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TRANSFORMATIVELEARNINGCOMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN 2024 I N T H E W O R K P L A C E

The WorkBusiness & the Evolving WorkforceThe Work Environment employees around the globe aredemanding a new kind of'income' in exchange for theirtime, effort and expertise;focused on personal wellbeing,purpose-driven work and theinvestment in their capabilitydevelopmentemployers are recognizing thevalue of employees who can thinkcritically, challenge assumptions,and proactively help theorganization change. . In response to the complexity...As organizations move into 2024goals, a new kind of 'generativedialogue' is surfacing in executiveboardrooms, to explore the futureecosystem of work and its impact ontalent development. Disruption is happening across all three elements. The WorkerWhat will future 'work' look like in anincreasingly complex and digitalmarketplace? How and where will thework be done? Who is the futureworker? And what skills will they needto thrive?

Change is learning.As the world pivoted to respond to the challenges of working remotely in a digital landscape, what began as a temporary solution of hi-flexoptions, has unleashed a permanent challenge to how organizationstransmit knowledge and distribute power - with clear implications for talent acquisition, retention, learning, and development. Learning is change.For many years organizations have approached learning from a skillsdevelopment perspective, focused on delivering results across businessoperations. Yet, the greatest influencer of successful organizationalchange in the future will be found within the efforts to sustain cultures oflearning that prioritize the value of 'un-learning' and readiness fordisruption. The process of exploring past meaning to expand perspectives and shift future behavior is the foundation of transformative learning. The resulting effect on the entire ecosystem of work is the re-emergenceof CRITICAL THINKING as one of the most valuable skills needed fortoday's workers, along with CRITICAL REFLECTION on our assumptionsto unlearn previous behavior and innovate new ways of thinking anddoing.

Transformative Learning is a process by which weexamine our assumptions and re-evaluate ourexpectations, to make ourselves more inclusive, morereflective and ultimately more emotionally able tochange. Transformative Learning Theory is the idea that ashuman meaning-making machines, we are self-motivated to expand and shift our perspective, whenwe encounter situations that challenge our previouslysuccessful ways of thinking and being. The process of transformative learning is embedded incritical self-reflection, to surface and understand howbiases, past experiences and expectations impact ourfuture success in navigating the world around us. What is Transformative Learning? When used as a basis for developing people,transformative learning fosters self-aware, sociallyresponsible, future-focused thinkers, who readily engagein critical reflection to challenge assumptions, disruptconformity and embrace change.

Unexpected situationsthat derail us becausewe don't have anypast experience inhow to navigate thecurrent challengesuccessfully. Involves a change in theway people understandthemselves and begin todisrupt their personal beliefsystems, because theyrealize their ownshortcomings and make adeliberate behaviorchange. Implementing the actionplan usually takes a littlecourage to step into theinevitable learningrequired to gain newskills, experience andknowledge. Attempting to assess andevaluate how to resolve thecurrent dilemma.Transformation begins whenwe become aware of andacknowledge that there may be other perspectivesthat are as valid or more valid,and we open our mind to seeknew insights.With an understanding thatnew meaning structuresare needed, we create aplan to acquire them. Atthis stage, we often enterinto dialogue with othersto help garner the supportand resources that willultimately be needed tomake the plan happen. Learning and adjustingthrough experimentation.Trying out new roles,tweaking to ensurealignment with the newperspective. Measuringand evaluating progress.Sustaining a growthmindset and culture. DisorientingDilemmaPerspectiveShiftActivatingthe Plan SustainingMomentumCourse ofAction CriticalReflectionHow does it work? If we think about what drives human behavior, it's all our thoughts, feelingsand experiences that create mental models, shape our perceptions andinfluence action. When we encounter unfamiliar information or experiencesomething new, our brain accesses previous meaning made about similarexperiences, to accelerate our ability to resolve what is perceived by thebrain as 'change'. While these previously determined beliefs and decision-making models are powerful, they can be challenged and transformedthrough critical reflection. 1.2.3.4.5.6.

Today's organizations are undergoing radical culture remodeling as theyrethink current norms, employee productivity, and the impact of technologyon future human performance. Despite the available options to work fromanywhere, we are still largely fixed in our thinking about other aspects ofwork life, like leadership hierarchies, working in silos, and fixed hours in aworking day.Workers today face adaptive challenges for which past solutions will not work. Unlearning to become future-ready.With a rising concern for mental health and unprecedented reports ofpersonal burnout, employees everywhere are eager to continue disruptingthe 'way things have always been done around here', beyond just where thework is being done. There's still a lot of 'unlearning' needed to disrupt traditional managementpractices and to reconsider how to re-skill tomorrow's workforce withpeople-first skills, like building trust, demonstrating compassion, meaningfulconversations, being inclusive, and valuing whole-hearted leadershippractices. It's not only about how smart you are anymore, it's also about how quickly can you disrupt your old habits of thinking and doing.

Especially in today's turbulent environment, unlearning may actually bemore important than one's ability to learn, because in a state ofambiguity or uncertainty, we don't yet know what skills or knowledge arehelpful. Being able to disrupt routine thinking and habitual behavior ondemand could be the competitive edge needed to thrive in such anever-changing landscape. Unlearning does not happen in a vacuum. It is triggered automaticallywhen we find ourselves experiencing a disorienting dilemma; when wehave the realization that our previous learning/insights are not helpful inresolving a current challenge. Is it just about forgetting what we previously learned? Unlearning is not about getting rid of outdated knowledge or skills thatare no longer helpful. Rather, it is our ability to reduce the influencethat past experience has on our unconscious cognitive abilities andbehavioral choices. All learning is preceded by unlearning; 'loosening' the influence of previous beliefs on our actions. Unlearning is a process that allows us to recall previously made mentalmodels that drive behavioral patterns, and to 'loosen' them, makingspace for new insights, expanded perspectives, and the formation ofnew patterns, within our existing sense-making templates.

The Canvas Transformation Model As our perspective shifts, we find the courage to try something new andcreate the MOMENTUM needed to overcome our natural resistance tochange, moving us from learning to doing to being different. As we explore the MEANING wemake for ourselves - in the context of organizational life, the stories we tell ourselves and to others, anchor us into a mindset that influences our everyday action. Transformative learning opens a gateway to critical reflection about'what makes us US' and to explore 'why we do the things we do'. When we understand and make MEANING for ourselves on why change isnecessary and what needs to change, we unleash an intrinsicMOTIVATION that compels us to disrupt our status quo. Once formed, our thoughts and behaviors become difficult to change, because our stories keep them alive and sustain our actions.

We see the relationship between organizational change and humangrowth as inseparable. Each is a driver of, and outcome of the other. Transformative learning is theconnective process through which organizational change occurs. We believe Change is not about conforming to external events. Ratherit is the outcome of self-reflection and activating new perspectivesthat emerge from a transformative learning journey. Ultimately, we recognize change as a personal choice, and growth asthe evolutionary process that occurs along the way. Inside organizational life, true change is only possible if each individualinvolved is willing to challenge their internal status quo, and findscollective support for the resilience needed to go the distance. Embeddingcommitment andthe desire to dothings differently Moving from astate of DOINGto a way ofBEING UnderstandingWHY change isneeded andWHAT needs tochange Self-awareness & VulnerabilityAuthenticity & CourageResilience & Commitment

Whether self-initiated or driven by leaders, the process of transformativelearning naturally accelerates capability development and shortenstransition periods. As adult learners, when we find ourselves in unfamiliarsituations, we engage in critical thinking and conscious reflection toreframe previous knowledge and past experience. This process heightensproblem-solving skills and contributes to a more socially responsibleindividual who uses self-understanding to question conformity, embracechange, and take action that serves the needs of the collective. Transformative learning affirms the importance of critical reflection in today's workplace, as employees are expected daily, to make subjectivejudgments, take appropriate risks, and actively question the assumptions on which they take action.Organizational life is a natural catalystfor transformative learning Benefits in the workplace When we become critical thinkers, we become skeptical of quick-fix solutions and single answers to problems. Transformative learning helps leaders develop alternative ways of looking at, and behaving in the world. - Steven Brookfield, Ph.D., Columbia UniversityAt the organizational level, transformative learning experiences alsonaturally emerge during acquisitions and mergers, strategy shifts, andorganizational culture change initiatives. Self-directed transformativelearning often occurs organically for new hires, after a promotion to ahigher level of responsibility or when an employee changes jobs.

asking thought-provoking questions that challenge long-held assumptionsacknowledging the emotional and social impact of changeencouraging self-reflection and reflective dialogue in teamsdesigning collaborative learning experiences that expose and expand perspectivesproviding opportunities for action planning and safe experimentationto acquire new skills. Cultivating transformative leadersIf we define leadership not as a title, but as a responsibility to cultivate, nurture and sustain the growth environment for both people and the organization, then leadership becomes a critical activator role that lives and works at the intersection between human learning and organizational needs. In a culture of learning, leaders have accountability to model curiosity,create connection, and instill a readiness for disruption by creatingtransformative learning opportunities, like: Leaders who understand how to usetransformative learning to disrupt the waythings have always been done, and to imaginemore impactful ways of being, will becomecatalysts of transformational change.

Committing to their own transformative learning journeyWorking to increase self-awareness, understand limiting beliefs and disrupt existing mental models to innovate new ways of working and thinking. As leaders model critical reflection and actively seek outnew perspectives to expand and shift thinking, they willinspire others to also open their minds to positivedisruption. Anchoring into the 'power of story' to inspire changeTo prepare their organization for the future of work, Leaderstoday should be:12Organizational culture is built on thestories that shape and sustain the waysthings are done. Design shared employeeexperiences that purposely exposedifferent perspectives and encouragereflective dialogue to harvest stories As culture holders for the organization,leaders have the responsibility of not justtelling stories but also disrupting themthrough shared dialogue, collaborativereflection, and assumption checking.

Prioritizing a culture of holistic learning that supportspersonal wellbeing and organizational growth Invest in equitable learning opportunities that support allemployees in achieving their full potential and encouragesautonomy for continued development. Learn about and actively monitor the critical aspects ofcompany culture that impact thriving in the workplace;psychological safety, trust, community, autonomy, purposeand growth.3Leverage collaborative learning methodologies that challenge current thinking, expand perspectives and test application of new skills. Celebrate progress not just outcomes. Talk about and share cultural best practices and failures to uncover valuable learnings. Model the vulnerability needed to explore 'the way thingshave always been done' and the courage to do thingsdifferently. The future of work demands transformative learning cultures that ignite critical reflection and a desire for change. Leaders that move away from asking how can we do this? to why are we doing this? will attract and retain a resilient workforce committed to co-creating a world in which ALL people are thriving in, and because of responsible organizations. In the future

a transformative learning, leadership, and culture change community. We work at the intersection of human growth andorganizational needs, to create a world in which ALL people are thriving. CanvasLeadership.com203-216-0131 | Community@CanvasLeadership.com |Leadership Development | People Strategy | Culture TransformationConnect with UsAuthored by Dr. Susan GrayUpdated 2024