Building an Innovative Learning Organization

A Framework to Build a Smarter Workforce, Adapt to Change, and Drive Growth

Wiley, 2016

15 min read

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A learning culture makes any organization stronger, more resilient and more prepared for the future.

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General Electric, Google, Netflix, Starbucks and PricewaterhouseCoopers are all “learning organizations” with vibrant “learning cultures.” Corporate learning expert Russell Sarder tells you how your company can join their ranks and become an organization that fosters continuous learning for sound strategic reasons. He explains why an emphasis on learning makes any workforce stronger. While he covers mostly familiar ground, getAbstract finds that Sarder provides a solid foundation for HR executives, corporate strategists and executives who want to gain from the advantages of developing a learning organization.

Summary

Your Competitive Edge

To remain competitive, your company must engage in one all-important, essential action on a routine basis: learning. For proof, consider the typical buggy-whip manufacturer at the turn of the 20th century. With no learning and therefore no vision or knowledge of changing times, the buggy-whip company couldn’t see its future going up in smoke as cars replaced horses and the buggy whip became unnecessary.

Blockbuster, which filed for bankruptcy in 2010, is a more recent buggy-whip example. The videotape and DVD-rental company “put itself out of business” because its decision makers made incorrect judgments about future technology. The prevailing wisdom in the firm was that Blockbuster was “never going to go out of business,” because the Internet was “too weak, too slow.”

Netflix’s leaders thought differently. They looked to the future and adapted to thrive in a new technological, web-based environment. Learning enables leaders to audit present conditions intelligently so they can anticipate and prepare for the future.

With Google and Amazon both considering package delivery by drones, FedEx and UPS likewise must learn the issues involved...

About the Author

Russell Sarder is CEO of NetCom Learning and of Sarder, Inc., which includes LearningGG, LearningCMS, Sarder Learning and Ebiz9. It publishes Technology and Training magazine and produces interviews with learning professionals for Sarder TV.

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D. H. 7 years ago

Some great rationale for diving into the extended effort that will be required to make the cultural changes needed to be successful - yet a necessary transition to a 21st century organization.
A. C. 8 years ago

Predictable in places nevertheless a useful reminder of the importance of being a learner and developing a cilulture to match.
A. M. 8 years ago

Very effective and applicable book

Russell Sarder