Our Theory of Change

1. Empowerment, Rights and Citizenship Information Rights awareness Political consciousness New Skills Individual New Leadership Organization Our Theory of Change

2. A definition of leadership • Leadership is an influence process; it is about going somewhere. To go somewhere one needs to have a goal, a vision. So leadership is about developing a vision. A vision is more than just setting a goal. It involves a picture of the good, an ideal, and an idea of what the work would look like if we did it well. Leadership therefore cannot be aimless. It has to have direction.

3. Leadership ethic in a learning organization • Commitment to values – Ideals that take us beyond ourselves in the belief that we can work together to make the world a better place • Attitudes towards others — respectful and kind; believe that individuals are honest, and committed towards learning and becoming better individuals. • Sensitivity to the needs of others – demands that we not only serve others but more importantly want to serve others. To develop the ability to empathize, to place ourselves in others shoes, over come our prejudices and accept diversity, not impose our ideas on others, recognize talent and forgive.

4. Leadership ethic in a learning organization Measuring achievement as development of human potential – measures achievement and productivity in terms of added value for developing human potential. Patience and perseverance Teamwork

5. Learning organizations defined • Learning organizations are organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspirations are set free, and where people are continually learning together (Senge, 1990:3)

6. Learning organizations defined • The learning company is a vision of what might be possible. It is not brought about by simply training individuals; it can only happen as a result of learning at the whole organization level. A learning company is an organization that facilitates the learning of all its members and continuously transforms itself (Pedler et al. 1991:1)

7. Learning organizations defined • Learning organizations are characterized by total employee involvement in a process of collaboratively conducted, collectively accountable change directed towards shared values or principles (Watkins & Marsick 1992:118)

8. Some characteristics of learning organizations • Provide continuous learning opportunities • Use learning to reach their goals • Link individual performance with organizational performance • Foster inquiry & dialogue, making it safe for people to share openly and take risks

9. Some characteristics of learning organizations • Structures that are not rigid or bureaucratic but non-hierarchical • Commit resources to support learning • Systems that support learning • Flexibility/adaptability • Coordination/facilitation • Empowering others • Participatory/non-authoritarian • Culturally sensitive • Linking local, national, regional and global

10. Some characteristics of learning organizations • Embrace creative tension as a source of energy and renewal • Continuously aware of and interact with their context • Committed to a shared vision of challenging the visible, invisible and hidden powers • Stated policy commitment to learning • Learning teams having ability to learn, willingness to learn and willingness to change

11. Further reading • Senge,P et al. (1994) The Firth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization • Pedler,M., Burgoyne,J & Boydel,T. (1996) The Learning Company. A Strategy for Sustainable Development, London: McGraw-Hill • Watkins,K. & Marsick, V. (eds.) (1993) Sculpting the learning Organization. Lessons in the art and science of systematic change, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass