BEHAVIOR #7: GET BETTER (pp. 177 - 184)

This chapter is really the essence of what a growth mindset is all about...and incidentally, what the Ebco Learning Initiative is all about. We are seeking ways to be intentional about continuous learning at work, whether that is through learning practical skills or new ways of thinking and being that impact Ebco culture. I appreciate each of you that takes time to read, reflect and try out some of these recommendations from research and practitioners. Every small change can lead to big impact.

Alvin Toffler, American writer and futurist, is best known for his musing on how technology is changing the face of communication. He said, "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. You've got to think about big things while you're doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction. Knowledge is the most democratic source of power."

I love what Toffler implies about needing to continually reinvent ourselves. If you're like me, I feel like even keeping up to date in my industry is like trying to drink out of the firehose. Not only do we need to consume large amounts of information, we need to be considering how our skills meet the demands of the 21st century company. As soon as we rest, we are becoming outdated. I suspect you can each relate to this pressure!

Bryan Dodge emphatically challenged us to read and to read a lot. Covey agrees with this leadership practice. Jack Canfield (author of Chicken Soup for the Soul) is known to read one book a day! Bill Gates, Fred Smith and Mary Kay Ash have remained relevant throughout the course of long successful careers by staying current.

"'Get Better' is based on the principles of continuous improvement learning and change." (p. 178)

How are we doing as a learning organization?

I think there is a case for learning incidentally (as job challenges demand that we react and solve problems) as well as learning intentionally (setting aside time to think about particular areas of study and improvement that we should be learning). Is your personal learning strategy proactive or reactive?

This chapter brings us full circle to what we have already agreed is a critical component of becoming a highly effective organization: seeking feedback!

Covey states, "Seeking and effectively utilizing feedback are vital to quality improvement...Appropriately seeking feedback and acting on it is the hallmark of learning, growing, innovating company." (p. 181)

There are a few companies that have been implementing a cultural framework called DDO = the Deliberately Developmental Organization.  They create structures and processes that make sure they are always challenging themselves from within and acting on the feedback they receive.  You will remember that the Desire for Competence is one of the 8 core human motivators. These organizations are tapping into that desire to leverage the innate beauty of what people bring to work.

"Deep alignment with people's motive to grow means fashioning an organizational culture in which support to people's ongoing growth and development is woven into the daily fabric of working life, visible in the company's regular operations, day-to-day routines and conversations." (Kegan, Lahey, Miller, Marcus, Fleming). I am including a link to an insightful overview of this approach to organizational learning: http://www.vizenllc.com/wp content/uploads/2015/07/TheDeliberatelyDevelopmentalOrganization.pdf

Here are three principles related to the DDO approach:

Home - the secure environment that allows employees to communicate honestly.
If we are to become a veritable feedback-seeking culture, we have to create an environment where it is acceptable and common practice to give honest feedback. This is why we are examining the topic of trust in relationships.

Edge - the developmental changes that employees push each other to recognize & achieve.
For instance, one practice these organizations have is to continually rotate employees to different positions once they get comfortable. This is so counterintuitive, that we balk at creating intentional change. DDO's believe disruption promotes growth.

Groove - the range of practices that consistently reinforce the safety of "home" and the push toward the edge. Groove is institutionalizing processes that make continual change an every day part of the organization, not just a teaching or good idea or one-time speech by an executive. How are we ensuring that we hold ourselves accountable to getting better?

Learning from mistakes and encouraging risk-taking are natural parts of an organization that has adopted learning as a lifestyle. Mistakes are encouraged, not discouraged. As Covey says, "Most often, in fact, it is the failures that bring about the breakthroughs and insights...Smart leaders create an environment that makes it safe to make mistakes."

What about you? What do you take from this chapter?