Arthur, I think was answered by another in a manner similar to what I
would do. But let me extend it a bit and make clear what I want to
communicate. I think the issue is a key one in the field of
organisational learning and its likely impact and staying power.
"so are you saying that if an improvement isn't observable it isn't
real? "
To reverse the order of your questions. Yes I am saying if it isn't
observable it isn't real. This isn't a metaphysical conversation
(where I might say the opposite) but an organisational one. The only
valid reason for not being an observable result is that it hasn't
taken effect yet. In this case, I want to know the theory, make
sense of it for myself, and then see that the interim results are
happening as they ought to. That's the world I live in. That's the
world a productive enterprise lives in as far as I can tell.
"But what does the phrase 'demonstration of competence on the job' mean
to you?"
It means whatever the system, boss, client, market says it means. I
don't decide for others what is competence and I don't have others
decide for me what is competence. (And I use their standards if they
are my client.)
If a manager says "I can create an extraordinary team" I'm saying
give him/her one and see. If someone says "I can create an increase
in organisational learning and it will benefit you" I'm saying give
her/him an opportunity and see.
I think what I said originally and here is quite clear. I suspect
that the source of your question is disagreement - not unclarity.
If organisational learning is going to make an impact, stay around,
make difference - then it's going to have to produce observable
results that please somebody.
-- Michael McMaster : Michael@kbdworld.com book cafe site : http://www.vision-nest.com/BTBookCafe "I don't give a fig for simplicity this side of complexity but I'd die for the simplicity on the other side of complexity." attributed to Chief Justice Brandies
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>