Month: February 2010

Learning to work anew

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My Net Work Learning presentation on Slideshare has garnered a fair number of views in the past two weeks and I’m assuming there’s an interest in the themes presented. Slides alone are rather limited in getting a message across, so I’ve created a slide show with audio that covers most of the first part of the larger presentation. I will make more of these if there is any demand.

I like the audio & slide format because I don’t need video editing skills and the pictures/words seem to work well together. I used Jing Pro to make this.

Click image or link to launch MP4 (4 minutes):

Net Work Learning Screenshot

Net Work Learning

Presentation available on Slideshare (slightly modified)

Learning is (still) conversation

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The folks at Scotland’s GoodPractice for leaders & managers have a white paper on How Managers Learn, with some interesting, but not surprising, results. They conducted a survey to find out more about informal learning in the workplace, inspired by Jay Cross, who has shown that “informal learning plays an important part in the learning and performance landscape“.

Respondents reported that the  most-used as well as the most effective informal learning method was: informal chats with colleagues. Other top-rated methods include the use of (external) search engines; trial & error; informal on-the-job instruction; and professional reading. Without looking at any other ways to encourage informal learning among leaders (everyone is a leader in a knowledge-intensive workplace) – just promoting informal conversations would be beneficial. That’s one small step for each person; one giant leap for the organization.

Yes, learning is conversation (2005).

informl_member.jpg

Here’s a quote from Jay’s book on Informal Learning:

Conversations

“Conversation is the most powerful learning technology ever invented. Conversations carry news, create meaning, foster cooperation, and spark innovation. Encouraging open, honest conversation through work space design, setting ground rules for conversing productively, and baking conversation into the corporate culture spread intellectual capital, improve cooperation, and strengthen personal relationships.”

There are many great tools and technologies to facilitate conversation, which I’ve discussed here and used with clients and partners, but the key is having a culture of conversation. Part of it is just being interested in what’s happening in the enterprise. It’s likely easier for managers to be interested in what is happening because they are empowered to do something. The challenge for organizations is to get everyone involved in conversations. With complex problems, we need as many and as diverse conversations as possible, and there are a variety of ways to get started.

Blind Monks 2.0

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David Guillocheau at Talent[Power]Management describes what I would call human resources in a wired world [enough of this 2.0 appendage]. He discusses (in French)  the various aspects of networked-enabled HR.

Recruiting: social networks; online events; serious games.

Integrating new workers: online mentoring; internal blogs.

Evaluation: online employee profiles; internal markets or currency.

Training: communities of practice; learning communities.

Internal communication: manager blogs; internal social networks, micro-blogs, chat.

Social interactions: private collaborative work space; blogs, internal polling.

HR management: communities of practice; project management space; blogs.

In the comments, Frédéric Williquet adds a definition of this new approach to human resources, which I’ve loosely translated: Human Resources is a community agent that ensures an environment where employees have the opportunity to collaborate, innovate and excel. It provides a framework to inspire employees to work collaboratively according to their interests and abilities.

This definition sounds very much like wirearchy, especially the notion of a two-way flow of power and authority based on information, knowledge, trust and credibility. The above examples of networked HR are wirearchy type work: based on knowledge, trust, credibility AND a focus on results – enabled by interconnected people and technology.

Enterprise 2.0, Learning 2.0, HR 2.0 or Social Business Design are all the same thing seen from different angles. They are the proverbial blind monks examining an elephant.

Blind_monks_examining_an_elephant

We are all examining how best to get work done in a networked economy, because the Internet has changed everything. This is most evident today in publishing and journalism, but ever more so in how we manage work without geographical boundaries. We are all learning how to work anew. It’s time for the blind monks to start working together.