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Nancy Mohr and Alan Dichter co-authored an article for Kappan a couple of years ago entitled, “Building a Learning Organization.” While the thrust of the article was dealing with teachers, many of the same arguments and theories apply to all employees of a true “learning organization.”
Mohr and Dichter outlined, in their article, the developmental stages people go through on their journey to becoming a “learning organization.” The authors are the first to admit “these stages aren’t as clear-cut and neat as they sound on paper.” Mohr and Dichter state, “We’ve lived through them, and we know how little can be predicted and how much can go wrong.” Their goal was to build consensus yet realized early on, “consensus is not an end in itself but a starting point…” (Mohr, p 744).
Stage one of the conversion to "learning organization" is referred to as the "Honeymoon Stage: A Sense of Community Emerges." At this point in the process members of the team or building are fired-up and excited. For once they are included in the process and considered worthy to be part of a decision-making group. It is at this point the entire consensus process can be derailed before the work has even begun.
During this “Honeymoon Stage” it is critical to bring the group to a clear sense of mission or intended outcome(s). Without this entrenched in everyone’s thought process at the start you may have just created a minefield where personal goals and misunderstandings about purpose begin to unravel the still delicate fabric of shared decision-making. The role of the leader/administrator, at this stage, is to be a designer. Put an outline of the direction before the group and gain input from the entire group as to next steps.
Brainstorming is a liberating experience for members of the group. To have their thought presented to the entire group and documented is empowering and at the same time liberating. As long as everyone understands the brainstorming process is written in wet beach sand and not concrete, the individuals will be more likely to give up personal ideas in an attempt to reach consensus on the best overall idea/suggestion/plan.
Step two to the process, according to Mohr and Dichter, is called "The Conflict Stage: The Honeymoon Is Over." We are all too aware that conflict is a part of life. It is also a critical part of development of community. In fact, Mohr and Dichter refer to it as “essential to developing a healthy group” (Mohr, p 745). Teams where conflict does not occur may be headed on a collision course with disaster when people begin to mask their true feelings, ideas, and thoughts.
Healthy teams are able to share openly and are masters of conflict resolution. It is at this stage the leader assumes the role of a mediator. The leader must not only mediate but must pass on the skills of mediation and negotiation to all team members. This stage may take a great deal of time, patience, and dedication. To have a team learn to use conflict as a tool to learn and grow can be difficult at best. The key is to keep in mind, it is part of the growth process.
Third on the list is "The Confusion Stage: What's the Role of the Leader?" A time will arise during the growing process that members of the team will begin to look around and ask themselves “If we are making all the decisions, why do we need a leader anyway?” For a team to function each member of the team needs to understand her/his role and responsibilities. Every member of the team is important for the team to be successful as a unit.
A perfect example is our own form of government. A democracy can not be based on everyone doing the same thing at the same time for the same wage. That is a different form of government. Even in our democracy, we choose someone to help move the process forward.
At this third stage, the leader’s role has changed again. Now the leader must serve more as a coordinator of the process or an air traffic controller of change to avoid massive duplication of one another’s efforts. The leader must demonstrate that although decisions are no longer made unilaterally someone still needs to steer the organizational ship.
Stage four is known as "The Messy Stage: Now Things Are Even Less Clear." No longer are all the old lines of authority clearly marked. It is at this stage of the process that people feel almost out of control. The group has now reached the point of multiple groups doing varied tasks. The key to success at this stage is communication, communication, communication. Team members need to know this discomfort is a normal part of the process.
The leader’s role is critical at this stage. The leader must appear to be in full control yet at the same time listen to multiple voices so everyone feels valued, balance multiple groups within the team, promote collaborative work, gently feed data to those who need the data, and maintain the culture within the organization. It is important for the leadership team to rely on each other for balance , support, and confidentiality, so they can also be encouraged to “stay the course.”
Mohr and Dichter identify the next stage as "The Scary Stage: Where Are The Authority And The Accountability." The ball is now rolling. Change is taking root. Everyone who started down this road is now well aware that things are different than they used to be and “WE ARE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE!” It is at this stage when team members may reflect back on the “old days.”
The organization has moved into becoming a learning community and as team members look around at other similar organizations they do not see anyone even close to them. So if this is the right thing to do why isn’t everyone else up here with us? It is at this stage the leader needs to keep the vision clearly in front of the team. The leader now is in a position of nurturing a team that has moved into becoming more than just a group of people working closely together and into becoming an organization of people who see the broader picture of where the system is moving.
The final stage is referred to as "The Mature-Group Stage: A Learning Community Is Born." A mature group has moved beyond “me” and is centered on “we.” A mature group in interested in what is best for the organization and the journey toward the goals. By giving up personal agendas and pooling talents, team members begin to see the “bigger picture” and what will be best for the common good. All members now view themselves as having ownership in the mission and realize they are vital if the organization is going to reach that intended shore.
At this stage the job of the leader is not done. The leader must continue to help shape and nurture the relationships that make this stage reality. The leader must also implement strategies to bring new members “on board” as the team loses old teammates to retirement, advancement, or transfer.
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