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Learning Leaders: The Key to Learning OrganisationsAuthor(s): John Hailey and Rick JamesSource: Development in Practice, Vol. 12, No. 3/4 (Aug., 2002), pp. 398-408Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Oxfam GBStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4029510 .

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Development in Practice, Volume12, Numbers3 & 4, August 2002

Learning l e a d e r s : t h e k e y t o l e a r n i n gorganisationsJohn Hailey and RickJamesLearning and knowledge managementare crucial capacities for many NGOs. This articleattemptsto answersuch questionsas: why is learningseen as so important or NGOs? Howdo successfulNGOs actually learn?And what role do key individualsor leadersplay in thisprocess? The article draws heavily on thefindings of a study of SouthAsian NGOs, whichsuggests that an NGO's ability to learn is dependenton its organisationalculture and inparticularthedevelopmentof an internalcultureof learning.The case studies romSouthAsiareveal that the creation of this 'learningculture' derivesprimarily rom the attitudeof theleadershiptowardslearning:at the heartof a learning organisationis a 'learningleader'.

IntroductionLearningandknowledge managementarecrucialcapacitiesforanyNGO expectingto surviveand thrivein the uncertainglobal developmentenvironmentof the new millennium.Creatingthe learning organisation s increasinglyseen as being synonymouswith capacity building,organisationaldevelopment,andmanagingchange.This recent focus on learning mmediatelyraises a numberof questionsfor NGOs:* Why is learningseen as so important or NGOs?a Are NGOs natural earners?* How do successful NGOs actuallylearn?Whatdo they do differentlyfrom others?* Whatdrives this quest for learning?What role do key individualsplay in this process?This articleattempts o answerthesequestionsby analysing he role of learningand knowledgecreation n NGOs, how they arepromoted,and what role the leadershipplays in this process.It draws heavily on the findings of a majorstudy of nine 'successful' South Asian NGOsincludingBRAC andPROSHIKA n Bangladesh,BAIF and Sadguru n India,andAKRSP andIUCN in Pakistan(Hailey and Smillie 2001).1 The research highlightedthe importanceoforganisational earningin local developmentNGOs, and the role of leaders in promoting alearning culturein such organisations.One of the major conclusionswas that the success ofthese NGOs was in partattributable o theirwillingness to embracenew learning and investin developing theircapacityas 'learningNGOs'.The article highlights the many differentways in which these organisationsconsciouslylearn,andgoes on to explorewhatis drivingthis questfor learning.The research uggests that398 ISSN 0961-4524 print/lSSN1364-9213 online 030398-11 C)2002 Oxfam GB

DOI: 1080/0961450220149753 Carfax Publishing

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Learningleaderseffective learningis a hard-wongoal, which dependsas much on formal training,effectiveinformation ystems,and humanresourcemanagement trategiesas on informal,participatoryprocesses.These findings also questionthe myththatlearning s a distinctiveprocessthatisinherent n the values and activities of NGOs. In reality,NGOs are no different from othertypes of organisationhaving to work hard at promoting earning.We shall see that anorganisation'sabilityto learn s dependenton its organisational ulture2and in particular he developmentof an internalculture of learning.The case studies fromSouthAsia revealthatthe creationof this 'learningculture'derivesprimarily romthe attitudeof the leadershiptowards learning.3At the heart of a learning organisation s a 'learningleader'.What is so important bout learningfor NGOs?The importanceof learningas akey organisational apacityhas becomeincreasinglyapparentin the changing and volatile economic and political environmentof the 1990s. Learning sconsideredto be vital if organisationsare to be able continuouslyto adaptto an uncertainfuture.Reg Revans(1993) pointedout thatan organisation'svery survival s dependenton itscapacityto learn. He argued hat in a turbulent nvironment,an organisation's ate of learninghas to be equal to, or greaterthan, the rate of change in its externalenvironment f it is toremainrelevantand effective. If NGOs fail to learn at such a pace, thenthey will be 'destinedfor insignificance' (Fowler 1997:64).The difficultrealityfor most NGOs is thatthe economic, social, andpoliticalenvironmentin which they operateis increasingly complex andvolatile. NGOs have seen their roles andperceivedimportance hift radically n the last few years.New political thinkingon the rolesof civil society and the state, inclusive nationalplanningprocesses, and democratisationhaschallenged NGOs to take on very different roles and relationshipsto traditional serviceprovision. Conflict and terrorismcan suddenlyandvery powerfullytransform he context inwhich NGOs operate.On the social side, the devastating'attritionrate' from HIV/AIDS inmany partsof theworld,particularlyub-SaharanAfrica, placesyet furtherdemandson NGOs.In the face of such pervasive change, it is a priority for any NGO to invest in building itscapacity to manage knowledge, promote learning, and become a 'learning organisation'(Edwards1997; Lewis 2001).The 1990s have been called the decadeof the learningorganisationandthis presentdecadeis likely to reinforce this trend. There is a close link between learningand organisationalchange.PeterSenge (1990), one of the early advocates of organisationalearning,defined alearningorganisationas one which is 'continuouslyexpanding ts capacityto create ts future';similarly,Pedler et al. (1991:2) definedit as 'an organisationwhichfacilitates the learningofall its membersandcontinuously ransformstself'. Thelearningorganisation anthereforebeseen as being synonymouswith any ongoing processof individual earning,capacitybuilding,andorganisationdevelopment.Alan Fowler identifiesthe challengeforNGOs as how best theycan 'bring together facts and personal learning as primary information sources, thencollectively makesense of whattheymeanand thentranslate he results nto a greatercapacityto be agile' (Fowler 2000:138). In other words, how can they transform nformation ntoorganisationalchange? In both the private and the non-profit sector, the term 'learningorganisation'has arguablybecome a metaphor or managingchange.The effective use of learning and knowledge has been the hallmarkof many successfulorganisations n the 1990s (Dixon 2000). Learning s aboutlinkingknowledge with effectiveandsustainableaction.Knowledgeis thereforea key resourcethat all leadingorganisations, nboth the private and the non-profit sectors, must manage and exploit if they are to maintainDevelopment in Practice, Volume 12, Numbers 3 & 4, August 2002 399

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JohnHaileyand RickJamestheir position (Handy 1994; Kluge et al. 2001; Senge 1990). Similarly, there is moreappreciationof the role of knowledge managementandlearningin the developmentprocess(WorldBank 1998). Developmentis essentially a knowledge-basedprocess, and as a resultlearning and knowledge managementare now recognised as key elements in developmentwork. One of the challenges for development NGOs is how they share and disseminateknowledge and learning. As Ian Smillie commented, 'knowing what works and why isessential to the success of NGOs, yet knowing what does not work is equally important.Knowledge involves awareness,memory and familiaritythat develops with experienceandlearning' (Smillie 1995:23). NGOs increasingly appreciate that knowledge, and thedisseminationof knowledgeandlearning,arekey to their effectiveness and,as David Kortenconcluded,their success dependson the suitabilityof their systems, theirability to embraceerror,and theirwillingnessto learn from the local communitieswith whomthey work(Korten1980).

Are NGOs naturally good learners?Most NGOs are committed to the learning of their beneficiaries.It is often enshrined orimplicitin theirmission statements.There s a strongemphasiswithin mostNGOprogrammeson trainingandcapacity buildingof their'clients', rather han ust provisionof infrastructure.And yet this emphasison learningis often not emphasisedinternally.There is sometimesadissonance between what NGOs promote with their beneficiaries and what they apply tothemselves. There are many NGOs who claim to be 'learning organisations', but ourunderstandingof how they promotesharedlearningand engage their staff is very unclear.Research indicates that many smaller NGOs fail to learn from experienceor mistakes andcommonly fail to adaptthe way they work (Smillie 1995). Fowler even goes as far as tosuggest that a universalweakness of developmentNGOs is actually a 'limited capacity tolearn, adapt,and continuously improvethe quality of what they do' (Fowler 1997:64). Butwhy should this be so?

The capacityfor NGOs to promote earning s limitedby a numberof externalbarriers uchas the competitionfor funds and the consequentpressureto show low rates of administrativeoverheads. There are also structuralbarriers such as departmental ivalries and the short-termistproject culturethat militateagainst shared earning.There is deep-rootedresistancetoinvesting scarce resources in such an intangible concept as learning, in addition to thedifficultyof identifyingattributable ndtangible impact indicators.Otherbarriersnclude theunwillingnessof individuals o engage in new ideas, new technologies,new ways of working,and the hassle of dealing with the quantity of documentationgenerated. There is also areluctanceto admitto, or analyse,mistakesbecause of the fear that this will attractcriticismandprovokea backlash from donorsandgovernment.The task- or action-oriented ultureofmany NGOs also does little to encourage the self-assessment or critical reflection that isessential if learningis to takeplace (Britton 1998; Hailey and Smillie 2001).These barriersmean thatNGOs have to workhard at learning. It does not come naturallyoreasily.Itdoes not simply arise fromtheirdevelopmentalorientation.They have no particular

monopoly on being learning organisations.Such learningis not some innate process that isinherent n the cultureof developmentNGOs. Instead, t is commonly the result of consciousinvestment n a varietyof formaland informal earningprocesses.Those NGOs thatexhibit thecharacteristicsof learning organisationshave worked hard and spent considerabletime andmoney in overcomingthe inherentbarriers o learningand developing new learningprocessesand systems. It is to some of these 'success stories' to which we should turn and from whichwe should ourselvestry to learn.400 Developmentin Practice, Volume12, Numbers3 & 4, August2002

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LearningeadersHow do 'successful' NGOs learn?The recent research into what made the largest NGOs in Bangladesh,India, and Pakistansuccessful concludedthat their success depends,in part,on theirwillingness to embracenewlearning and invest in developing their capacity as 'learning NGOs'. This research wasconcernedwith the managementpracticesof NGOs in SouthAsia, and in particular ow suchorganisations avemanagedchangeandhandledgrowth.It was basedondetailedcasestudiesofnineNGOs-two in Bangladesh BRACandPROSHIKA), hree n India(theAKRSPI,BAIF,andSadguru),andfourin Pakistan AKRSPP, UCN, SRSC, andSungi).These organisationsrepresenta cross-sectionof medium to large NGOs that have expandedtheir activities andundergone ignificantchange nrecentyears.Theyall workwith localcommunityorganisations,arefundedbyarangeof international onors,andare nvolvedinavarietyof activities ncludingprimaryhealthcare,education,microcredit,agro-development, rrigation,and environmentalprogrammes.The case studieswerebasedonextensive researchundertaken ylocal researchersbetween 1998 and2000, which drewonboth archivalmaterialsand nterviewswith a widerangeof staff,beneficiaries,and otherkey stakeholdersHaileyandSmillie 2001).In particular,he studyanalysedhow these organisationsmanagedtheirexternalrelations,handledstrategicplanningprocesses,developedtheirorganisationalulture,andhowtheywereshapedby the vision, commitment,andcharacterof their 'founder eader'.These individualscould be characterisedas 'developmentleaders', whose leadershipstyle was value driven,knowledge based, and responsive. The study also analysed the process by which suchdevelopmentNGOspromoted earningamongtheirstaff,and concluded hattheyused a rangeof infonnalprocessesto generatenew learning,reflect onpastexperience,andexperimentwithnew approaches.Theyalso investedheavilyin more formal earningprocesses such as trainingandresearch.We shallnow outline the differentmethodsthese successfulNGOs employedinorder o learn.Learning from the poorTheimportance f therole of personalengagement, istening,anddialoguethat ie at the heartofthe way manyNGOs learn is exemplified by Sadguru India).WhenSadguru tartedworkingwith tribalcommunities in Eastern Gujarat n 1974, its founders,Hamathand SharmisthaJagawat,spentthe first two years of the organisation's xistence walking up to 30 km a day inorder o meet with local people.Theylistened to theirconcernsanddiscussedhow best to meettheir needs. In this way they learnt of the immediateneeds of local people, and developedfriendships,built trust,and gained thecredibilityon whichtheirfutureworkcould be based.Virtuallyall the NGOs in the Hailey and Smillie study relied on similar village-basedprocesses of dialogue to spearhead internal learning about the authentic needs of thecommunities. These NGOs see the poor as the main source of organisationalearning.WithAKRSP in Pakistan,most early staff training ook place throughvillage dialoguesbetween ateam of AKRSP staffand local people. Theinformal training essions' were heldoutdoorsandwere open to everyone, not just village elders and other notables.As these discussionswererecordedandanalysed,they became the basis of futureinterventions.Even today, 'staff lookbackon the village dialoguesas the most effective training heyreceived' (HaileyandSmillie2001:75).Learning frompracticeThe primary means of leaming for most successful NGOs is the conscious reflection andanalysisof their own implementation xperiences(particularlywherethings havegone wrong)Developmentin Practice, Volume12, Numbers 3 & 4, August2002 401

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John Hailey and Rick Jamesin order to learn and improve. Barry Underwood,then Chief Executive of AKRSP (India),identifiedthe 'importanceof embracingone's mistakes andlearning romthem, creating n theprocess a culturewhich accepts criticism'.A number of organisationshave institutionalisedmeetings to reflect and learn from experience. PROSHIKA,for example, holds quarterlymeetings where 200 staff and group representativesget togetherto review performanceanddiscuss appropriatehanges.Suchsystemsneed to be developedif learning rompractice s totake place.The founder and Chief Executive of BRAC, Dr Fazle HasenAbed, similarlysees mistakesas an inherentpartof an iterativelearning process, and he recognises that BRAC had manyfailuresfrom which it was able to learn. He relates:

... you go to a woman s house tofind that the loan you have given her is takenaway byher husband,or a child comesto school andsuddenlyhas to dropout because theparentshave movedaway, and the child doesn't learn anymore.These are all failures ... littlefailures are, of course, inherent n any successful programme.Youmustaccept thatfortheyare part of the learning process. (Hailey and Smillie 2001:76)

Similarly, n an effort to expandthe impactandscope of its healthprogrammes,BRAC staffwere 'mobilisedwith motorbikes'.They became so focused on meeting quantitativeprojectobjectivesthatthey had little time to sit and talk with local people. It soon became apparentthat 'when we walkedorwentby bicycle, we did much better'.So BRAC reintroducedlower,more time-consuming ways of working with local communities. The challenge for manyNGOs is whether such a decline in performancewould actually 'become apparent'as it didwith BRAC.Learning through staff participationThe NGOs in the study respondedto the challenge of sharing learning internallyso thatindividual earning became organisational earning.For some, like PROSHIKA, nstitutionallearning s a functionof participation.As FaruqueAhmed, the Presidentof PROSHIKA,pointsout, 'If I as the head of the organisationhad to remembereverything, then probably therewould not be much remembered.But if you use participationn the decision-makingprocessthen there is much more chance of institutionalmemory' (Hailey and Smillie 2001:77).Most of the NGOs in the study used a mix of regularmeetings, retreats,workshops, andseminars to promote sharedlearningand to disseminate new ideas. Sadguru, for example,holds regularmeetingson the last Saturdayof the month, allowing staff to share experiencesand to give feedbackfrom othermeetingsor courses they have attended.These meetings arequite structured ndcharacterisedby a high degree of mutualrespect. This in turn allows formoreopen dialogueandconstructivediscussion. BAIF has gone further n its efforts to ensurethat staff learn from each other, and systematicallymoves staff aroundthe organisationorassigns them to new projectsas part of its strategyto encouragecross-functional earning. Ittransfers staff from research posts to field positions and from specialist to managementpositions in an attempt o disseminateand institutionalise earning.Learning from external actorsMany of the NGOs in the study have consciously learned from each other's experiences aswell as theirown.Theyhave beenkeen to visit specificprogrammes ndhave arranged seriesof attachments or their staff. All the largest South Asian NGOs have visited BRAC andPROSHIKAandin turnBRAC andPROSHIKA nvest in learningfromothers.According to402 Development n Practice, Volume12, Numbers3 & 4, August2002

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LearningeadersDr Abed, BRAC is an 'unashamedreplicator'of otherpeople's good work, and he attributesmuch of its remarkable uccess to its ability to learnfrom otheragencies.

One of the strengthsof manyof the NGOs in this studyis the way they have actively usedexternalspecialistsandoutside consultants.Despite theircost, there is a recognitionthat suchexternal actors play a crucial role as a source of new leaming because of their ability tochallenge the statusquo. For example, the major organisationaland operationalchanges atIUCN (Pakistan) in the last five years have been the product of two major externalmanagementreviews conductedby consultants.Similarly,the Director of Sadguru,HarnathJagawat,attributespartof its success as a development agency to 'continuousappraisalsbyexternal consultantsand academics'.

Learning from formal trainingThe successful SouthAsian NGOs have investedin a numberof formalprocessesto captureand disseminate earning.They have spentconsiderablesums on training,research,and newinformationmanagement ystemseven in the early yearsof theirexistence,andthey continueto be heavily engaged in trainingand staff development.This investment in formaltrainingcomplements nformalprocessesforlearning rom thepoor.As AKRSP, orexample, grewandas training needs became more sophisticatedand specialised, the organisation graduallybecame more relianton formal courses and structuredrainingprocesses.Many NGOs have investedin purpose-built rainingcentresand, in the case of BRAC andPROSHIKA,increased their training capacity enough to be able to train nearly a millionpeople a year. BRAC has established 12 Trainingand Resource Centresthat employ 150trainers and offer management,human resource development, and skills-based trainingcourses, primarily or BRAC employees. Considering ts size (over 58,000 full- andpart-timestaff)BRAC invests a remarkable percent of its overall salarybudgeton staffdevelopmentand has now established its own university n Dhaka.

Learning through researchThereis a growing understanding f the benefits that can be gainedfromsponsoringrelevantandappliedresearch,and both BRAC and PROSHIKA n Bangladesh,and AKRSPand BAIFin India have establishedspecialistresearchdepartments.Accordingto BAIF, 'developmentwithout research is outdated, and research without development is irrelevant' (Hailey andSmillie 2001:82). Since its inception, BAIF has recognised the importanceof research, andwas one of the first Ghandian organisations to recruit scientists and other researchprofessionals. Its founder,Dr Manibhai Desai, created a climate in which there was anunderstanding hat the organisationneeded to invest heavily in an ongoing programmeofresearch.This is reflected notjust in the quality of its research,but also in the way BAIF staffareactively encouraged o publish their research indings in academic ournals and to presentpapersat nationalconferences.The 1996/97 AnnualReportprovides detailed abstractsof 20publicationsproducedduringthatyear alone. Even BRAC, which is more recognised for itsemphasison learningby doing, invests heavily in research:by 1997, BRAC employed 52 full-time researchers, en of whom had PhDs.Learning from monitoring and evaluationClosely linked with research work are the formal management processes and systemsdeveloped by NGOs to monitor and evaluate their work and learn from their performance.Development in Practice, Volume12, Numbers 3 & 4, August 2002 403

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John Hailey and Rick JamesMany of the NGOs in the study have developed sophisticated intemal managementinformation and monitoring systems, which are increasingly computerised.For example,PROSHIKA uses an ImpactMonitoringand EvaluationCell (IMEC) to monitor its work.Others, ike BAIF,have institutedan integrated eview systemacrossthe organisationat bothdistrict and state levels, incorporating input from its own researchers and outsidespecialists.

The extent to whichdonor-ledevaluationprocessescontributedo learningwas mixed, withthe incentive to cover up mistakes in order to maintainfunding undermining he learningprocess. The older and more established NGOs appearedsufficientlyconfidentto treattheprocess morepositively,and so were betterable to takeadvantageof the outsideperspectivesof donors and theirconsultants.But, in general,thereappears o be a growingunderstandingthat such evaluation reviews are as much an opportunityto captureand synthesise newlearningas they are a mechanism to assess whethergoals have been attainedor funds havebeen well spent.Whatdrives this desire for learning?We have seen that successfulNGOs are intellectuallyfit enoughto handlechange,and agileenough to drive change forward.This is a directresultof theirpreoccupationwith learning.Althoughthey all learn n differentways, with some emphasising nformalmethodsandothersmore formalapproaches,whatis common to all is theirfundamental ommitment o learning.Learning s one of their corevalues andpervades heirorganisational ulture.As a result,theirstaff demonstratea willingness to reflect, a curiosity,a capacityto innovate andexperiment,as well as to embracenew thinking.Thus,learning s notjust a resourceor asset to be investedin, it is also a crucialpartof the values and culture of the organisation.But where does thisculture of learningcome from?

Learning eadersThe cultureof learningin these NGOs, apparenteven in their early years, can be directlyattributed o the personalviews of theirleader.Learningorganisationshave learning eaders.Senge (1990) points out thatleadership s centralto organisationalearning and thatlearningorganisationshave leaders who are facilitatorsand educators.Organisations,particularlyntheirfounderphase4(thoughnot exclusively), tend to be very muchmoulded in the image ofthe leaders.Not only do founders end to choose theorganisation'smissionandvision, but theyalso choose the staff.Accordingto Schein(1992), founder eaderstend to have a high level ofself-confidenceanddetermination, ndstrongassumptionsabouttheworld,organisations, ndhuman nature (and learning!). They are usually quite comfortable in imposing (albeitunconsciously) these views on the rest of the organisation.Their strongtheories get testedearly. If the leader's solutions fail, then the organisationdies quickly. If they succeed, theorganisationgrows and develops with yet greaterbelief in its original assumptionsandsolutions.There s, therefore,particularlyn founder-ledorganisations, veryclose connectionbetweentheleader's deasandtheway anorganisationunctions.Evenas organisationsmatureand develop, the importanceof leadershipin determininghow an organisationfunctionsremains paramount.The leader still controls many of the key levers for influencing theorganisational ulture.The case studies we have looked at bear this out. It was the drive and insight of keyindividuals n a leadershippositionwho, with the supportof theirmanagement eam,activelypromoted the strategic role of learning and championed new learning throughoutthe404 Development n Practice, Volume12, Numbers3 & 4, August2002

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Learningeadersorganisation. BRAC's commitment to learning can be directly traced to the personalcommitmentto learningof its founder,Dr Abed. It was his views and learning example thatlaid the foundation or the commitmentof BRAC to become a learningNGO. Rightfrom theoutset,Dr Abed would go to the field for at least four to seven days, live there,and talkwithBRAC staff. 'We would then discuss and analyse strategies and problems, and take vitaldecisions on the spot. This is how we learnt... in fact BRAC started earningwhile doingthings, and the excitement was that everybody was learning too. It was like a "littleuniversity"' (Hailey and Smillie 2001:75). His commitment o learning, acceptanceof error,and active promotionof education,training,and shared earningacross the organisationhavebeen therefrom the outset. Even the researchand evaluationdepartmentwas establishedafteronly threeyears.WithSadguru, t was the founder eaders'two years' 'walkingandtalking'with the peoplethat not only provedof immenseimmediateoperationalbenefit,butalso was symbolicof theircommitment o learning rom local peoplethemselves. Thisprocessis the foundationon whichSadguru'srelationshipwith the local community s based, and it createda cultureof sharedlearningwhich has marked he developmentof the organisationand the way it works with thelocal community.But it is not merely founderswho influence the cultureof learningin anNGO. Barry Underwood, an expatriateappointedas successor to the founder of AKRSP(India), 'personallyemphasised earningandresearch,and because of thepressures orchange,he placed great emphasis on training, organisationdevelopment and strategic planning'(Hailey and Smillie 2001:155).The research did not bear out any specific genderdimensions to leadershipand learning(possiblybecause therewas only one woman outof the 16pastandpresentChief Executives nthe case studiesconsidered,and the issue was not a primary ocus of theresearch).Therewas,however,a sense that women who do get into leadershippositionsare betterequipped o dealwiththeconstantlychangingchallenges,as theyhave takenmore bruisesalong the way. Effortsto promotewomento seniorpositionsareactivelypursued,and a numberof specialinitiativeshavebeen introducedo overcome someof thedeep-rooted esistance o womenbeingrecruitedto seniorpositions.Manyof theseNGOs havemadewomen the focalpointof theiractivities,andhave learntover theyearsthatempowerments a gender ssue thatrelates as much to men as towomen. Consequently,genderprogramming as been thesubject of considerable esearchandanalysis. These organisationshave learntthat any efforts to promotewomen to leadershippositionshave to be seen as a strategicpriority,backed with a considerable nvestmentof timeand resources,and actively supportedby senior managers.In short,such efforts have to bemainstreamed cross theorganisation nd endorsedatthehighest level.Efforts to promotesuchnew initiatives,encourage nnovation,andsupportnew learningarenormallyseen at anorganisationalevel. However, t shouldbe notedthat 'learning eaders' arenot just interested n promotingorganisationallearning per se, but are also keen to developtheir own personal learningand initiateindividualchange.Organisational earning is not animpersonalprocess.Merely creatinga learningcultureor developing a knowledge strategy sinsufficient. It requires human beings to learn and change. All the evidence suggests thatorganisationalearning s dependentuponindividualsbeing both opento new ideas andwillingto engage in new learning(Swieringaand Wierdsma1992; Cross and Israelit2000). 'Learningleaders', who can draw on theirpower and prestige in the organisation o drive this learningprocess forward,often have a personal commitmentto learning, a naturalcuriosity, and anunderstandingof the value of research and education generally. The commitment of suchleaders to organisational earning is often a consequence of a personal commitment todeveloping their own learning. The leaders in the case studies we have reviewed had afascinationwith knowledge and learning. It was the leaders who went out to learnfrom theDevelopment in Practice, Volume12, Numbers 3 & 4, August 2002 405

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John Hailey and Rick Jamespeople in theearly days, and the same leadershave consciouslyandsystematicallycreated hemeans by which they can learnfrom their staff.Thus, it appearsyou cannot have a learningorganisationwithout a learning eaderwho is open to personal change.As Hailey concluded,'whathas been striking .. has been the abilityof their founder eadersto changeandadapt'(Hailey 1999:3).These findings are reinforced by the academic literature on leadership, learning, andmanagement. t is persuasivelyargued hat the abilityto promote earningand instil a learningmindset in an organisationis 'the trademarkcompetency of future leaders' (Conger andBenjamin 1999:242). Senge (1990) concluded that leaders in a learning organisation houldhave a facilitativerole rather han aninspirational r technicalone, and as suchshouldbe seenas designers, stewards,or teachers. Suchmanagershave specific learningcompetenciessuchas a learningorientation,a proactivestance towardsproblems,the abilityto reflectcritically,and a toleranceof critical feedback(McCauley2001).ConclusionTherearemanydifferentmethodsby which NGOs can learn,as the cases we have looked atillustrate.These NGOs relied on informalprocessesto generatenew learning,reflect on pastexperience,andexperimentwith new approaches.They also investedheavily in moreformallearning processes such as trainingandresearch.

But what is common to all is thatlearningorganisationsare staffedby learningpeople andare led by learning leaders.Learningis a key characteristicof their organisationalculture.Organisationsaremadeup of the people within them.Organisationalearningcannothappenwithout individual earning.Leaders areparticularlynfluential members of organisations.Acrucial characteristic of such learning organisations is that their leadership and seniormanagementeam arewilling to invest in developingtheorganisation's earning,andrecogniseits role as a catalyst for change. But more thanbeing committedto organisational earning,they have to be committedto theirpersonal learning.All the learning eaders reflect different acets of the learningprocess.Although they placea differentemphasison formal or informal earningprocesses,theirwillingnessto invest timeandmoney in new learninghighlightsthe importanceof their role as founderswho inculcateda learningculturein theirfledgling organisations.ManibhaiDesai, of BAIF, emphasises theimportanceof learning rom new technologiesandappliedresearch o help the ruralpoor. TheJagawatis rom Sadgurucreated an organisational ulture that is markedby learningthroughdialogue,and the need to build trust and relationsbeforegenuinelearningcan takeplace. DrAbed of BRAC, while actively encouraging direct investment in formal learning andknowledge-generating ctivities,also recognisesthe role of team buildingandexperimentationin promoting organisational earning.Such leaders have marriedsound organisationaldesign and effective managementwithstrong personalvalues. These 'development eaders' have a distinctcharacterand leadershipstyle that can be characterised s being value driven, knowledge based,and responsive. Theyhave ambitiousdevelopment aspirations and an ability to understandand work within anuncertainandchangingexternalenvironment. n practice, his has meantthat they have a clearvision, a firmvalue-set, and a strongsense of commitment o helping the ruralpoor which theywere able to sharewith, andwhich could inspire,others. Second, they have had a willingnessto learn and experiment,to apply new technologiesor organisational orms, and to draw onscience or othersourcesof appliedorprofessionalknowledge. Third, hey have a curiosityandability to analyse the external environment, follow trends, and respond to changingcircumstances.Fourth,these leaders also have possessed communicationand interpersonal406 Development in Practice, Volume 12, Numbers 3 & 4, August 2002

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Learningleadersskills that have enabledthem to motivatestaffandengagewith a cross-sectionof society. Fifth,they have displayedthe abilityto balance diversedemandsandplay differentroles.Theyhavedemonstrateda chameleon-likeability to adapt to differentroles, styles, or organisationalneeds. They have thereforebeen able to combine ideals and values with analysis, technicalexpertise,andprofessionalism,while still being able to communicatea vision and motivate arangeof staff, stakeholders,and beneficiaries.Rightat theircore, they passionatelybelieve inthe importanceof learningandknowledge in shaping the future of theirorganisation.Notes1 For a full review of this book, please referto the Book Reviews section in this issue.2 We define organisationalculture as a patternof learned assumptionsabout appropriate

behaviour,or more colloquially 'how things get done round here'.3 We use the word 'leader' to refer to the Directoror Chief Executive of an organisation,andsee leadershipas a process throughwhich the seniormanagementand the Boardinfluencegroupmembers o attaingroupororganisational oals andso shape the directionandcultureof an organisation.4 The early stage of an organisation'sgrowth where the pioneerprovides many of the ideasand much of the energyand directionto an organisation.ReferencesBritton, B. (1998) TheLearningNGO, OccasionalPaper17, Oxford:INTRAC.Conger, J. A. and B. Benjamin (1999) Building Leaders: How Successful CompaniesDevelop the Next Generation,San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Cross, R. and S. Israelit (2000) StrategicLearningin a KnowledgeEconomy:Individual,Collective,and OrganisationalLearning Process, Oxford:Butterworth-Heinemann.Dixon, N. (2000) CommonKnowledge:How CompaniesThriveby SharingWhatTheyKnow,Cambridge,MA: HarvardBusiness School Press.Edwards, M. (1997) 'Organizational learning in NGOs', Public Administration andDevelopment17:223-234.Fowler, A. (1997) Striking a Balance: A Guide to Enhancingthe Effectivenessof NGOs inInternationalDevelopment,London:Earthscan.Fowler, A. (2000) The VirtuousSpiral:A Guide to Sustainability or NGOs in InternationalDevelopment,London:Earthscan.Hailey, J. (1999) 'Charismaticautocratsor developmentleaders', paperpresented to DSAConference,Bath.Hailey, J. and I. Smillie (2001) Managing for Change: Leadership, Strategy, andManagement n SouthAsian NGOs, London:Earthscan.Handy, C. (1994) TheEmptyRaincoat, London:Hutchinson.Kluge. J., W. Steen, and T. Licht (2001) KnowledgeUnplugged,Basingstoke:Palgrave.Korten, D. (1980) 'Community organization and rural development:a learning processapproach',Public AdministrationReview40:480-51 1.Lewis, D. (2001) Management of Non-governmentalDevelopment Organisations: AnIntroduction,London:Routledge.McCauley, C.D. (2001) 'Leader training and development', in S. J. Zaccaro and R. J.Klimoski (eds.) TheNature of OrganizationalLeadership,San Francisco,CA: Jossey-Bass.Pedler. M., J. Burgoyne and T. Boydell (1991) TheLearning Company,London:McGrawHill.Development in Practice, Volume12, Numbers3 & 4, August2002 407

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John Hailey and RickJamesRevans, R. (1993) The ABC of Action Learning, Manchester:InternationalFederation ofAction Learning.Schein, E. (1992) OrganizationalCultureand Leadership,San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Senge, P. (1990) The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organisation,London: CenturyBusiness.Smillie, I. (1995) TheAlms Bazaar,London:IT Publications.Swieringa, J. and A. Wierdsma (1992) Becoming a Learning Organisation,Wokingham:AddisonWesley.World Bank (1998) WorldDevelopment Report: Knowledge for Development, Oxford:OUP.The authorsJohn Hailey is Professor of InternationalManagementat Oxford Brookes Universitywith aspecial interest n the managementof NGOs. He was also one of the foundersof the Oxford-based InternationalNGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC). Contact details:ManagementResearchCentre,Oxford Brookes University,Wheatley,Oxford OX33 1HX,UK. < Jmhailey@brookes.ac.uk . RickJames s a SeniorTrainingandConsultancyManageratINTRAC,anda specialist n organisational hangein NGOs.His recentpublications ncludeDemystifyingOrganisationDevelopmentand People and Change.Contactdetails:INTRAC,PO Box 563, OxfordOX2 6RZ, UK. .

408 Development n Practice, Volume12, Numbers 3 & 4, August 2002