The Learning Imperative

provide you with ideas, inspiration to help improve the engagement of your team

This is a book about creating high quality learning in organisations – learning that leads to improved performance, motivation and personal growth. The idea for a book on this topic had been germinating within us for some time, but it was a chance conversation during a morning coffee break that spurred us into action. We were working with a group of middle managers. They were a passionate group, but they were really struggling because of the way their organisation was performing.

Over a coffee, one of the group leaned forward and whispered, ‘Is everywhere else as tough as this place? I mean, how can any organisation thrive with the constant change and ever-increasing pressure we’re dealing with?’

We paused to consider a response. On the one hand, it was appropriate to recognise the external pressures they were enduring. On the other hand, we had been working with two other organisations in very similar contexts during the previous fortnight which, despite the pressure, really could be described as thriving. It was the hesitation and our facial expressions that gave us away. ‘No way! So what are they doing so differently? I thought it would be the same everywhere.’

We are acutely aware of the intense pressures that leaders of modern day organisations face. This appears to be a common thread across the public, private and third sectors. Consequently, in order to give you a clear, concise and, above all, practical manual, we have sought to keep the theory and academic references to a minimum. For those who would like to explore further, there are pointers to further reading at the end of each chapter.

How to use the book

We have designed the book in three sections to provide a step-by-step guide to developing high impact learning for any team.

Part I

Chapter 1 sets out why creating and maintaining a learning team needs to be a high priority on every leader’s agenda. It is designed to help you understand why learning is central to the long-term success of any team or organisation.

Chapter 2 explores the first steps in how to achieve this. It provides an easy-to-use framework to help you establish exactly where your team are starting from, and the learning destination they need to get to – that is, open to learning and high performing. Using this framework will ensure that learning is targeted on the specific development needs of each individual in the team.

Part II

The chapters in Part II are designed to help you build or maintain an open-to-learning mindset in your team. This is achieved by establishing three key foundations: processing capacity for learning, strong relational trust and accurate self-perception. These foundations facilitate the development of team members who are habitually reflective, curious and open to feedback. To assist with this process, the book offers tools to diagnose any closed-to-learning mindsets and provides strategies designed to make sure that teams develop a positive learning culture.

Part III

The final part of the book provides a step-by-step guide to designing and leading effective learning for others. Whether you are planning a one-hour training session or a much longer multi-session programme, the chapters in this section will help to ensure that the learning programmes your team participate in are engaging, appropriately challenging and, most importantly, develop their performance.

Whether you are an experienced leader or someone just starting out in the role, we are confident that this intentionally practical and hands-on book will provide you with ideas and inspiration to help improve the engagement of your team and make a powerful impact on their learning. This is learning that not only supports the ongoing development of your team to meet the needs of tomorrow, but also makes each and every colleague feel valued and nurtured. That is exactly what we mean by the learning imperative.