“Dismantling and Rebuilding Learning Processes”
by Robin Lackey and Richard Brehler

In: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 221-233. 


Summarized by: Carol Rodriguez
28 August 2001
Summary:

The article presents a case study describing the approach to organizational learning at Plante and Moran, an accounting and management consulting company, which Fortune magazine classifies as one of the top 100 companies in the United States. It highlights the application of organizational learning processes in a rapidly growing industry that is undergoing major changes in client’s needs and expectations. Central to the company's response to these challenges is its chief learning officer. Plante and Moran’s managing partners have defined the roles and responsibilities of the training and education director, Mr. Richard Brehler (the article’s co-author) beyond the usual prescribed mandate of overseeing the training function to include that of the "learning architect". The firm, therefore, is able to meet its rapidly changing learning needs and think strategically about its business challenges.

Major upheavals and current trends in the accounting and consulting profession, i.e.,

  • technological advances
  • automation
  • clients’ growing ability to track and monitor online financial information
  • wide availability of off-the-shelf tax preparation software products
have caused fundamental changes in how the profession conducts its business, i.e.,
  • hasten the learning of inexperienced staff
  • heightened demand for accelerated learning by experienced staff
  • need for staff who have general business acumen as well as technical depth
  • staying current with automated processes and new software updates
  • increased pressure for improved efficiency
What sets Plante and Moran apart from other organizations is that the firm is historically and philosophically grounded in the principles associated with learning organizations. The company’s trademarked motto Knowledge to Share suggests the firm’s keen awareness and active involvement in the knowledge era. One of its key philosophy statements is "Our entire practice is built upon constant development of knowledge that is useful to our clients." The importance of the core values and cultural climate is understood as important not only to the staff but also to customers.

The company fosters a relationship between itself and its clients based on a depth of understanding of the particular businesses they serve and they offer, not just an audit resulting in a financial statement.

Plante and Moran also has several innovative programs aimed at staff retention. In an industry where staff turnover rate typically ranges from 20 percent to 40 percent, P&Ms turnover is around 12%. It bases its staff recruitment and retention strategies on its stated values and principles and these strategies involve continuous attention to corporate culture as well as the bottom line.

Innovative programs aimed at staff retention includes:

  • A buddy system that matches up new hires with experienced staff for orientation and training
  • A team system that ensures each staff member has individual attention from one of the firm’s partners
  • Free Sunday day care for children of staff
  • Alternative career paths for women and nontraditional hires
  • A biannual career planning process that allows staff to redirect their careers during their stay
  • Internship for college students
  • Internal internship for staff wishing to explore career opportunities in another area within the firm
  • Extensive psychological testing as part of the selection and career planning process
  • Formal and informal recruitment efforts designed to keep people engaged
The company’s "high touch" system, which includes all its innovative programs aimed at staff retention, is shown in the following figure:


P&M's high-touch system for staff recruitment and retention



The article's co-author, Richard Brehler's formal title at P&M is training and education director whose function has evolved to what he describes as a "learning architect" which includes crafting new processes and forum for learning. Beyond the daily business of running a training and education department, Brehler's orientation is one of strategically reminding people to think beyond what is happening on the surface and to look more deeply at the learning issues that will be facing them in the future. Ongoing questions he articulates include:

  • What did we just learn here?
  • What did we learn about how we learn?
  • What would have helped us learn this faster or better?
  • What does this suggest we should do when we're helping someone else learn this?
Early on, Brehler realized that fundamental issues for P&M included the following:
  • capturing and disseminating knowledge it already contained;
  • looking closely at the processes of both business and learning to make this buried knowledge available to the firm -- to use it and to expand it;
  • being aware that a key discipline in continuous learning is to bring to consciousness the learning processes being followed by noting when and how insight comes; and
  • paying attention to the internal processes involved in learning in order to improve it.
Brehler's own continuous learning process, as part of his efforts to build ever-increasing learning capacity throughout the firm, includes:
  • Scanning three listservs daily in order to broaden his own knowledge and understanding of future challenges;
  • Extending his learning searches outside his own industry.
Lessons learned from being P&M's "learning architect" are as follows:
Staffing Identify or recruit staff who are to be key keepers of organizational practices and processes needed to ensure continuous learning, to be there as consultants to the practitioners.
Technology Technological advancement are masking more fundamental issues of user comfort and capability, and the cultural barriers to an open and free flow of information. Effective management of the human being attached to the keyboard is becoming more critical to success than the power and wizardry of software and hardware.
Informal learning networks Harnessing informal learning networks (tacit knowledge) is critical. People's awareness about the validity and value of this practice should be raised in order to increase a group's potential sharing of knowledge and leverage.
Influence, patience and principles Patience is critical, especially if you want people to incorporate your suggestions into their own practices. Influence is also very critical since to be effective means being influential. Be clear on who owns the store.
Role of the chief learning officer The position of CLO will come to be recognized as one of the key strategic areas in organizations. Not managing an organization's human intellectual capital will come to be seen as professional incompetence.
Nature of learning Most people had their natural learning capabilities dulled while in school, but it is easy to rekindle the flame. As William Butler Yeats puts it, "Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire."
Leadership challenges Conditions for learning and not the learning itself must be created.



Go to article:
  • Dede Bonner. “The Knowledge Management Challenge: New Roles and Responsibilities for Chief Knowledge Officers and Chief Learning Officers.” Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 3-19.
  • Adam Gersting, Bill Ives and Cindy Gordon.  “A Human Performance Approach to Knowledge Management: Andersen Consulting”. in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 23-38.
  • Nick Milton.  “Managing Knowledge in an Oil Exploration Office”. in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 39-53.
  • Verna J. Willis and Gary L. May. “Strategy and the Chief Learning Officer”. in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 55-70.
  • Michael H. Mitchell and Nick Bontis. “Aligning Human Capital with Business Strategy”. in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 73-86.
  • Case Study in Online Knowledge Exchange Community: Entovation International Ltd. (Debra M. Amidon. “Leading through Strategic Conversations”. in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner, editors. In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 101-114.
  • Gary Jusela and Nick Nissley. “Action Learning and Organizational Design”. in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 133-145.
  • Lynne Hambleton.  “Supporting a Metamorphosis through Communities of Practice”. in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 147-156.
  • Michael Horst adn Theresa Snavely. “Assuming the Role of CLO in a Hospital Setting”. In: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 189-203.
  • Ruth Ash and Maurice Persall: The School Principal as Chief Learning Officer: Seven Exemplary Schools” in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 205- 220.
  • Robin Lackey and Richard Brehler: “Dismantling and Rebuilding Learning Processes” in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 221-233.
  • Dave Snowden.  “Storytelling and other Organic Tools of Chief Knowledge Officers and Chief Learning Officers”. in: Jack J. Phillips and Dede Bonner (editors). In Action: Leading Knowledge Management and Learning. American Society for Training and Development, 2000.  pp. 237-252.
    		•