They are impassioned about their work and committed to helping their organization achieve its vision. Such people learn from their mistakes and break the old patterns of behavior that lead to crippling business decisions. B y looking at problems systematically, organizations avoid the blame game and finger pointing that typically leads to quick-fix solutions. Employees are encouraged to learn and participate, and their contributions are valued. They realize their full potential because they are no longer shackled by functional barriers, historical biases or hierarchical management structures.
People have to fundamentally change the way they think and interact with others in the organization.
In fact, according to Senge, traditional measures such as profits may actually be off at first because learning organizations should not focus on short-term solutions. Jeff Clanon, executive director of MIT's COL, says companies have to take heed of both the quantitative and qualitative impact of learning. Criteria such as time to market or manufacturing costs are relatively easy for an organization to get its hands around. But getting a handle on whether employee learning is enhanced is a bear. At best, the process of measuring learning is highly subjective because it involves tapping into people's perceptions based on their own experiences.