GSCHERL@fed.ism.ca (GSCHERL) makes a number of
good points, among them the following nugget:
> ... Deodorant doesn't work! It's only a short term fix.
> This can be applied to so many things. Deodorant works if you use a
> small amount each day. Motivation will work if you use a small amount
> each day. The Learning Organization, once in place, works because of
> the environment that allows people to learn a small amount each day.
The fundamental reason that deodorant works is because the feedback loop
acts in real time. In order for LO to work, we must devise a set of proxy
measurements that give the executives some positive feedback showing
progress. For example, if toilet paper usage can be correlated with on the
job performance, we can show that their actions yesterday impacted the
performance today. (There has been proven correlations here!). File
folder consumption measures amount of new project paper being created.
So does new file creation on the LAN server.
Similarly, if Email volume is related to organizational unease, then we
can show them how their proclamation yesterday caused confusion by
an uptick in eMail volumes.
These surrogates are a sure-fire way to satisfy the executives' trained-in
behaviour, while making progress toward the LO. This is the basis for
my pragmatic approach to OD. I try to apply the LO disciplines to the
consulting change process itself by showing them root causes.
This is getting dangerously close to revealing why my daily consulting
rate is so high - better go now!
--Keith Cowan <72212.51@CompuServe.COM>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>