Networks as the bloodstream of your learning organization
Learning and networks are two of my passions.
Recently I followed an online course called “Creating the Innovative Workplace” offered by the Darden School of Business. To my delight, it included the diagram below, illustrating the power of combining learning, teams and networks to accelerate innovation.
Existing research suggests that:
- Learning happens through sharing tacit and explicit knowledge (i)
- Creating a heartbeat in virtual teams builds relationships and trust (ii)
- Networks are composed of strong or weak ties in different configurations, all of which relate in unique ways to performance (iii)
Explicit knowledge (facts) can be carried through the small capillaries of weak ties (people you don’t know well), while tacit knowledge (ideas, experiences, skills) must flow through the larger arteries of strong ties (people you feel close to). The rhythm of the organization’s heartbeat – regular meetings, classroom sessions, video conferences or email updates – creates the pulse to propel learning through the organization’s bloodstream.
If this is so, how can your organization use networking activities to enhance learning and innovation?
If you need to share explicit knowledge, create short learning activities that bring together diverse groups. Mix the teams in discussion groups, build a knowledge directory, and create lunch and learn sessions to exchange ideas and allow people to meet each other.
If you need to deepen tacit knowledge, design more intense learning experiences and encourage people to get to know each other outside work or outside the classroom. Team building activities and cross functional special projects are good examples.
Finally, keep a fresh supply of oxygen entering your organization by encouraging referrals. Someone you know connects you to someone new, building on established trust, and new insights flow quickly into the organization.
These simple networking activities can increase the oxygen in your organization’s bloodstream to enhance learning outcomes and build your capacity for innovation.
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(i) Polyani (1958)
(ii) Maznevski and Chudoba (2000)
(iii) Shaner and Maznevski (2006)
