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LEARNING GROUP: A PROCESS TOOL TO ENHANCE COMMUNICATION AND GROUP WORKING

Updated: Feb 19

Published as part of Tata McGraw Hill Publications, the article examines how "Open Space Technology" can be used to create learning groups based on the author’s experience in building such practices. 


Introduction:


The changing times due to rapid change in technology, information flow, and the cultural changes in human beings make it imperative for professional in any field to make continuous learning a habit. The need to develop high power knowledge organizations, the new perspective of knowledge worker, and the shift from knowledge generation to knowledge utilization etc. makes it imperative for professionals to update their chosen field and to keep an open mind to learn and grow on a continuous basis.   In the changing times, team learning processes have replaced the individual learning  processes. Besides formal education, individuals learn from listening to others (seminar, lectures etc.), reading (books/magazines/papers etc.), attending classes etc. However, how these individual learning processes can be translated for larger number of people in an organizational context would be the challenge for any organization, in the ensuing years. The area of team learning has received much attention in recent literature on organizational learning (Kas et al., 1992., Marsick et al., 1992; Senge, 1990). These  authors have argued that collaborative learning is better for organizational purposes than individual learning, and that team skills are sorely needed in today’s interdependent, networked world.


Learning is a continuous process. Learning is a form of adaptation to the environment. Learning can be defined as a process of experience in a given context through a process of participation, observation, and reflection, which help the individuals to improve their thinking pattern resulting into modified behaviour to adapt to the environment. (This operational definition would be reflected throughout this paper). Learning occurs when errors are detected and corrected. An error is any mismatch between intention and what actually happen. There are two kinds of learning: Single loop and Double loop. Single loop learning occurs when the mismatch is corrected by altering behaviours or actions. Double loop learning occurs when the underlying values are changed and then new actions follow.


The potential to learn is related to the strength of the drive and the strength of habit. The relationship can be expressed as follows: E = D x H (Where E = Potential, D, the strength of drive, and H the strength of Habit.). The inferences from the multiplication nature of this formula are given below:

  • E is high, if both D or H is high; and is Zero if either D or H is Zero

  • Over a period of time D will decrease, when response meets with reward and fulfils the needs, and H will increase due to habit formation. 

  • At the same time, it will stabilize i.e. the point at which no additional learning takes place. A new drive or motivation is required at this point to improve learning. 


The conceptual base

Albert Bandura, based on social learning theory indicates that for persons to engage successfully in a behaviour, they must:

  1. perceive a link between the behaviour and certain outcomes (behaviour-outcome linkage)

  2. desire those outcomes (positive valence)

  3. believe that they can do it (self-efficacy)


The concept of Learning Group (LG) as an HRD intervention has been developed keeping these elements of social learning theory, the theories of Organizational Communication (the word “communication” is derived from a Latin word communis meaning ‘commune” – be together), and experiences of Large Scale Interactive Events, specially open space technology (Harris Owen, 1992). Various research studies on organizational effectiveness indicate that communication – interpersonal and flow of communication across the organization or formal /informal – is one of the most important elements for a conducive organizational culture where employees are empowered to perform the best, and a sense of belongingness is felt among all employees. The following basic principles of communication are also included in the conceptual base for formulating the concept of  Learning Group.


  1. Communication is a two-way process. It is a process involving an exchange and understanding of information between two or more people.

  2. In an organization, the most important type of communication is inter-personal communication (IPC). It refers to the inclusion of feelings, anxieties, fears, values, expectations, and also needs of the sender and the receiver.

  3. IPC is facilitated by i) Openness, (ii) Empathy-the capacity to understand other’s feelings (different from sympathy), (iii) Supportive -the attitude and ability to support the communicating and listening process, and (iv) positive regard for self and others.

  4. Ineffective communication could lead to increased tension, and strained relation.

  5. Learning Groups is doing communication in a new way, being open to the vast resources of learning and experiences that are available. It is an open, flexible communication process.


Learning Groups is a process of bringing together these opportunities by people involved in it. LG helps to increase the motivation of individuals, and create a learning culture within each individual. The learning group also helps to keep up the drive for learning through mutual support and cooperation, and LG in an organizational context could facilitate a learning organization. (A learning Organization is an organization which facilitates the attracting, capturing, retaining, and transferring the existing knowledge among its people to enable them to modify their behaviour in an organizational context on a continuous basis).

Learning Group is effective where a diverse group of people must deal with complex, and potentially conflicting material, in innovative and productive ways, but with a common goal to pursue. In Learning Groups, members tend to be creative, synergistic (they work together) and self-motivated.


What is Learning Group?


Learning Groups (LG) can be defined as a voluntary group processes having a cross section of people who interacts to learn on a particular theme, find solutions to it, and implement the same within a time bound manner, through a learning process. Learning Group facilitates a lasting change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience.


The basic elements of a Learning Group are:

  1. Observation (A process of increased sensitivity to the environment consisting of people and events)

  2. Participation (An interactive process of dialoguing – collective communication)

  3. Reflection (A mental activity of re-looking at the events/behaviour with a purpose of learning what transpired at the point of event or transaction of behaviour and learn to respond in future behaviour transactions)


A Learning Group helps to:

  1. Create a meaningful purpose of existence

  2. Accept, Analyse, Absorb, and Adapt the need to learn from each other

  3. Increase belongingness/openness

  4. Creates an intellectually stimulated atmosphere –trust building processes

  5. Improve communication flow: Make people – across the levels – feel that they are important, their views are heard

  6. Improved leadership process

The specific values of a Learning group are:

  • Principle of Free Movement (anybody can move out without disturbing others. No offense will be meant)

  • Be open and frank.

  • Express meaningful thoughts

  • Admit mistakes.

  • Strictly adhere to timings.

  • Agree to adhere to the simple rules of the LG

  • All are responsible; all are equal: Every member has the right and responsibility to place items on the agenda with a focus on the purpose of their meeting. When the unspeakable remains unspoken, important business may be affected. Worse yet, everybody knows, but nobody can do anything, and the issues never come up openly.

  • Open & Authentic communication


Characteristics

  1. Voluntary participation: Whoever comes is the right person. Voluntary acceptance is the absolute sine qua non for participation in Learning Groups. Each member should have a passionate concern and the members should be responsible for the outcome of Learning Groups.

  2. The agenda will be need based: The agenda of the Learning Groups will be created by the members upon their arrival, with only a specific purpose of their meeting known to each of them. Fix one theme per meeting. If the theme could not be covered by end of the time, the group may decide to postpone it to the next time.

  3. The members of the LG manage the processes.

  4. Facilitator is only an initiator. Though the facilitator should see that members are in time, the actual process may start at any time, once the process is initiated, and end at any time, which the members feel.

  5. Decisions are based on consensus. All members present share their views and together they learn to take a decision binding all of them. Since Learning Group is being done in an open, flexible atmosphere where volunteerism of involvement is emphasized, the “thawing time (time required for the members to feel home) would be more.

  6. Result orientation is a must. The theme should be based on something the group wants to learn and implement that helps the people to be more synergistic. Decide what the group will benefit on taking up the theme, take it up only when it is implementable, either by individuals, or by groups.


Role of the LG Facilitator

The person who leads the Learning Groups forum is called LG Facilitator. (Whatever be his/her designation, s/he must communicate only as a Member-LG). The facilitator’s main job is to create space/time, see that the pace has been set for the LG. The facilitator cannot make choices for people, but must facilitate the choices. Create an interest amongst all sections of employees-from top to bottom, talking about opportunities to share.


The specific qualities required by the  LG Facilitator are given below:

  • Good exposure in inter-personal relationships and communication

  • Good listener

  • Integrity of the individual is also equally important 

  • Articulation, and a very good presence of mind

  • Good presentation and communication skills

  • Positive mindset (I am okay-you are okay state)

  • Good analytical abilities

  • Pleasant personality.

  • Passion with a commitment.

  • An understanding of human behaviour, either through necessary qualification, adequate experience or exposure in psychology or behavioural. science. Learning Groups, being a process-oriented. communication tool focusing on inter-personal interactions, the facilitator has to know the intricacies of various behaviour patterns of people involved to effectively run the process.


An unprepared facilitator will bring death-knells to the whole process.  His approach and attitude should be process-oriented, system-based and. genuine. Facades will not work.


How do we implement?

It is better to implement this on an evolutionary mode i.e. Do it in one conducive environment, having more than 50 people, which can show specific improvement in their achievement outputs. Initially, no evaluation to be made on the people who are going through it. Slowly, the group should facilitate it themselves.  Caution: At no time, the learning group members should feel that they are pressurized to do these groups. The impetus to continue, modify, and improve the contents/agenda/evaluation etc. should come from them.


The facilitator could bring out these issues openly, with specific permissions from the group. Do not use a bullying approach. The basic processes involved in the implementation of LG are given below:

  • Check the readiness of the division/group

  • Do an OC survey or appreciative inquiry

  • Decide the parameters to be covered in consultation with a cross-functional team

  • Identify existing learning processes

  • Present the findings to the cross-functional team and other critical mass

  • Decide to go ahead with the LG

  • Decide the course of action, frequency

  • Train a few facilitators

  • Monitor, and Evaluation – team oriented, no external evaluation


The existing learning processes of the division/department/company can be identified the help of a Learning Inventory Questionnaire.


Limitations


Experiments of this process tool – in academic circles, and in an organization context – seem to be very encouraging. However, it has been found that the benefit of this tool was more on the individuals, rather than the organization as a whole.


Further, it has been found that the levels of learning amongst the members of the learning group (in an academic institution) were varying, and the learning group had to be dismantled (in this instance, when a new person took over as the functional head of the group members)


Like in any other situations, learning group faces many stumbling blocks. I term them as learning defensive mechanisms: Defensive mechanisms that interfere with specific aspects of learning and group activity. In an organizational context, these would be termed as any actions, policies or practices that prevent the experience of embarrassment or threat and at the same time prevent discovery and reduce the cause of embarrassment or threat (Chris Argyris) . These defensive mechanisms limit learning, and are often anti-learning. Some of them could be:


  • A feeling that it is a time wasting activity –it is another meeting.

  • Egotism

  • Non-acceptance to reality or required change among people

  • Not ready to go through the process of building the Learning Group

  • Impatience for the result

  • Not putting enough efforts to learn the tools of the Learning Group to facilitate the  process

  • High `chaltha-hai’ (okay to go as it is) syndrome.


My experience in handling learning groups, and initiating learning groups indicate that, the Learning Group processes can set in motion, only when:

  • There is a compelling reason for change felt by all concerned

  • There is a felt -need for learning from each-other

  • The people understand that issues must be looked at from an organizational perspective

  • The people understand that it is not effective to learn and grow individually, and there is a felt- need to work together and learn together.

  • Ready to work on specific outputs/results. (Many corporate improvement programs do not lead to any specific direct organizational benefits. They focus on activities and not results).

  • High commitment and involvement from Top Management


Conclusion

Continuous learning has to be the way of life in the days to come for professionals in the organization, and the organization as a whole. Team learning processes help professionals to create a sense of meaning and excitement to their work-life, and the learning process becomes much faster. However, while the individuals take it as a challenge for them, the top management team’s role in the whole support is creating an empowering culture – a culture in which they give proper guidance – where to go (the vision), adequate autonomy with specific accountability, and necessary support. Their ability to communicate these three elements of empowerment is vital for the success of the learning group processes and creating a learning organization.



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