John asks (slightly paraphrased)
>is it possllbe for individuals or teams to initiate actions that will
lead to the desire >for the development of the leraning organisation.
I hope so!
Much of conventional theory (and practice) believes in top level
sponsorship and a bottom down approach i.e. programmes won't happen unless
sanctioned.
As we know from many studies of innovation, it is often the informal, the
"skunk works", that gets things done. Having observed successful bottom up
initiatives several times during my career, I would suggest the following
prerequisites
- the sphere of action must be something that an indivudal or team believes
passionately in
- find a "cooperative" line manager who can offer an outlet for your
ideas/approach/intervention
- network assiduosly (within and without the organisation) to bring talent
and knwoledge to bear on the issue - what Moss Kanter calls developing
coalitions to leverage resrouces (or at leat something like that)
- demonstrate the business benefits
then senior management will take note and want more of it. The trick is
then to engineer it in such a way that they feel it was their idea!
-- David J. Skyrme Management Systems Consultant david@skymr.hiway.co.uk