The ability to grow and develop as an organization takes a commitment by everyone to continue to learn and improve. Building a learning ecosystem within your organization is the most effective way to provide an atmosphere of learning and improvement on a daily basis.
A learning ecosystem provides its members with a wide array of directions to turn when they have questions about tasks or concepts and enable an environment where people are encouraged to help others by sharing their knowledge.
Four elements of a learning ecosystem contribute to the overall success of an organization. These four elements provide a conducive atmosphere that encourages people to work as one for the benefit of the organization
Achieving the Correct Mindset
In building a learning ecosystem with an organization, the first step is to encourage a mindset among all the members that they all have strengths and weaknesses.
This can take some time as most members will downplay their weaknesses and emphasize their strengths. In corporate culture, this has been the norm for many years, and it’s hard to break people of this habitual mindset.
Admitting weaknesses has, in the past, led to a lack of promotion within many organizations. It was seen as being detrimental and a burden to the organization’s hierarchy. But this type of mindset is counterproductive to the goals of almost every organization in the world. People can’t improve if they refuse to acknowledge any room for improvement.
Incorporate Blended Learning
By having many avenues of learning available to members of your organization, you increase the chances of them taking advantage of the learning opportunities within your learning ecosystem.
Learning should be personalized as much as possible. Some people learn more in a workshop-type environment, while others may absorb more from a lecture. The choices of methods of education these days include online video conferences, online learning course with personalized feedback and face-to-face workshops, seminars and lectures.
By making all of these avenues of learning available to the members of your organization, they’ll find, and become comfortable, with the learning method that personally engages them the most.
Reinforce the Concept of a Learning Community
Rather than look to outside educators to provide all the learning opportunities for your members, utilize the knowledge within the organization as well as a facet of the learning ecosystem.
Learning should not be entirely conceptual. The senior members of your organization can share their knowledge of the real-world practices and processes of your organization to train the junior members.
This reinforces the value of continued learning with every member of your organization from the employees to senior management. It also underlines the concept that everyone has their limitations, and education within the learning ecosystem is a community effort to minimize those limitations.
Foster a Learning Environment
By fostering an environment where learning is readily available in many forms, you’ll also foster an atmosphere of endless curiosity and improvement. This will instill in all members of your organization the philosophy of lifelong learning being as important as breathing, eating and sleeping.
It will also make the learning ecosystem a valued facet that benefits both the members of the organization and the organization itself.
