Dr. Conrad Gottfredson defines workflow learning as “learning which occurs while people learn in the workflow while performing work.”(1) That means as soon as an employee needs to stop work in order to learn, we are no longer talking about workflow learning. This is a whole new way of thinking about learning and working.
I want to strongly argue that workflow learning in any organization will be crippled or operate sub-optimally without strong leadership commitment to its principles and process. Although this might seem like an obvious and straightforward requirement, it is neither.
What makes workflow learning successful? A series of behaviours and values combined with relevant technologies and processes. If the behaviours and values are not consistently demonstrated and applied, no amount of technology or well-constructed process will fully deliver on workflow learning’s promise, including productivity gains. Therefore, when implementing any kind of model for learning in the workflow, it is vital to establish the right environment for change to emerge and to pay attention to how leadership will respond to that change.
There are several reasons for leadership failures in workflow learning. The first is simple ignorance of the concept. Although it has become somewhat ubiquitous amongst L&D practitioners, just because they are on board or even enthusiastic does not mean affected managers feel the same. Those managers could be skeptical or worried about the knock-on consequences of new ways of learning/working. If this is the case, they will do little more than pay lip service to this initiative, and they will pounce on any shortcomings and condemn “teething problems” as terminal flaws. It is hard to succeed in this kind of environment and equally difficult for changes introduced to endure.
It is easier for managers to tolerate new software or processes, which are regular parts of leadership due to their constantly evolving nature. Learning in the workflow, however, is far wider in its implications because it requires wholesale changes in the behaviours of the team as it moves forward. In some ways, this is a fundamental change in the nature of work—not just one more tool to use. To make workflow learning successful, organizational leadership and local managers need a profound understanding of the changes being made and the reasoning behind them. That way, leaders can see that learning in the flow of work is not, in fact, a huge interruption of work!
The second reason for leadership failure in workflow learning is demanding instant results or immediate productivity gains. Learning in the workflow embeds itself into practice, which takes a bit of time. There is an overhead in the early stages and staff must learn to work differently and more cooperatively. The focus shifts from individual know-how to collective knowledge and responsibility. The impacts of all these changes are not immediate and require time to develop.
The third reason behind leadership failure in workflow learning is the opposite of the first two reasons and a classic mistake in any large-scale change program. Imagine an overly enthusiastic leader pressing ahead without bringing her staff along. She is not dealing with the dissenting voices and only working with a small alliance of positive ones. This can build unnecessary tension and further dissent. Any workflow learning project must be thoroughly talked through in terms of both the “what” and the “why”! If the “what” and “why” challenges can be sorted out, the details of “how” can also be decided. We know from the huge amount of research behind self-determination theory(2) that motivation to move forward and accept change is complex. Motivation requires not only a sense that we have some kind of choice over our behaviours (autonomy), but also a feeling of mastery (competence). We need to feel on top of the role and able to work effectively. Learning in the workflow embodies this but also interrupts it while establishing itself. In addition, relatedness—a need to feel connected within a supportive community—is also part of motivation. New working practices require new behaviours. Moving forward is not simply a question of installing software and setting up models for better access to support. Instead, it requires a realignment of priorities and the establishment of new ways of working. So, even though learning in the flow of work is hugely motivating and reassuring, the very foundations of motivation—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—need to be rebuilt, which requires sensitive direction and sympathetic leadership.
We should endeavour to see this process as a fundamental leadership challenge and take it step by consultative step. User insights should be considered just as carefully as the viewpoints of any supplier. Learning in the workflow is an inflection point in many organizations and getting it right requires patience and sensitivity.
Thus it is important to create time for this process to evolve and find physical and virtual spaces where discussions about that evolution can unfurl. This is an area where constant realignment and steady progress is matched by the rapid sharing of emerging good practices. Achieving this requires committed leadership at all levels throughout the organization.
(1) What is Workflow Learning Really The L&D Podcast: David James interviews Dr. Conrad Gottfredson https://360learning.com/blog/l-and-d-podcast-conrad-gottfredson/
(2) Deci, E.L., Ryan, R.M. (1985) Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behaviour. New York, Plenum Publishing