Challenges of Cultural Transformation

The Third Challenge - Developing a Learning Environment

"In times of change the learners shall inherit the earth, whilst the learned shall find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."

~ Eric Hoffer

Since Eric Hoffer, the author of 10 books and winner of the US ‘Presidential Medal of Freedom’, made this statement the ability to learn has become widely recognised as the most important skill for ongoing success. To do so effectively, including the integration of new knowledge such that it creates changes in behaviour, is the key to all progress. As the pace of change in the world continues to increase, any person or company that is not learning and growing is actually losing ground at an ever increasing rate.

So change is essential, but it gets blocked in two major ways:

  • Fear of failure and the consequent avoidance of risk. Most people attempt to live seeking to avoid failure. Change is impossible without risking failures, because any time you attempt something new it is impossible to be certain in advance that it will be successful and such failures can badly damage reputations. On the other hand, if you do not risk anything then you will be stuck in your comfort zone while the world around you continues to change. Under such circumstances ultimate failure is inevitable.
  • Failure to let go of the known. This is one of the major causes of stagnation for companies and individuals. When things go wrong some companies go on a hunt for someone to blame, while others seek to identify the lessons that can be learned, how the failure could be turned into success, or where there may have been successes hidden within the apparent failure. Whenever there is a tendency to look for someone to blame when mistakes are made, it keeps companies looking into the past rather than focusing on making improvements in the future.

For an organisation to provide an environment that stimulates growth it must recognise that when people do new things mistakes are inevitable. They are a natural and inevitable part of the learning process, essential for any progress to be made. If this is not tolerated and supported, even encouraged, it will not be long before they seek instead to play it safe – to avoid losing what they have rather than try to make things better. Playing it safe directly obstructs creativity and achievement. Under such circumstances no meaningful learning is possible.

There is no doubt that the ability to learn well is essential in the modern world and that those who do it most effectively are likely to be the most successful. What seems strange is that although most people recognise its importance, very few pursue it with energy and commitment. Our programmes help people to do just that.

 

Raising awareness
Stimulating new thoughts and behaviours
Developing a learning environment
Growing your leaders