3 books that will change your thinking about organizational learning and teamwork
Concordia Design
Do you want your team to operate more efficiently and achieve better results? Or are you looking for inspiration and wondering what to do to make your business a learning and growing organization? Edyta Paul, Concordia Design expert and designer of learning organizations, recommends 3 titles that will change your thinking about learning, management and teamwork.
If you'd like to learn more about learning organizations, watch this webinar in which Edith Paul hints at what learning organizations are and how to better position yourself for growth and sustainability.
1. "Teaming" by Amy Edmondson
This book is an absolute must-read for every leader, manager and team member. Edmondson, a professor at Harvard Business School, shows how to build psychological safety in a team, the foundation for effective learning and cooperation.
Psychological safety is a state in which team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas, admitting mistakes and challenging the status quo. Without this safety, people hide mistakes, don't share doubts and hold back innovative ideas for fear of being judged.
Edmondson also emphasizes that "teaming" is a process, not a state. In today's dynamic business environment, people often have to work together in changing lineups, on different projects. The key to success, then, is the ability to build relationships quickly and work together effectively in changing conditions.
The book "Teaming" is a practical guide on how to build a culture of learning and innovation in a team.
2. "Team of Teams" Stanley McChrystal
McChrystal, a U.S. Army general, describes how he revolutionized the way special forces operate by introducing the "team of teams" model. It's an approach based on adaptive learning, transparency of information and inter-team cooperation.
The book shows the importance of sharing information in an organization. McChrystal describes how he radically changed the flow of information in his organization - instead of the traditional "need to know" model (information only for a select few), he introduced a "need to share" model (broad access to information). This allowed teams to learn faster and make better decisions because:
- all understood the broader context of the activities,
- They were able to learn from the experiences of other teams,
- had access to the information they needed to make their own decisions.
The author also emphasizes that:
- Inter-team learning requires actively mixing people.
- Effective team learning requires a change in the role of the leader.
- "Situational awareness" (shared consciousness) is crucial to team learning.
"Team of Teams" is an inspiring story about how to change organizational culture and build teams that can operate in a dynamic and complex environment.
Watch the webinar on learning organizations and learn more>> CLICK HERE
3. "The Ride of a Lifetime" by Robert Iger
Iger, a former Disney CEO, shares his experiences and lessons learned from 15 years of leading the company. The book focuses on the culture of innovation, trust and diversity of perspectives.
Iger emphasizes the importance of trust in building creative teams. Using the example of his relationship with Pixar after its acquisition, Iger shows that instead of imposing control, he allowed Pixar's teams to maintain their unique culture of learning and experimentation. He understood that creative teams need space and trust to grow.
Iger stresses the importance of diverse perspectives and the importance of bringing together different organizational cultures (Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm), which initially posed challenges, but ultimately led to mutual learning and innovation. Through this approach, each team brought a unique approach to creativity and problem solving.
Moreover, the author pointed out that:
- leaders must create an environment where teams are not afraid to take risks, feel safe sharing new ideas, and feel that failure is part of the learning process,
- the balance between heritage and innovation is important, which requires teams to constantly learn and experiment,
- It is worth breaking down organizational silos and creating a culture of collaboration.
The book "The Ride of a Lifetime" is an inspiring read for any leader who wants to build a culture of innovation and grow their company.
If you want your team to operate more efficiently and achieve better results, be sure to pick up these books. Also, watch the webinar on teaching organizations and see if your business is growing.
