Learning for Change at the Asian Development Bank

In January I visited the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila where I worked with Olivier Serrat, ADB’s knowledge management specialist. I’m more used to working with NGOs so it was an enlightening challenge for me to experience first-hand the internal workings of a very large donor organisation.

Olivier has done some great work in ADB including the production of a series of short ‘Knowledge Solutions‘ leaflets that introduce a range of tools and methods for knowledge management and learning.

Before I arrived in Manila, Olivier and I had been in regular contact concerning a strategic document that he was writing on ‘Learning for Change in ADB’. My remit was to get up to speed on organisational learning and knowledge management in ADB  so that I could contribute to and help finalise the document and also help develop potential ‘learning and development’ programs for knowledge management and learning in ADB.

As is often the case when working with an organisation for the first time, it was a pretty steep learning curve developing my understanding of how ADB encourages individual and collective learning and makes use of the knowledge they create. In-depth discussions with a range of staff members helped me move up the curve and gave me valuable insights into the organisation’s challenges and achievements.

During my week at ADB, I was fortunate enough to attend a presentation given by the renowned economist Dr Jeffrey Sachs of the Earth Institute at Columbia University on ‘Achieving Global Cooperation on Economic Recovery and Long-Term Sustainable Development‘ and for the first time felt I had gained an (albeit short-lived!) understanding of the causes of the current economic recession.

On the second last day of my busy five-day schedule I made a presentation of my findings and suggestions in the ADB atrium – an enclosed space of light, flowers, trees, books, magazines, an enormous Google Earth touch display, cyber cafe and a Starbucks – that combines relaxation with stimulation in a way that is familiar in a Borders bookstore but unusual in a Bank! The atrium is part of ADB’s Knowledge Solutions area and provides a great place for informal presentations. I particularly enjoyed using the inspiring space bounded by four pillars which represent information, data, knowledge and wisdom – the classic hierarchy of value-add in knowledge management. The atrium is a valuable reminder that the getting of wisdom relies as much on social interaction as it does on intellectual effort.

Wall-E and the search for identity!

I went to the cinema with my family to see the new Pixar movie about the planet-saving robot Wall-E a few nights ago. After the initial ‘wow’ factor had died down and I had got over the in joke for Apple users of hearing Wall-E’s Mac-like reboot sound (what is that sound called?) I started thinking about a scene near the end which raised for me some thoughts about the nature of identity. This is a tricky enough issue when applied to humans and even more so for robots, but I started thinking about the nature of organisation’s identity.

After Wall-E is badly damaged, EVE (another robot but more iPod-like – I’m not going to explain the whole plot so just go to the movie!) is trying to repair/save him by replacing numerous damaged external parts and his badly damaged circuit board. When he revives he appears to be suffering from amnesia having forgotten everything that has happened to him during the period covered by the movie and the previous 700 years during which he has been compacting waste and evolving a ‘personality’. There is, of course, a happy ending when his ‘memory’ returns – this is a Disney movie after all!

It left me thinking about the nature of identity and where it resides. Starting with a robot, could you replace all its component parts but still have the ‘same’ robot? Technically, yes. You can try it yourself with a Lego Mindstorms robotics kit. What about a robot with a ‘personality’ like Wall-E? Hmm, a bit more complex especially given that the movie is fiction but bear with me. It seems that at least in the minds of the movie makers the answer is also ‘yes’. Wall-E’s identity resides as much in the sum total of his experiences and how others relate to him as in his physical components (even including his combined ‘brain’ and memory – the circuit board). It is physical contact with EVE that re-kindles his memory and his sense of identity.

So – what about humans and groups of humans in organisations? As individuals, I believe our identities are as much extrinsic (dependent on how others see us and relate to us) as intrinsic (how we see ourselves). Identity seems to be a complex mix of appearance (which changes), behaviour (which can be unpredictable), our experience (which shapes us intellectually, physically, emotionally and spiritually), our sense of belonging (although our allegiances may change over time), the meaning we make of our experience and our memory … and probably a number of other things besides.

I’m interested in how all this might relate to organisations. What gives them their sense of identity? Organisations can be very dynamic but they can also retain a very strong sense of identity. For example, they can generate deep mistrust and inspire incredible loyalty even when many aspects change. Organisations can and do re-structure, re-locate, re-engineer, re-focus, re-strategise and adopt new names and logos and yet somehow yjtough all of this retain their identity (even when they are trying to shake it off as Exxon has tried to). They may change what they produce in the way of goods and services, attract new leaders, alter direction, and even change their staffing like a complete blood transfusion but what they can’t change (though many try to forget it) is their history. In other words, their collective experience (which involves outsiders as much as insiders). So where does an organisation’s collective identity reside? Some would say that the essence of organisational identity is the ‘brand’. It’s an interesting thought. But somewhat depressing if the marketeers have managed to achieve what philosophers have been pondering over for centuries! So how much of an organisation can change without its identity being irreparably altered? And does this really matter?

I think it matters a lot. It is essential that organisations working for social and environmental change continue to maintain loyalty and inspire action. It is their vision, core values and track record that are most likely to be the continuing source of this loyalty and inspiration. Of course, many things in an organisation can and should change: organisations need to be able to adapt to new challenges and take advantage of emerging opportunities. Adaptability and change require those involved in an organisation to collectively understand and learn from their experience. It seems to me that it may be the collective ability to understand and learn from experience that offers an organisation the chief means of sustaining its identity. If this is correct, then an organisation’s capacity to learn not only facilitates change but also provides stability – both of which are necessary for and contribute to a strong sense of identity.

What is a ‘learning agenda’?

A major source of inspiration for me in my organisational development work has been the Canadian writer on organisations and management, Henry Mintzberg. When I was working for Save the Children UK back in 1989 I read his book ‘Mintzberg on Management’ and one of the many ideas that leapt off the page for me was his explanation of the realities of strategy development. Mintzberg’s model introduced the idea of emergent as well as planned strategy. For me it was liberating to see someone formally recognise what we all know – that the best kind of strategy is open to adaptation in response to circumstances (emergent strategy), always bearing in mind the plans the organisation makes for achieving its mission (planned strategy). It seems incredible now that this was an insight that few other management writers had thought of, but back in the late 1980s it was a revelation!
The more I thought about it, the more I realised that the idea of emergent and planned could be applied in other ways – particularly in the field of organisational learning. It fits very well with the idea that organisations need to create an enabling environment that encourages individuals and teams to reflect on and learn from their experience and from others (what I call emergent learning) and the importance of developing a more structured and planned approach to learning (planned learning). This is where the idea of a ‘learning agenda’ comes in. I don’t know who first coined the term ‘learning agenda’ but I think it is a useful concept for all organisations to consider. In simple terms, a ‘learning agenda’ is a set of questions – broad in scope – directly related to the organisation’s work that, when answered, will enable the organisation to work more effectively. A good example of a learning agenda can be found in the Bernard van Leer Foundation’s issue area framework paper on promoting ‘Social Inclusion and Respect for Diversity‘ in their work on early childhood development. The learning agenda related to policy influence on social inclusion comprises the following two questions:
1. What kinds of policies are supportive of reduced violence and enhanced social inclusion and respect for diversity?
2. What evidence, processes and strategies are successful in influencing these policies?

These questions help to shape important decisions such as their choice of partners, who they fund (they are a Foundation) and how they commission research.

Questions in a learning agenda work best if they are open, broad in scale, and genuinely interesting (to stimulate the curiosity of staff and others). A good learning agenda can help an organisation focus its work priorities and link together learning at the four main levels (individual, team, organisation and inter-organisation).

Oxfam Novib’s ‘Learning Day’

I was very fortunate to be asked to speak at Oxfam Novib’s ‘Learning Day’ at their head office in The Hague, The Netherlands on 12th June 2008. Oxfam Novib are an organisation that has really embraced the ideas of organisational learning and knowledge management at a strategic level and in their day-to-day work. One of the initiatives they have established is an annual ‘Learning Day’ that involves all head office staff in a ‘festival’ of learning and sharing – and when I say ‘festival’ I really mean it! From the moment I arrived at their office I knew something special was going on. There was a vibrant atmosphere of expectation that was obvious as soon as I stepped through the door. The importance attached to the day was underlined by the Chief Executive who opened the day by emphasising the crucial importance of learning in helping Oxfam Novib achieve its challenging strategic aims.

Throughout the day there were workshops, presentations, discussion groups and other activities involving Oxfam Novib staff as presenters and facilitators but also involving outside speakers like myself. Lunch was provided in the form of ‘brown bag’ packed lunches including Fair Trade and organic ingredients. The attention to detail was incredible and the day ran incredibly smoothly. If sound level is an indicator of people’s engagement and enthusiasm then the lunch demonstrated just how successful the day was!

I was asked to make a presentation and I chose the theme ‘Investigating the Crime of Learning in Organisations’ – hanging the presentation around the approach to learning discussed in an earlier post. However, I really was preaching to the converted and whilst participants found the presentation entertaining (using theme music from CSI and pre-recorded interviews with a learning ‘criminal’ and her manager to stimulate discussion) I suspect some of the underlying messages were not new to many of the participants. The organisers were keen for everyone to attend my presentation so I was asked to present it twice – in all, over 150 participants were involved.

At the end of the day the party began! The organisers had arranged a salsa band to provide live music and whilst some danced into the evening, others nibbled on snacks provided by a mobile food stall serving up a range of delicious tapas.

What were the messages that I took away from the day? That learning is crucially important for organisational success; that a ‘learning day’ can be a really fantastic way of bringing people together and celebrating achievements and that a well-organised event that focuses on learning can be energising and great fun! Many thanks to Arelys de Yanez and her colleagues for inviting me.

Why MMO?

Why – you may be wondering – is this blog called ‘Motive, Means and Opportunity’ (MMO for short)? The main focus of the blog is learning and development in Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the title relates to a paper I wrote for the Oxford-based organisation INTRAC entitled ‘Organisational Learning in NGOs – Creating the Motive, Means and Opportunity‘. One of the people I interviewed during the research for the INTRAC paper told me that she felt learning in her organisation was treated as if it was a crime – she felt she had to steal the time necessary for reflecting on her work even though the organisation was the main beneficiary of her learning. That made me think about the idea of trying to create a ‘crime wave’ of learning in organisations.

People with an interest in detective novels and television series such as CSI will know that for anyone to be a suspect in a crime three things must be established: their motive (the reason for committing the crime), means (the knowledge, skills or tools used in committing the crime) and opportunity (the conditions that made committing the crime possible). All three are necessary – just two won’t do. So if we want to encourage our people to commit the ‘crime’ of learning, we need to provide motives, means and opportunities to everyone in the organisation. In reality, the motive is rarely a problem – I believe most people love to learn and naturally want to share their knowledge with others. However, providing the means can be more of a challenge particularly for those of us who don’t value the knowledge we have or can’t find a suitable way of expressing it to others. The biggest challenge for organisations is to loosen up enough to create opportunities – both formal and informal – for learning individually and collectively.

Providing opportunities relates to what I call ‘planned’ and ‘emergent’ learning. Planned learning relies more on creating formal opportunities to create and share knowledge that relate to organisational learning ‘agendas’ – longer term focuses for individual and collective learning. Emergent learning requires organisations to create a range of ‘spaces’ (what I refer to in the INTRAC paper as a “rich ecosystem of possibilities”) that provides a fertile environment for people to reflect individually and collectively but with no pre-determined plan for what will emerge. This treats learning as an end in itself or, more accurately, a means to an end which is, as yet, unclear. Both planned and emergent learning are essential in healthy, effective learning organisations. The challenge I intend to explore in future posts is how to encourage both types of learning in ways that lead to organisational creativity, adaptability and sustainability.