Why Organizations

Dont Learn
Based on the article by Francesca Gino and Bradley Staats
Harvard Business Review, November 2015

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9 million

RECALLS DUE TO TOYOTAS

FAILURE TO LEARN

Four Biases

2 3 4
4

Bias Toward Success

Leaderssay thatfailureisthebest
teacherbutdotheymeanit?

Fear of Failure
A Fixed Mindset

Whenpeopleplayitsafe,
theydontexperiment
orgrow.

Overreliance on
Past Performance
Difficulty Seeing
Mistakes

Destigmatize mistakes
theyre opportunities
to learn.

Data keeps
the spotlight
on issues , not
personalities.

Fear of Failure
A Fixed Mindset

Fear of
Overreliance on
Past Failure
Performance

Peoplewhothinktalent
issetinstoneareafraid
toappearlackingsothey
takenochances.

Difficulty Seeing
Mistakes

Embrace and teach

a growth mindset.

Data keeps
theEmbrace
spotlight
teach
a
onand
issues
, not
growth
mindset.
personalities.

Fear of Failure
A Fixed Mindset

Fear of
Overreliance on
Past Failure
Performance

Ifleadersfocusonlyon
achievement,theymiss
toplearners.

Difficulty Seeing
Mistakes

10

Consider potential
for improvement.

Data keeps
the spotlight
on issues , not
personalities.

11

Fear of Failure
A Fixed Mindset

Fear of
Overreliance on
Past Failure
Performance
Difficulty Seeing
Mistakes

Peopletakecreditfor
successbutblamefailure
onbadluck.

12

Use data to reveal the

reasons for success
or failure.

13

Data shows things in

a neutral way.

14

Bias Toward Action

Facedwithaproblem,wewantto
fixitforbetterorworse.

15

It feels better to miss the ball

by diving than by standing still.

16

Exhaustion
Lack of Reflection

Tiredworkerscantlearn
newthingsorusewhat
theydoknow.

Fear of
Exhaustion
Failure

17

Make time for breaks

and vacations.

18

Exhaustion
Lack of Reflection

Fear of
Failure

Workerswhoarealways
oncantthinkabouthow
theydid.

19

Schedule time
to just think.

20

Military after-action reviews

are a powerful learning tool.

21

Bias Toward Fitting In

Stickingtonormscanstifleinnovation.

22

Failure to Contribute
Whenpeopleworryaboutconforming,
theydontspeakup.

23

Encourage people
to use their strengths
and not just through
formal reviews.

Data keeps
the spotlight
on issues , not
personalities.

24

Do you know
how many people
were injured here
last year?

25

Bias Toward Experts

Usingspecialiststosolveproblemscan
causeotherproblems.

26

A Narrow
FearView
of of Expertise
Titlesanddegreesblindusto
Exhaustion
Failure
otherformsofknowledge.

27

Empower workers
to use their own
knowledge.

28

If something
goes wrong on
your watch, you
should fix it.

29

Bias Toward:

Success

2 3 4

Action

Fitting In

Experts

30

For Discussion

Dowesupportlearningfrom
failureandtoleratemistakes?
Couldwemakebetteruseof
datatoanalyzeperformance?
Doweneedtocreate
downtime?
Arepeopletooworriedabout
conformingtospeakup?
Couldappreciationjolts
workhere?
Doweoverrelyonexperts?

31

H arvard Business Review Articles

Strategies for Learning from Failure
AmyC.Edmondson
Is Yours a Learning Organization?
DavidA.Garvin,AmyC.Edmondson,and
FrancescaGino
Building a Learning Organization
DavidA.Garvin
Leaders as Decision Architects
JohnBeshearsandFrancescaGino
Why Organizations Dont Learn
FrancescaGinoandBradleyStaats

Learn More

Making Dumb Groups Smarter

CassR.SunsteinandReidHastie
H arvard Business Review Press Books
Teaching Smart People How to Learn
ChrisArgyris
H arvard Business Review Video
The Importance of Learning in Organizations
DavidGarvinandAmyEdmondson

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