Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about learning organizations.
The introduction/welcome letter suggests that I "Describe my experience
with the learning organization concepts" 20 years ago I remember trying to
read some journals on this topic - I probably learned only a little due to
the scientific bent of these journals and I was mot a scientist in the
field in the last two years, I read great articles in Harvard Business
Review that got me all 'jazzed up' but not much dialogue on the subject
with anyone and now I see this group....
I do have a request for advice or a paradigm to conceptualize how to
handle a potential issue I will have: as the COO, I have 3 divisions
ireporting to me - each with very different cultures - the latest division
to come under operations is a joint venture with two not-for-profit
community mental health centers serving the seriously mentally ill
(commonly referred to as chronically mentally ill). These folks take
their jobs/mission very seriously, not unlike religious zealots; there is
much self-righteousness. They are fairly rigid in thinking their
model/program is the only way to do things. They resist change. They
have never had 'to make a buck'; they lobbied the state and got grants.
Their systems are subdivided into 'fiefdoms' that are defensively guarded
from change. Their systems are very inefficient and expensive due to
overstaffing and low productivity and high salary costs.
-- DavedF@aol.com Daved Frerker