Learn by doing
Since the 1960s, most organizations have relied heavily on strategic planning. Leaders go through a formal process of collecting and analyzing data, formulating a strategy, defining goals and actions for implementing the strategy, and rolling the plan out throughout the organization. But in a fast-changing business climate, that kind of time-consuming, top-down exercise is doomed to failure. It’s no wonder these players have fallen behind their more flexible and agile competitors.
Many of these upstarts know the value of learning by doing. They design and test prototypes. They spin out short-term experiments. They fail early and often—and build on what they learn in the process.
According to Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Airlines:
The best way of learning anything is by doing. I’ve known this ever since I tried and failed to start a business selling Christmas trees, making mistakes and picking up learnings that helped me improve the next time, and time and time again. Having started hundreds of businesses since, and learned thousands of new skills, I’m still learning by doing every day.
As you develop systems-wise people, look for opportunities for them to apply what they’re learning to meaningful projects. They’ll not only come up with innovative solutions, they’ll also gain needed skills along the way.
Send us your recommendations for practices and tools.
Action Learning
Action learning is a generic term for any approach that involves intentionally increasing one’s learning capacity while responding to a real-world challenge. It’s best done in groups and incorporates reflection, coaching, and mid-course reviews.
Action Learning
Cycle of Value Diagnostics
This is a tool developed by Conversant, a global consultancy, for organizations to use for diagnosing problems, predicting impending results, and prescribing the right actions for the right time.
Align, Act, Adjust
Cycle of Value Diagnostics