moaning posts so what about having two!

One for problems/threats
One for solutions/opportunities

This builds into the culture a sense of acccountability and responsibility for driving improvement. Post the problems that people see and get them to suggest improvements...with the winner being based on the solution rather than the issue.

Be the change you want to see in the world!

The heading of this post is a quote for Ghandi and is so true!

Social change starts with individuals - so if you want to reform your team, reform your culture, reform how people interact etc then start by reforming yourself. The change will impact others around you and even if others do not change then you have helped changed the world...by changing one person!